SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



57 



MICROSCOPY 





CONDUCTED BV J. H. COOKE, F.L.S., F.G.S. 



[We have pleasure in announcing that Mr. J. 

 H. Cooke, F.L.S.. F.G.S. , etc., has kindly under- 

 taken to conduct "Microscopy" for Science- 

 '. as honorary departmental editor. Mr. 

 Cooke is so well known in scientific circles, that it 

 is almost unnecessary to introduce him to our 

 readers. We may, however, remind them that 

 Mr Cooke edited the "Mediterranean Naturalist" 

 for some years, and has long been a contributor to 

 the Proceedings of the Royal Society, as also to 

 various scientific serials. He has on three 

 occasions received grants from the Royal Society 

 to further his scientific work. Mr. Cooke was a 

 Commissioner for Agriculture in the Maltese 

 Islands, and he is now on the staff of the Science 

 and Art Department. South Kensington, stationed at 

 Lincoln. All communications for this department 

 of Science-Gossip should be sent direct to J. H. 

 Cooke, Esq., F.L.S., Thorndale, Lincoln.— John 

 T. Carrington, Editor Science-Gossip.] 



It having been decided that more space shall, in 

 the future, be devoted to microscopy in the pages 

 of this journal, we shall be glad to hear from all 

 who are interested in the subject, and who may 

 feel inclined to assist in making a success of the 

 section of "Microscopy" in Science-Gossip. 

 The monthly programme will consist of notes on 

 current microscopical research, helpful hints and 

 original articles, with, when possible, coloured or 

 plain illustrations To carry out this plan 

 effectively, it will be necessary to have the 

 cooperation of workers in microscopy, for it is 

 that the success of a department of this 

 kind depends not so much on the exertions of its 

 editor, as on the support that he receives from his 

 readers Copies of the Proceedings, Transactions, 

 Journals of English and Foreign Micros- 

 ties, as well as contributions from 

 individual-,, -a ill be gladly welcomed.— J. H. C. 



riOM 01 Water-Mites. — The very 



interesting series of articles, by Or George, that 



has appeared in this periodical during the last few 



given some impetus to the study of 



iter-mites. The following mixture, 



leaded by I >r Mark, for the preservation of 



liniitc creatures may not \x- without some 



ible ectiotl of "ur readers. 



'1 \\ if kersheim . fluid, one and a ball 



ounces of each, and distilled water, three ounces, 



the whole to 1« ihaken and thoroughly mixed, and 



a/lded to thirty nuni lyhve per cent. 



•f the mitei are apt to Cade 



■ed to light, the collection! should 



e kept in e'e 



Querii nave been 



i know 

 whether ar with 



r are now being 

 issued. Information on thi-. point will be acceptable. 



The Economy of Bird Lice. — From the fact 

 that lice immediately abandon the bodies of fowls 

 that have been affected with cholera and kindred 

 diseases, Mr. James Weir, Jun., has been led to 

 conclude that the office of these parasites is to prey 

 upon the waste products of the skin as well as to 

 freshen and beautify the feathers. They are 

 absolutely necessary to the health and well-being 

 of their host and are therefore to be regarded as 

 true mutualists. 



Pond-life. — The long spell of cold winds during 

 May greatly retarded the development of both 

 animal and plant life alike. This has been 

 specially noticeable in our ponds and streams 

 when, as a rule, the Entomostraca, water-mites 

 and beetles, begin, under normal conditions, to 

 swarm about the beginning of May. Compared 

 with last year pond-life is, in this respect, quite a 

 month behind. Just now the waters teem with 

 transparent Nitella and Spirogyra, the glass-larvae 

 of Corethra plumiconiis, with its peculiar kidney- 

 shaped air-vessels fore and aft, the building-rotifer, 

 Melicerta ringens, the ever-interesting Volvox globator 

 and a host of others of the minute creatures so 

 dear to the heart of the pond-hunting microscopist. 



New Pond-Sweep. — The following is a very 

 ingenious contrivance for pond-sweeping, which is 

 at once simple in construction and effective in its 

 working, a is the handle, B the hoop of a fisher- 

 man's landing-net. The hoop has been cut at a 1 , 6 1 , 

 and a piece of copper wire stretched across. To 

 this framework is attached a muslin net d, having 

 a hole at its apex. E is a test-tube of about three 

 inches in length, and one inch diameter, in the 



sides of which a series of clean-cut holes have been 

 bored. Around the perforated portion of the tube 

 a piece of fine muslin, F, is wrapped and securely 

 fastened with small elastic bands ; and the top of 

 the test-tube is then inserted and firmly fastened 

 in the hole which was made in the apex of the bae, 

 The advantages of the contrivance are that the 

 surface of the pond can be well swept, and a 

 maximum of material may be collected with a 

 minimum of water. How this is achieved is 

 obvious. 



Staining Insects' Wings. — Dr, Brodie has 

 given much attention to the setting up and pre- 

 servation of insects. The following mode of 

 staining the wings of inserts which he has devised, 

 will be both useful and interesting. Place the 

 whole insect in a strong alcoholic solution of 

 fuchsin, and allow ii to remain there for forty 

 eight hours Then transfer the in n i in water 

 villi a pair of fine forceps, and wash it until no 

 more coloui romet away, changing the water il 

 necessary. While the w.r.hed in .er i floats in clear 

 water, slip a microscope slide nndei It, raise the 



-.h'le, holding ihe nee. i on il with a fine needle, 



separate the wings from the body with a fine 

 scalpel, and remove ti»- body float the wings 



