SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



waxes indignant. He pertinently remarks that if 

 all dogs that one meets were differentiated and 

 named on the same principle, " one would have to 

 make a distinct species of every Cam's familiaris 

 living." 



Shepherd's Pdrse. — The leaves of this weed 

 (Capsella bursa-pastoris) have hairs in the form of 

 a cross, and when mounted they are equal in effect 

 to Deutsia as an opaque object. 



A Tissue Bedding. — A good "bedding" for 

 delicate tissues may be made by mixing beeswax 

 and olive oil in equal parts. The tissue is placed 

 in a tube and the fluid "bedding" is poured in 

 around it. The ordinary botanical section-cutter 

 may be used. 



Preparation of Ova for Microscope. — In 

 the preparation of the ova and fry of fish for 

 microscopical examination, the material for dissec- 

 tion should in the first place be put in a solution of 

 chromic acid and allowed to remain there for at 

 least a fortnight. If high powers are to be used 

 glycerine should be avoided, as it tends to give 

 the material a bluish-white tinge. The chromic 

 acid imparts a rich yellow colour to the sub- 

 stance and renders it firm and solid, and what is 

 of the greatest importance, it does not give rise 

 to shrinkage. 



Influence of Light on Fungi. — In the 

 " Annales des Sciences Naturelles Botaniques" for 

 1S97, M. A. Leudner records the results of a series 

 experiments on the effect of the access and with- 

 drawal of light on a variety of fungi grown on 

 different media. All the Muscorini examined 

 developed sporanges under the influence of light 

 when grown on solid sub-strata; in liquid media 

 the results varied with the species. In the case of 

 the conidial forms of the Ascomycetes, conids were 

 invariably formed under the influence of alternate 

 day and night ; under continuous light the results 

 varied with the species. 



Antennae of Male Phengodes with portion of Ray. 

 Greatly enlarged (original).— Insect Life. 



Reproduction of Diatoms. — Mr. G. Murray 

 records in the " Proceedings of the Royal Society 

 of Edinburgh," some observations on the propaga- 

 tion of pelagic diatoms found off the coast of 

 Scotland. In examining Biddulpdia mobilieiisis he 

 discovered cysts within the parent cell with only 

 slightly silicified membrane and destitute of the 

 characteristic spines. These cysts appear to have 

 the power of dividing and multiplying before 

 assuming the likeness of the parent. A like 

 arrangement was observed in Coscinodiscus concinnus, 

 but in that species the cells divide before the 



production of the cysts. It is not infrequent to 

 find the young colonies of Coscinodiscus in packets 

 of eight to sixteen. The membranes of these 

 young colonies are very slightly silicified, and are 

 therefore capable of increasing in size. A similar 

 formation in packets, with like numbers, was found 

 also in several members of the genus Chactocerous. 



No. 1. No. 2. 



Mounting Chara. — Mr. A. Flatters' System. 

 Method of graduating delicate objects through 

 alcohol to oil of cloves. No. 2 tube allows one drop 

 of oil to pass to the specimens every sixty seconds. 



a. Alcohol ;. b, oil; c, cover-cap; d, oil-cup 

 e, cork ; / alcohol ; g, specimens. 



Mounting Chara. — In reply to a query which 

 was sent by one of our readers requesting to know 

 what is the best medium for mounting the repro- 

 ductive organs of Chara to show clearly all details 

 as a transparent object, Mr. A. Flatters, 16, Church 

 Road, Manchester, writes: " The fruit of Charae 

 is good when mounted in glycerine jelly. After 

 cleaning place in 92 per cent, alcohol for several 

 hours. Transfer into equal parts of spirits and 

 glycerine for several hours longer, after which pour 

 off nearly all of the mixture and add pure glycerine 

 at intervals till the glycerine becomes concentrated. 

 Mount the object in glycerine jelly in a cavity slip 

 just deep enough to take it without pressure. A 

 second method is in balsam, as follows : After 

 cleaning, graduate through 25 per cent., 50 per 

 cent, to 92 per cent, alcohol and allow to stand 

 in the last strength for several hours. Take a 

 tube and put in it oil of cloves. On the top of the 

 oil pour a little absolute alcohol. Immerse the 

 specimen gently in the alcohol and allow it to sink 

 to the bottom of the tube. When clear mount in 

 balsam and benzole. If the objects are placed 

 direct from the spirits into the oil of cloves they 

 will shrink up and be spoiled, hence the graduating 

 method. To see the antheridia properly sections 

 ought to be made." Mr. Flatters, who is one of 

 the most successful mounters in the North of 

 England, is prepared to supply readers with 

 mounts of this or of any other histological or 

 botanical object. 



Errata. — In consequence of the miscarriage of 

 proofs, the paragraphs on Foraminifera and 

 Vaucheria (page 58) in the July number were not 

 revised. For Revista read Rivista : Rhisopoda read 

 Rhizopoda ; conoscienra read conoscienza: terriaria read 

 terziaria ; and in latter read the Greek u. to denote 

 one-thousandth of a millimetre instead of mm., as 

 there used— Ed. S.-G. 



