30 



SC/E.\'CE-GOSS/P. 



in a mount and fixed, the mirror itself being reduced 

 in size. The whole is attached to the microscope by 

 a clamp, and can be swung aside as required ; whilst 

 it can further be adjusted in position so as to be used 

 with various eye-pieces. 



Dkcoi.orisi.sc Ai.i;ae. — Dr. H. C. Sorby has found 

 that diluted formalin decolorises alg.ie, and by means 

 of this reagent has succeeded in so reducing the culiiur 

 as to show the natural colouring of such algae in 

 lantern slides, instead of exhibiting only the ordinary 

 dark shadows. 



KiLl.lNC. AM) PkESERVI.N'O MARINE AmMALS. — 

 Dr. Sorby also finds that the addition of a small 

 i)uantity of menthol to the sea-water in which marine 

 animals are kepi, causes them to expand fully. They 

 can then be preserved permanently in a four per cent, 

 formalin solution. By this method he has preserved 

 Syiiapta and several species of sea anemones. He 

 also suggests the u.se of dilute glycerine for killing some 

 animals. Afterwards he removes this by water, and 

 subsequently mounts in Canada Balsam. By this 

 means he has been able to^mount certain worms, so 

 as to show the ininute bloud-vessels filled with the 

 natural red blood. Both these methods were exhibited 

 1 <n May 3rd, at the Conversazione of the Royal Society, 

 particulars as to height and width of microscope-stage. 



New Stac.e-taki.e. — The little table herein 

 illustrated has been a veritable multuiii in pai-'o to me. 

 It was first devised as a rough stage for the microscope. 

 That instrument being placed vertically, the table is 

 brought over its stage, and admits work of the 

 roughest character without danger to the microscope. 

 Further, it can be heated by aid of a spirit lamp, and 

 when hot enough placed over the microscope, thus 

 acting as a hot stage, extremely useful in watching 

 crystallisation, etc. The wooden hand-rests being 

 non-conductors of heat, the hands of the operator can 



i-in. npcrturL', 



/jl y ,1 V Sloping «<!<!. 



**- **^ ^cyvurtd wilb wood. 



conveniently rest on them during manipulation, while 

 the top plate is too hot to conveniently handle. Again, 

 for utility in mounting purposes, it is far in advance of 

 the orthodox four-legged brass table of our forefathers. 

 Needless to say, this simple instrument lends itself to 

 numerous purposes, known only to the working 

 microscopist in his daily round. A sheet of brass 

 i inch thick, 4^ inches wide, and 16 inches long, or 

 of a .size to suit the microscope, has an arc cut out of 

 each end, leaving \ inch each side for legs when the 

 table is finished, l-'rom the centre of the 45 inch by 

 l6-inch cut a circular aperture i inch in diameter. 

 .•\t 3J inches, als-i at 5] inches, from each end, drill 

 and counter-sink a ,'V,incli hole, J-inch from each side ; 

 that is four holes at each end of the sheet of brass. 

 Then Ijcnd the sheet into the form of part of an 

 irregular octagon, as in the accompanying diagram, the 

 I inch aperture being in the centre of the proposed 

 t.able-top, which, when finished, should measure 

 4J inches by 4i inches, take care that the counter- 

 sinks arc on the underside. Then lake two pieces of 

 apple W'K^)d i inch thick, the size of your sloping-table 

 sides. Screw these to the sides, a piece of asbestos 

 cloth intervening ; neatly fini.sh, and the day's work 

 will never be regretteil. Microscopists, not of the 

 amateur mechanic fraternity, had better place the 

 work in the haruls of an optician, giving him the 

 particulars as to height and width of microscope- 

 - (V. /F(M/, 128. A'c)ilh/i 'I'mun Koail, lj>mlon, N.IV. 



Jauez H(ii;ii. — The sudden death is announced of 

 Mr. Jabez Hogg, M.R.C.S., F.R.M.S., which took 

 place in his 83rd year, at his residence, Palace Gar- 

 dens Terrace, Kensington, on the 23rd of April. Mr. 

 Hogg was born at Chatham, where his father held an 

 appointment in the Royal Dockyard. He was edu- 

 cated at Rochester Grammar School. His first occu- 

 pation was on the staff of the "Illustrated London 

 News,'' which he joined in 1843, but in 1S45 he 

 entered the medical schoul at Charing Cross Hospital, 

 and in 1850 became a member of the Royal College 

 of .Surgeons. (Jphthalmic surger}' received his chief 

 attention, and in that branch of the art he practised 

 in London, long living in Bedford Square. Micro- 

 scopy, as a science, soon occupied his spare time, and 

 he became a F.L.S. in 1 866, and hon. secretary' of 

 the Royal Microscopical Society from the following 

 year until 1S72. Among numerous literary efforts, he 

 is best known to microscopists by his many editions of 

 "The Microscope: its History, Construction, and 

 Applications," the 15th edition of which we recently 

 noticed. 



Ch.\ri.es Leeson Prince. — We have to record 

 the death at The Observatory, Crowborough, Sussex, 

 on 22nd of April, of Mr. Chas. L. Prince, M.R.C.S., 

 F. R.A.S. Meteorolog)' was Mr. Prince's chief 

 occupation, and he had carried on careful observa- 

 tions, especially on temperature, for many years piast. 

 The Royal .•\stronomical and the Meteorologiail 

 Societies of London and Scotland elected him 

 member. Mr. Prince's contributions to the literature 

 of his subject are largely of a local character, but are 

 of much value for comparative purposes. 



Benjamin Vincent. — Long the Keeper of the 

 Royal Institution Library, Mr. Benjn. \'incenl first 

 Ijecame connected with the Institution in 1848, as 

 • Vssistant Secretarj-. In his various capacities he had 

 met most persons of consequence in the World of 

 Science, and was connected with Michael Faraday 

 by marriage. He possessed a remarkable aptitude 

 for languages. Mr. Vincent was editor of Haydn's 

 " Dictionary of Dates" and a companion "Dictionary 

 of Biography.'' He retired from active attention to 

 the Library in 1889, and died at Barnsbury on the 

 3rd of May. 



Henry Benhei.ack Hewetson. — Mr. Ilewet.son, 

 who died at the age of 49, in the second week in May, 

 was a well-known .scientific man at Leed.s. He was a 

 Fellow of the Royal Cie<igraphical, the Linnean, and 

 Zoulogical Sncieties; alsi) a member of the British 

 Ornithological I'nion. He w:ls an artist (tf repute, 

 and an active .■-upporter of .several .scientific and 

 artistic societies of Leed.s. By profession Mr. 

 Hewetson was a surgeon, devoting his greatest atten- 

 tion to ophthalmic and aural cases. (Jnly a few weeks 

 ago a remarkable case of his was reported, when he 

 enabled a woman to regain her .sight, after being 

 blind for 30 years. 



Hekhert Li.ovI). — .\ proprietor of Lloyd's 

 Weekly News and Daily Chronicle, died at Falmouth, 

 aged 41. While residing in Natal he was honorary 

 A.slronomer at the Observalorv. 



