128 West American Scienhsi. 



CUTTING DIAMONDS. 



When cutting a diamond, the stone is fastened in a ball of 

 cement on the end of a stick and rubbed with another diamond 

 set in the same way. The workman rests the stick on the edg^e 

 ot a little box, and the dust which is rubbed oiT is saved for 

 polishing purposes. When the desired shape is obtained, the 

 stone is given to the polisher, who fastens it with soft solder into 

 a copper cup at the end of a stout wire, and holds it against a 

 small steel wheel, wet with oil mixed with diamond dust, made to 

 turn with great rapidity. By this means the facets are polished 

 one by one, the stone being set in new solder lor grinding each 

 facet. — Selected. 



NECROLOGY. 



C. E. Broome, an English mycologist, died at Bath, England, 

 November 15, 1886. 



William Willoughby Cole, the Earl of Enniskillen, died No- 

 vember 12, 1886. He was the possessor of one of the largest col- 

 letions of fossil fishes in existence. 



Dr. Martin Websky, of Berlin, died November 27, 1886, aged 

 62 years. 



Thomas Moore, of London, well known among botanists, died 

 on the first day of this year. 



It was reported at a recent meeting of the Santa Barbara society 

 of Natural History, that Mr. John Spence had succeeded in rais- 

 ing plants of the new California poppy, (Papaver Californicum, 

 Gray,) which he lately discovered in the mountains. 



The West American Scientist succeeds to the business of 

 the Nfaiuralist^ Companio?i. 



A five years' subscription with $5 cash has just been re- 

 ceived. About time for us to double the size of the Scientist 

 again. 



The next International Scientists' Directory will be issued 

 soon We advise our readers to have their addresses inserted 

 (for which no charge is made), and those wishing correspondents 

 or desiring to make exchanges of books or specimens will do 

 well to subscribe for a copy. 



