370 Mounting Dry Objects. 



aids to observation within reach, have made some better use of the 

 occurrence than I did ; but who in these prosy times ever thinks of 

 an earthquake till it is all over ?" 



The fact that some persons were strongly affected by the 

 concussion, while others in adjacent houses did not notice it, 

 need not surprise us when we take into consideration indi- 

 vidual peculiarities of sensitiveness, occupation at the time, 

 etc., etc., and also bear in mind the very different conducting 

 power of hard and soft soils, and of various kinds of masonry. 

 The beds or furniture in some houses would be in a more 

 favourable line of disturbance than in others. In Mr. Hibberd's 

 case the brickwork of the great drain may have conducted the 

 shock to the foundations and walls of his house. A corre- 

 spondent in the Times states that a strong shock occurred in 

 Antigua at a period corresponding with 6th October, 2'28 

 a.m. English mean time. Further facts would be necessary to 

 show whether this was a mere coincidence, or an indication of 

 the range of the shock which these islands felt. 



MOUNTING DEY OBJECTS. 



BY T. W.. WONEOR, 

 Hon. Sec. Brighton and Sussex Natural History Society. 



We have received the following valuable letter from Mr. Wonfor. 

 His method appears to be well worth trial, but great care must 

 be taken in making the brass and glass surfaces quite clean. 

 One of the cells he was kind enough to send loosened in 

 transit. Probably attention to the surfaces and the use of 

 marine glue would secure success : — 



" Knowing the interest you take in all matters relating to the 

 microscope, I have taken the liberty of addressing you upon a 

 paragraph in this month's Intellectual Observer. The plan 

 proposed by Mr. Half for dry mounting I tried some eighteen 

 months since, and found it open to three objections. First, 

 Heat does not perfectly unite the gutta-percha and glass ; con- 

 sequently a mere touch will remove the cell. Secondly, If 

 there be the least moisture about the object, glass, or gutta- 

 percha, it rises and dims the covering glass. Thirdly, Gutta- 

 percha seems :ni admirable nidus for the production of micro- 

 scopic fen' umerous slides spoilt by their growth testify. 



{t Gutta-percha cells, fastened with cement, are also liable to 

 come oil" with a touch, and if employed must bo painted inside 

 with Brunswick black, etc. ; by bhis means tho growth of fungi 

 is avoided. A cheap and more permanent form of cell can be 

 made out ol' brass curtain-rings, which may bo had from one- 



