1877. ] Microscopy. 121 
able from the large mass of unpublished faċts regarding the region trav- 
ersed, but from the historical résumé of explorations made in the Great 
Basin from 1776 until 1869, given by Colonel Simpson, and from the 
abstracts and quotations from Father Escalanti’s MS. journal, now said to 
be treasured up in the city of Mexico, and of which a copy was contained 
in the library of Col. Peter Force, of Washington. Besides the itiner- 
ary by Colonel Simpson, and several appendices giving the astronomical, 
meteorological, and geographical results of the expedition, there are val- 
uable reports on the geology, palæontology, natural history, and ethnol- 
ogy chiefly of Utah, including elaborate treatises on the ichthyology by 
Professor Gill, and on the botany of the route by Dr. Engelmann, both 
of which are accompanied by numerous plates. 
RECENT CHANGES or LEVEL OF THE Great SALT LAKE. — The 
party which started about seven days ago under Captain D. L. Davis to 
explore the western shore of the Great Salt Lake returned last evening 
after a successful trip. Starting from near Farmington, the party touched 
at Church Island and then sailed direct to Strong’s Point, where the old 
triangular monument, erected by Stansbury, was found intact. The lake 
was found to have risen so that many miles marked as lake shore on the 
maps is now from six to ten feet under water. The Water Witch sailed 
“inland ” for about twelve miles, when the occupants waded ashore and 
took observations, but it was found that there is a general elevation of 
the land, which, though slight, precludes the possible lowering of the 
lake in this direction. The party then beat along the shores northward 
as far as Kelton, landing frequently to make observations and take 
angles. It was found, however, that the shifting of the lake westward 
as an impossibility. Touching at Fremont Island, the company re- 
turned with the problem answered, but not satisfactorily. — Salt Lake 
Times, September 14, 1876. 
MICROSCOPY.! 
CLEANING DIATOMS WITH GLYCERINE. — Mr. James Neil, of Cleve- 
land, uses glycerine as an easy and efficacious means of separating diatom 
shells from the foreign matter with which they are naturally mixed. 
He fills a two-ounce graduated measuring glass three quarters full of 
glycerine and water mixed in equal parts. The diatoms after being 
treated with acid and thoroughly washed, are then shaken up in some 
pure water and poured gently over the diluted glycerine. If carefully 
done the water and diatoms do not at first sink into the glycerine, but 
stadually the diatoms sink through the water, and into the glycerine, 
Preceding the light flocculent matter held in the water. After a few 
minutes, a pipe introduced closed through the water and into the glyc- 
erine will bring up remarkably clean diatoms, which are to be after- 
ward freed from glycerine by repeated washing and decanting. Color- 
ing the water in which the diatoms are held is thought to aid in watching 
1 Conducted by Dr. R. H. Warp, Troy, N. Y. 
