Proceedings of Scientific Societies. 49 
ing the interior of the body will be expelled. To dehydrate or 
remove the watery portion, absolute alcohol is generally recom- 
mended, but the lecturer contended that it was expensive and 
not always at hand, while equally good results would follow by 
placing an ounce or two of refined gelatine in a vessel, pouring 
on alcohol of 95 per cent. and immersing the object for a short 
time—-the gelatine, from its affinity for water absorbing that fluid 
from both the object and alcohol. 
The insect is then placed in oil of cloves to clear or render it 
transparent, and is ready for mounting permanently in balsam. 
By this method, the insect is rendered entirely transparent, the 
peculiar geometrical markings of the wings, the abdominal and 
thoracic rings and the various parts forming the head and lhmbs, 
are beautifully displayed. 
In preparing the Lepidoptera, a somewhat different course is 
pursued, as the wings of ail butterflies and moths, being covered 
with easily detached scales, must be protected. The butterfly 
or moth is placed on a square of glass and liquid paraffine flowed 
carefully over the entire insect. After cooling, a small aperture 
is made, exposing a portion of the body and caustic potash in- 
jected; the subsequent operations being the same as for beetles, 
excepting that sulphuric ether must be used to dissolve off the 
paraffine, leaving the soft velvety covering of the wings unim- 
paired. 
In this manner are prepared the beetles, dragon-flies, bees, 
wasps, caterpillars, etc., and when mounted in balsam, they 
form some of the most beautiful and instructive objects imagina- 
ble whether viewed through the microscope or projected on the 
screen. Mr. Leckenby exhibited many fine specimens of his 
handiness in preparing and mounting the different orders of-the 
‘insect world, noticeable among which were a gigantic tarantula, 
several gorgeous Papilios, fierce-looking dragon-flies, beetles, 
wasps and a large collection of small objects. 
APRIL 24, 1889.—A fine series of photographs was exhibited, 
containing come graphic enlargements on the new Eastman bro- 
mide paper. This process of enlarging on bromide paper pro- 
duces excellent results, the effect when exposure and negatives 
are properly manipulated being almost equal to steel engravings. 
Examples were shown of Pleurosigma Angulatum the negatives 
of which were taken at a magnification of sixteen hundred 
diameters. 
The bromide process commends itself to those interested in 
photomicography by its simplicity compared with the tedious 
work of printing from silver paper. 
Mr. Lickenby concluded his practical demonstration of pre- 
paring and mounting insects in balsam. It is quite difficult in 
preparing many of the smaller forms of insects to remove the de- 
