MICROSCOPY. — NOTES. - 191. 
upper Silurian in Gaspé, Canada. In Europe no land plant has 
yet been found below the Lower Devonian. 
MICROSCOPY. 
Emseppine Tissues ror Srcrion.— Dr. William Rutherford, of 
King’s College, London, prefers to embed tissue, which is to be 
cut without freezing, in a mixture of paraffine (5 parts) and hog’s 
lard (1 part) melted together; this mixture melting at a lower 
temperature than the wax and oil mixture, and being less liable to 
become loose by shrinkage in cooling. Tissues that require freez- 
ing are to be embedded and frozen in a solution of gum arabic 
_ (5 oz.) in water (10 oz.) and spirits of camphor (2 dr.), which, 
_ When solidified by cold, Slices ‘‘as easily as a piece of cheese.” 
Dr. Rutherford’s microtome consists essentially of a cylinder with 
‚a piston moved ky a screw, the upper portion only of the cylinder, 
where the object is, being surrounded by a box to contain the 
freezing mixture, of powdered ice and salt; the freezing box is 
surrounded by flannel, and the water continually forming in it is 
drained off by a tube through the bottom of the box 
Dissecting Empryos.— W. K. Parker, Esq., late president of 
the Royal Microscopical Society, dissects, early embryos under 
water, pinning them upon a cake composed of lamp-black and 
paraffine. : ; i 
’ 
| NOTES. 
i Tae Memortat To, Agassiz bids fair to be of such a char- 
~ acter as will be gratifying to’ his family arid most appropriate in 
Showing an appreciation of his work. At a public meeting held 
in Hosta on Feb. 13, a large number of gentlemen were preni 
and it was decided that the fittest expression of gratitude for 
Agassiz’ labors for science in this country, would be to insure the 
maintenance of the Museum which he worked so long and so faith- 
_ fully to establish for the benefit of the country. It was agreed 
_ that at least $300,000 should be raised by subscription as a me- 
_ morial fund for the purpese of endowing the Museum of Compar- 
ative Zoolugy in Cambridge. A large number of gentlemen, 
- Tesiding in various parts of the country, Were named as a nucleus 
_ Of a general committee for the purpose, as it was believed that the 
zni y to science all over the land, appreciating the worth 
