654 Scientific News, Len 
SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 
— In examining sponges Mr, H. J. Carter, according to the 
Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, finds that the 
quickest way is to soak a microscopic fragment of it in d 
tilled water for from twelve to twenty-four hours, then ter 
it to pieces on a slide, drain, dry, and mount with balsam # 
usual; but to be certain of the exact form of its spinules requira 
that they should be boiled out with nitric acid, which may ae 
be easily and quickly effected by placing the microscopic fag 
ment on the centre of a glass slide and covering it with pie 
two of nitric acid, then boiling this over a spirit lamp with 
flame till it is nearly dry, after which the same process must be 
repeated twice or thrice; and, finally, before the last drop d 
nitric acid is entirely dried up, removing the slide to the tabik 
when through gradually increased inclination and m 
careful edulcoration with distilled water, the residuum may 4 
freed from all remaining acid, drained, dried, and moa 
balsam; or if desired, another microscopic fragment, prepared 
first-mentioned, may be added to it previously, when the p i 
form of the spicules respectively, together with. heir position 
situ, may be seen at once, in the same préparation. toi 
— Mr. H. P. Aylward, according to the Journal of je pond 
Microscopical Society, has designed a set of eye oe te 
life hunting, the novel feature of which is that the ho A 
bottle is made of steel wire, one end grasping mee the tapt 
bottle, and the other end being a hollow spiral, in w The hook # 
end of any sized walking stick may be inserted, packs i28 
similarly attached to a spiral. The dipping dl is coe 
japanned cylindrical tin box, the upper half o a c epil 
posed of very fine copper gauze. When the the lower pa 
into this box, the organisms will be retained in 
into this box, rg sat This 
wards returned to the bottle. For special e irge sete A 
japanned box is supplied, containing sev‘ as a 7 
The size of the cylindrical box and its case coms’. 
is 5 in. x 2 in., that of the box with test-tubes, 5 
% 1 : nized 
—The Entomological Society of Washan a "frst vice P” 
the following officers: President, Dr. C. V. rhe Marx; | 
dent, Dr. J. G. Morris; second vice-president, secretary, LS 
committe, 
officers and. Dr. W.S. Barnard, P. R. pper n 
The first regular monthly meeting soc ee ee 
3d, in the council chamber of the U. S. National concerning 
following papers were read:-I. 
