SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



281 



most useful dissecting lens. On the turned-up end 

 can be put an ordinary pocket-magnifier in ebonite 

 mount, such as can be bought for is. and upwards, 

 according to the number of lenses. 



This stand, simple though it be, will be found a 

 useful and efficient piece of apparatus. It will be 

 money well spent, however, if the beginaer provides 

 himself at the outset with one of the beautiful 

 aplanatic lenses sold by all the principal opticians. 

 They give exquisite definition together with a flat 

 field, are excellent for dissecting, and are also the 

 most perfect of those magnifiers which the real 

 microscopist can always bring forth from his pocket 

 when wanted. The most useful powers do not 

 exceed ten magnifications, and a lower power gives a 

 larger field and greater working distance. The 

 cheapest of these lenses is, we think, made by 

 Messrs. Beck ; its power is about six, and the price is 

 ns. 6d. ; but all the other leading opticians make 

 similar lenses at a slightly higher price. 



For dissecting requiring to be done under water or 

 methylated spirit, a piece of cork loaded with lead 

 is useful ; or a mixture of paraffin and stearine may 

 be run into the bottom of the dissecting-dish, as 

 recommended by Mr. Lewis Wright. This paraffin 

 mixture is transparent, which is generally an ad- 

 vantage ; but where an opaque background is needed 

 a mixture of bees-wax and tallow darkened with 

 lamp-black can be used instead. 



a 



FIG 2. 



3S 



Fig. 2. Home-made Lens stand. 



The dissecting-dishes themselves can be obtained 

 in many different forms from the opticians. A very 

 useful one can be manufactured at home from a 

 piece of gutta-percha, as suggested by Dr. Carpenter. 

 A piece of gutta-percha of suitable size and thickness 

 is warmed until it is sufficiently flexible, and then the 

 four sides are turned up to make a dish somewhat 

 similar in appearance, though of course much 

 smaller, to an ordinary photographer's developing- 

 dish. One corner can be shaped into a spout for 

 emptying. 



Very useful for small dissections are the flat glass 

 capsules sold at from 4s. to 6s. the dozen. These 

 are hollow cells ground in square solid blocks of 

 glass, with a piece of plain glass lying on the top as a 

 cover. They are not only useful for dissecting, but 

 form convenient receptacles for stains, clearing 

 solutions, &c, as a thin film forms between the 

 capsule and the cover when the latter is in place, 

 and keeps the contents from evaporating. For 

 staining sections, however, we have found an 

 ordinary artist's porcelain palette, with welled 

 divisions, as useful as anything, and the white back- 

 ground is often of service. 



We will deal more particularly with dissecting, 

 however, when we come to mounting and the 

 necessary preparation. 



( To be continued. ) 



5CIENCE GOSSIPo 



We are glad to be able to announce that Mr. 

 J. T. Carrington, the Editor, is continuing to im- 

 prove in health. He has so far recovered as to be 

 removed from London, but it will be some time before 

 he can resume active work amongst us. Mr. Carring- 

 ton desires us to sincerely thank the many readers of 

 Science-Gossip who have so kindly written ex- 

 pressing sympathy with his serious illness. Un- 

 fortunately other members of the staff have been 

 prostrated during the month, but are now on the road 

 to recovery. 



The Fish Hatching experiments recently installed 

 by the Crystal Palace School of Fish-Culture, which 

 have attracted such extensive interest, have now been 

 resumed, and the operations may be witnessed daily 

 at the Palace free of charge. The first batch of ova 

 of Salmonidae was obtained this season on the 12th 

 of January. 



The elevation, among the New Year's honours, of 

 Sir John Lubbock, F.R. S., to the peerage may be 

 taken as a compliment to science, though we doubt 

 whether, without his ability and versatility in other 

 directions, such as politics and commerce, the Govern- 

 ment would have shown so much gratitude for past 

 services, unless that virtue is to be considered, 

 as is sometimes said, "a lively sense of favours to 

 come." 



It is consoling to find that Sir John Lubbock has 

 felt the influence of the science of archaeology in the 

 choice of his title. He owns in Wiltshire an inte- 

 resting property, described by himself in " Prehistoric 

 Times " as containing the greatest of the so-called 

 Druidical monuments. It is the Temple of Avebury 

 or Abury, which "is much less known than Stone- 

 henge, and yet though a ruder, a grander temple. " 

 According to Aubrey, it " did as much exceed Stone- 

 henge as a cathedral does a parish church." Sir 

 John will in future be known as the Right Hon. 

 Lord Avebury. 



We are glad that the " Times,'' and also " Nature," 

 in its issue of 18th January, call attention to the 

 raison d'etre of parliamentary representatives of the 

 Universities. The notes in our contemporaries are 

 inspired by the coming election for the vacancy in 

 the University of London caused by the elevation of 

 Sir John Lubbock to the Peerage. As pointed out, 

 the only object in giving the seats of instruction such 

 representation is that the members returned should be 

 of eminence in science or learning, and thus useful 

 with advice on special subjects. General politics 

 should be largely out of consideration in the selec- 

 tion, otherwise the Universities may find disfranchise- 

 ment possible when the next redistribution of seats 

 comes to be considered. At the present moment 

 these remarks apply to both candidates for election, 

 who, though doubtless useful in the arena of politics, 

 cannot claim such qualifications as are due in the 

 representative of the University of London. Even 

 still it is to be hoped a man of sufficient distinction 

 may be found. 



