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The Museum Gazette 



the punctures, or if circumstances are favourable, the bit of 

 skin comprising the two punctures may be cut out. The 

 wound thus made should be sucked or well bathed so as to 

 favour bleeding, and to remove as much of the poison as can 

 be got away. If ammonia or potash, or Jeye's fluid or Condy's 

 fluid be at hand the wound should be continuously bathed with 

 a weak solution of it. The ligature, if tight, should not be 

 kept on for more than an hour, but by this time medical 

 advice will probably have been obtained. To combat the 

 faintness, &c, brandy, or still better ammonia (that is, sal 

 volatile or hartshorn well diluted), should be given. 



THE VIVARIUM. (Haslemere Museum.) 



During June and July the botany of a district may be very 

 fully illustrated in the Museum- vivarium. Mr. Douglas 

 Taylor, who has charge of that department in our Museum, 

 experiences no difficulty in exhibiting one hundred species 

 simultaneously. No very rare species are exhibited. At the 

 present time the only plants in our collection to which the term 

 i{ uncommon " may be applied are herb Paris, bird's nest orchis, 

 Solomon's seal, and climbing corydalis. The flowers are 

 arranged, in zinc cylinders, on an ordinary florist's stand. For 

 the printed labels now in use we are indebted to the generosity 

 of E. E. Lowe, Esq., F.L.S., of the Plymouth Museum. 



Vipers and grass snakes are not difficult to obtain (see 

 page 53). The former, when discovered, should be carefully 

 pinned with a stick, whilst a vasculum (or large bottle) con- 

 taing leaves and heather is placed before it. Upon release the 

 viper, judiciously guided by the stick, will take refuge in the re- 

 ceptacle prepared for it. Grass-snakes thrive well in captivity, 

 their chief food being frogs and mice. On the other hand, the 

 English viper nearly always refuses food under such conditions. 



