^jTxml\,Tnn!Tim!] PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 379 
Mr. Madeley, the fresh-water Alga, Vesiculifera Mulleri (in fructi- 
fication). 
Mr. T. C. Parsons, the rare Vaucheria polysperma (belonging to the 
same tribe of plants), exhibiting the singular mode of reproduction 
characteristic of that genus. 
Mr. J. L. Phelps showed eggs of Gallinula clihropus (water-hen) ; 
Mr. Simpson, the circulation of blood in the tail and branchiae of 
tadpole ; and Mr. Shoebotham, transverse sections of Triticum sylvati- 
cum, showing the structure of the albumen with spermodermic cells ; 
also the fresh-water Entomostraca, Cypris vidua, Cliydorus splicericus, 
Canthocamptus minutus, and Daphnia vetula. 
Mr. T. Fiddian laid on the table Stanley's microscopic collecting- 
case ; also a new machine for cutting circles of thin microscopic glass ; 
and Mr. W. P. Marshall a further improvement in mounting and dis- 
secting microscopes, designed by himself. 
Academy of Natural Sciences op Philadelphia. 
Microscopical Section. 
Dec. 21st, 1868. Director, S. W. Mitchell, M.D., in the chair. 
Twenty members present. 
Dr. J. H. McQuillen exhibited, in further illustration of his 
previous communication, slides of blood corpuscles of men and lower 
animals to which chloroform and nitrous oxide had been administered, 
to show that there was no morphological change in these bodies after 
administration of anaesthetics, as contended for by B. W. Eichardson, 
Sansom, and others.* 
Mr. W. H. Walmsley called the attention of the Department to 
the very great merits of Glycerine jelly as a medium for the preser- 
vation of every description of objects, animal or vegetable, and exhi- 
bited specimens of both. He made the following remarks : — ^" I was 
led to experiment with it about one year ago, owing to the unsatis- 
factory results obtained from the use of balsam in many classes of 
objects, its high refracting power rendering -many delicate tissues in- 
visible, which are seen perfectly in the jelly. At first I was not very 
successful, having followed the formulae of Davies and other English 
authorities in making it ; the intense heat of our early summer lique- 
fied it, and spoiled many specimens. After many experiments, I 
arrived at a satisfactory result, the fluid readily jellying in an hour 
or two during the hottest days of August. 
" The advantages of this medium I deem to be various and obvious, 
and that it combines within itself more than are possessed by any 
other with which we are as yet acquainted. Its preservative qualities 
I believe to be unsurpassed, for nearly every description of tissues or 
structure, animal or vegetable ; it preserves the colours of the latter 
in absolute perfection, it is very readily prepared and used, it attaches 
the covering glass to the side with sufficient tenacity for all practical 
purposes, whilst the finishing ring of varnish will render it quite 
* This paper will be found elsewhere hi our pages. — Ed. M. M. J. 
VOL. I. 2d 
