806 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
the Muscidae that a thinness of 1 / 200 mm. was obtained. Staining with 
haematoxylin was found useful in bringing out the contours of some of 
the cells. 
Preparing Intestinal Canal of Ephemeridse.* * * § — Herr Ad. Fritze 
recommends that Ephemeridaa he fixed in absolute alcohol, imbedded in 
paraffin, and the sections stained with haematoxylin and borax-carmine. 
The intestine of Bsetis larvae should be prepared in physiological salt 
solution, gradually hardened in alcohol, and stained with borax-carmine. 
Examining Cypridse.f — For examining in physiological salt solution, 
Herr C. G. Schwarz fixed the animals in 30 per cent, spirit, heated to 
70°, and afterwards hardened them in alcohol, increased from 70 to 100 
per cent. They were decalcified in concentrated picric acid in six hours 
at 54°, and then washed in boiled water and imbedded in paraffin. Hot 
sublimate, Flemming’s mixture, and also a mixture of 2 per cent, osmic 
acid 1 part, 2 per cent, acetic acid 5 parts, distilled water 4 parts, 
gave good results. The sections, which were stuck on with glycerin- 
albumen, were stained with picro-carmine and haematoxylin, haematoxylin 
and eosin, borax-carmine, and acetic acid carmine. 
Isolation of the chitinous framework and of the muscular fibrillae of 
the organs known as the seminal pump was effected by maceration in 
Moleschott’s potash-solution. 
Preparing Lumbricus terrestris*f — After killing the animal by 
gradually adding spirit or hot water, Herr G. Goehlich examines freshly 
prepared organs in 0*5 to 1 per cent, salt solution. If the seminal sacs 
be left for one day in spirit their contents coagulate, and can be removed 
as firm lumps. In order to make sections, the intestinal canal is 
cleaned of earth and sand by the animal being starved for two or three 
days ; it is placed in a covered glass vessel containing water and its 
excrement carefully removed. Fixation in cold sublimate solution or in 
absolute alcohol. Staining with alcoholic carmine. Paraffin imbedding. 
Preparing Cestoda.§ — Very good preparations of Cestoda, says 
Dr. F. Zschokke, can be obtained by staining them for six to twelve 
hours in extremely dilute Kleinenberg’s haematoxylin (then washing in 
water to which a drop of alum solution or acetic acid has been added), 
as well as by the use of alum or borax-carmine. Then dehydration ; oil 
of cloves and balsam. For sections, after fixation in corrosive sublimate, 
Mayer’s carmine is to be preferred. Paraffin imbedding. 
The marine Cestoda can be kept alive for twelve to twenty-fours in 
a mixture of sea-water and the intestinal mucus of their host. 
Investigation of Development of Fresh-water Sponge.|| — In his 
study of the development of the freshwater Sponge, Dr. O. Maas put 
large cover-glasses to float on the surface of the water of the aquarium 
* Ber. d. Naturf. Gesellsch. zu Freiburg, iv. (1889) pp. 59-82 (2 pis.). Cf. 
Zeitschr. f. Wiss. Mikr., vii. (1890) p. 212. 
t Ber. d. Naturf. Gesellsch. zu Freiburg, iii. (1888) pp. 133-58 (2 pis.). 
% Zool. Beitr. (Schneider), ii. (1888) pp. 133-67 (2 pis.)'. Cf. Zeitschr. f. Wiss. 
Mikr., vii. (1890) pp. 209-10. 
§ Mem. de l’Inst. Nat. Genevois, xvii. (1888) p. 396 (8 pis.). Cf. Zeitschr. f. 
Wiss. Mikr., vii. (1890) p. 209. 
1| Zeitschr. f. Wiss. Zool., 1. (1890) pp. 530-1. 
