ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 375 
The following solutions for different colours have given good 
results : — 
Light golden yellow : — 1 part shellac, 1 part turmeric, 4 parts 
alcohol. 
Golden yellow : — 25 parts shellac, 4 parts turmeric, 1 part dragon’s- 
blood, 70 parts 95 per cent, alcohol. 
Dark golden red : — 2 parts Orleans, 30 parts turmeric powder, .3 parts 
red sandalwood, 480 parts 95 per cent, spirit, allowed to stand with 
frequent stirring for 2-3 days; 60 parts shellac, 15 parts sandarac, 
15 parts mastic, 15 parts Canada balsam are then added, and, after all is 
dissolved, 10 parts of oil of turpentine. 
American Microscopical Society. — A circular has been sent us 
announcing the next meeting of this Society. It will be held at Cornell 
University, in Ithaca, N.Y., on August 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. It is 
pointed out that the equipment of the University in all lines for carry- 
ing on microscopic work should add to the attractiveness of Ithaca as a 
place of meeting. As nearly all the opticians have expressed a desire to 
be present and make an exhibit of their Microscopes and microscopical 
apparatus, the members will have an opportunity to see all the new and 
standard apparatus. Following what they call “our prototype,” the Royal 
Microscopical Society of London, the American Society not only pub- 
lishes papers upon the Microscope, its manipulations and accessories, 
but also on the results of investigations in which the Microscope plays 
an important part. It is added that the University possesses one of 
Rogers’ dividing engines, and the Department of Physics has kindly 
promised to show the members exactly how microtomes are made. A 
special feature of the coming meeting will be the setting apart of one or 
more sessions for the reading of papers and methods and the demonstra- 
tion of special or new methods. 
/3. Technique.* 
(1) Collecting Objects, including Culture Processes. 
Cultivation Media containing Thyroid Extract.! — Dr. K. Kopp 
finds that nutrient media containing some thyroid gland juice possess an 
important value for discriminating between certain micro-organisms. 
The media are prepared from fresh sheep’s thyroid, which is carefully 
freed from fat, and having been finely minced is soaked in an equal 
bulk of sterile water for about three hours. The infusion is, after 
straining through linen, filtered through a porcelain filter. The extract 
thus obtained is mixed with an equal bulk of 20 per cent, gelatin which 
contains 1 per cent, of salt. One per cenU'agar is made on similar lines, 
2 grm. agar, 6 grm. glycerin, 1 grm. salt, and 100 grm. water are 
mixed with an equal volume of the extract, both being at a temperature 
of 40° C. 
Cultivation media containing thyroid extract were found to exert 
* This subdivision contains (1) Collecting Objects, including Culture Pro- 
cesses; (2) Preparing Objects; (3) Cutting, including Imbedding and Microtomes ; 
(4) Staining and Injecting ; (5) Mounting, including slides, preservative fluids, &c. ; 
(6) Miscellaneous. 
f Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., l e Abt., xvii. (1895) pp. 81-3. 
