16 
Transactions of the Society. 
the otoliths can be immediately extracted and kept in insect tubes 
in alcohol till wanted (the japanned tin cases containing two dozen 
tubes sold by Messrs. Watkins, Strand, are most useful). 
The easiest way of extracting the otoliths is to divide the skull 
with a pair of strong surgical scissors, remove the brain with fine- 
pointed forceps, and the otoliths can be seen and extracted without 
the least difficulty. 
Messrs. Watsons’ “ Speera ” lens is most useful for this work, 
as both hands are left free. 
The otoliths are cleaned by rubbing between thumb and fore- 
finger, dehydrated for a moment in absolute alcohol, and cleared 
by leaving them overnight in xylol or creosote. 
I personally prefer creosote to xylol, as it can be obtained at 
Fig. 6. 
any chemist’s, and the otoliths become even more transparent. 
One must use pure beech creosote, as if one wishes to mount any 
interesting otolith in Canada balsam it can be done, and the 
creosote can even be used more than once. 
At a meeting of this Society I heard Dr. Murray describe a 
mixture of equal parts chloral hydrate and carbolic acid melted 
by heat for clearing fleas, and I found that this mixture gives 
excellent results with small otoliths. 
I now examine in creosote with a low power, say 1J-2", and 
if all the zones are not clearly visible the otoliths are replaced for 
a moment in absolute alcohol, then in water, and the convex side 
is now ground down by rubbing on a carborundum stone, the 
forefinger being protected by one of the linen squares used to pack 
the skulls. 
