A Practical Course in Biology

Introduction

Acknowledgments


1 Microscopy

Setting up the Microscope

Simple Microscopical Observations

Measurement of Microscopical Objects (Micrometry)

Examination of Pondwater

Section Cutting

Temporary Staining of Plant Sections

Leishman's Stain for Blood Smears

Squash Preparation of Chromosomes of Root-tip, Stained in Proprionic-orcein

Whole Mounts


2 Variety of Organisms

Protista: Schizomycophyta, Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta, Chrysophyta, Rhizopoda, Flagellata, Ciliophora, Sporozoa, Mycophyta

Metaphyta: Bryophyta, Sphenopsida, Pteropsida

Metazoa: Coelenterata

Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca

Echinodermata, Chordata


3 Structure and Physiology of the Mammal

Dissection of the Rat

The Skeleton of the Rabbit

Movement

How Movement is Caused by Muscles

Muscular Contraction and ATP

Nutrition

Food Tests

To Show that Foods Contain Carbon

To Show that Protein Contains Nitrogen

To Show that Fat Gives out More Heat than Sugar

Physical Properties of Foods

Tongue and Taste

Taste and Smell

Function of Various Types of Teeth

Functional Anatomy of Teeth

Action of Ptyalin

Action of Pancreatin

Action of Chymase (Rennin)

Emulsification of Fats and Oils

Absorbing Area of the Intestine

Circulation

Counting of Red Blood-cells

Watch Pocket Valves

Movement of Blood in Fish, Frog, Tadpole

Action of Capillary in Smoothing out Varying Pressure

Respiration

To Dhow that Animals Use Oxygen

Sweat

Presence of Salts in Sweat

To Show That Evaporation Cools

Excretion

To Show the Presence of Nitrogen in Urine

To Show the Presence of Uric Acid in Bird Droppings

Skin

Surface Anatomy of the Skin

The Skin as a Temperature Receptor

Sensitivity of the Body to Touch

Regulation of Water Balance

Reflex Actions

Eye and Ear

Focusing of the Human Eye

Action of the Iris

Presence of the Blind Spot

Calculation of the Size of the Blind Spot

Field of Vision in the Human Eye

Importance of Stereoscopic Vision

Function and Mechanism of Semicircular Canals

Muscular Control of Posture


4 Structure and Physiology of the Flowering Plant

Plant Anatomy

Photosynthesis

Test for Starch in the Plant

Necessity of Light for Photosynthesis

Necessity of Light for the Development of Chlorophyll

Necessity of Chlorophyll for Photosynthesis

Necessity of Carbon Dioxide for Photosynthesis

Production of Oxygen in Photosynthesis

Respiration

Production of Carbon Dioxide and Water during Burning of Sugar and Fat

Gaseous Exchange in Respiration

Anaerobic Respiration

Production of Carbon Dioxide during Respiration of Plants and Animals

Production of Heat by Plants and Animals

Water and Mineral Relations

Demonstration of Osmosis

Molecular Movement in Osmosis (Model)

Osmosis in Living Material

Root Pressure

Rise of Water in Xylem

Capillarity

Rise of Mineral Salts in Stem

Water Culture of Plants

Diffusion

Loss of Water from a Plant

Site of Water Loss from a Plant

Stomatal Preparation

Model of Stomata

Variation of Speed of Water Loss

Effect of Leaf-suction in Raising Water up a Plant

Transpiration Pull

Reproduction

Spore Release in Moss

Spore Release in Fern

To grow the Prothallus of a Fern

Germination of Pollen

Function of Pollen

Seed Dispersal

Vegetative Propagation

Germination of Seed

Presence of the Micropyle

Function of the Micropyle

Conditions for Germination

Plant growth and Movement

Region of Root Sensitive to Gravity

Region of Root Responsive to Gravity

To Show that Geotropic Movement of Root is Not Due to the Weight of the Root

Negative Response of Shoot to Gravity

Growth of Root when Gravity is Neutralized

Hormonal Control of Geotropism

Control of Growth by Tip of Shoot

Bending Towards Light Controlled by Shoot Tip

Area of Shoot Responsive to Light

Thigmotropism

Thermonasty

Seismonasty

Chemotropism

Regions of Growth in Radicle and Shoot

Structure and Growth of Winter Bud

Soil

Mechanical Analysis of Soil

Estimation of Water-soluble Mineral Content of Soil

Separation of Small Animals from Soil

Effect of Water when Frozen in Confined Space

Amount of Air in Soils

Permeability of Soil to Air

Water Retention by Soil

Porosity of Soil to Water

Capillary Action of Soil

Clay Content of Soil

Water Erosion

Amount of Water in Soil

Amount of Organic Matter in Soil

pH of Soil

Solutions for Hydroponic Culture of Green Plants


5 The Cell and its Properties

Movement of Water into and out of Living Cells

Selective Uptake of Solutes by Yeast

Extraction of Amino-acids and Proteins from Plant Tissue, and their Analysis Paper Chromatography

Optimum Temperature and pH for an Enzyme


6 Growth and Differentiation

Growth-rate of DrosopMa at Varying Temperatures

Ligaturation of Developing Blowfly Larvae

Growth Curves for Mice

Embryology


7 Ecology

Suitable Places and Approaches for Field-study

Suggestions for Field Investigations

Identification

Surveys of Populations

Construction of Keys for Identification


8 Genetics

Genetical Experiments with Drosophila

Salivary Gland Chromosome Preparation of Drosophila

Distribution of Certain Characteristics in Human Populations

The Hardy-Weinberg Law


9 Evolution

Environment and Gene-expression

Normal Distribution

Collecting Fossils in the British Isles

Fossil Finding and Dating


10 Culture Methods for Common Laboratory Organisms

Amoeba

Paramecium

Hydra

Earthworms

Daphnia and Cyclops

Cockroaches

Locusts

Drosophila

Butterflies

Bees

Houseflies

Frogs

Mice

Bacteria and Fungi

Gram's Stain for Bacteria


11 Practical Techniques and Methods

Dissection

Drawings

Experimental Records

Graphs

Some Simple Applications of Statistics in Biology

Arithmetic Mean

Variance

t-test

Chi-squared Test

Null-hypothesis

Coefficient of Correlation

Standard Error of the Mean

Cleaning of Glassware

Killing Animals

Preservation of Specimens

Oil-immersion

Incubator

Solutions—preparation and Concentration

Buffer Solutions

Other Solutions, Stains, Chemicals, Mountants

Sources of Supply

Book List

Accident Prevention and First Aid

S.I. Units

Index