120 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[May 1, 1866. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



All communications relative to advertisements, post-office 

 orders, and orders for the supply of this Journal should be 

 addressed to the Publisher. All contributions, books, 

 and pamphlets for the Editor should be sent to 192, 

 Piccadilly, London, W. To avoid disappointment, contri- 

 butions should not be received later than the 15th of each 

 month. No notice whatever can be taken of communi- 

 cations which do not contain the name and address of the 

 writer, not necessarily for publication, if desired to be with- 

 held. We do not undertake to answer any queries not 

 specially connected with Natural History, in accordance 

 with our acceptance of that term ; nor can we answer 

 queries which might be solved by the correspondent by an 

 appeal to any elementary book on the subject. We are 

 always prepared to accept queries of a critical nature, and 

 to publish the replies, provided some of our readers, besides 

 the querist, are likely to be interested in them. We 

 cannot undertake to return rejected manuscripts unless 

 sufficient stamps are enclosed to cover the return postage. 

 Neither can we promise to refer to or return any manu- 

 script after one month from the date of its receipt. All 

 microscopical drawings intended for publication should 

 have annexed thereto the powers employed, or the extent 

 of enlargement, indicated in diameters (thus— X 320 

 diameters). Communications intended for publication 

 should be written on one side of the paper only, and all 

 scientific names, and names of places and individuals 

 should be as legible as possible. Wherever scientific names 

 or technicalities are employed, it is hoped that the common 

 names will accompany them. Lists or tables are inad- 

 missible under any circumstances. Those of the popular 

 names of British plants and animals are retained and regis- 

 tered for publication when sufficiently complete for that 

 purpose, in whatever form may then be decided upon. 

 Address No. 192, Piccadilly, London, W. 



J. C. W. — Your fungus on leaves of Cotyledon is Puccinia 

 umbilici. For the rest — thanks ! 



B. (.Melle).— We do not insert lists or catalogues, because 

 only a few are interested in them. 



F. B. notes the appearance of a number of maimed and 

 dead frogs on the bank of a stream. We observed the same 

 circumstance last week, and are convinced that rats are the 

 culprits. 



J. J. R.— The black spots on the fern stem are fungi, named 

 Leptostroma filicin tan . 



J. P.— We think that we have figured and described wire 

 clips in sufficient variety to satisfy our readers. 



G. E. C— We are not aware of any medium of exchange for 

 the article you name. 



A. C— Your shells are,— 1. Pupa secale. 2. Zua lubrica. 

 3. Anodon cygneus, var. anatinus (young). 4. Helix aspera 

 (young).— It. T. 



T. B. W.— Your fungus is Xylaria hypoxylon in fruit. 



F. R. R.-We have added fresh spirit, and also transferred 

 specimens so preserved into a saline solution without damage. 

 Neither should be too strong. 



J- S.— You will see by the present number that your fears 

 were groundless. 



G. F. P.— We learn, upon inquiry, that the articles you 

 name reached the publishers. 



C. A. J.— How could you expect us to name the fish from 

 such a description ? 



Errata— Sound-producing Berti.es, page 88, for " Lo- 

 mia" read "Lamia;" for " Atonia," '• Cetonia ; " and for 

 "croaking," " creaking."— W. H. G. 



R. G. S.— It is a kind of gall produced by insects, of which 

 specimens were exhibited at the Entomological Society last 

 year. 



Henry.— The spots are a common fungus, Hypoxylon fus- 

 ciim. 



F. W.— Your Jnngermunniu is Jladula complanata. Can 

 you send us specimens in fruit for a correspondent ? 



T. S.— The plant No. 1 is Ranunculus aquatilis. No. 2 is 

 China vulgaris. They are not suitable for an aquarium.— 

 W. C. 



R- A.— The leaves are not those of Hedera Canadensis. The 

 plant may be a form of Hedera Helix, but the stellate hairs are 

 rather different.— W. C. 



B. (Melle).— We do not remember a monograph of the 

 Urtjcacese since " Miquel Commentarii, No. HI., Lugd. Bat., 

 I810," or H. A. Weddell's " Monographic de la lamille des 

 Urticees." 4to. Paris. 1856. 



E. D. C. — You will find practical instructions for drying 

 plants in the "Botanist's Chronicle," No. 10, which may 

 probably still be had of Mr. Irvine, 28, Upper Manor Street, 

 King's Road, Chelsea, for one penny. 



B. 1.— See page 113. 



J. C. W.— We know of no remedy but cleanliness and per- 

 severance. If whitewash and a free use of water will not 

 cause the fleas to shift their quarters, we would recommend 

 you to shift away from them. 



J. A., Jim.— No. 1 is the Tape or Bark cloth of the South- 

 Sea Islanders ; No. 2 not enclosed ; No. 3 the Grass Wrack, 

 Zo.itera marina. 



E. B.-We really cannot be supposed to know eve'ything 

 intuitively ; if you forward specimen, we will furnish the 

 name, but cannot do so from a brief description of the larva. 



B. I.— We are not so fortunate as to know the parody to 

 which you allude. 



North London Naturalists' Club meets on the second 

 Thursday in the month. The secretary is Mr. J. Slade, 103, 

 St. John Street Road. 



C. L.— It is so long since that we cannot now trace the 

 address. 



J. S.— Comparatively few local names have hitherto reached 

 us. At least not sufficient to turn to practica 1 account. 



Kentish Giory Moth. — A correspondent desires a chry- 

 salis or two to be sent to B. E. G., 23, John-street, Bedford- 

 row, W. C. 



S. G G.— The parasites of the Humble Bee sent are a species 

 of Acarus, commonly found in such a situation.— A. B. 



To Kill Insects.— Confine them in a box or bottle with 

 bruised laurel -leaves. 



C. A. J.— See vol. i. pp. 20, 44, 92, 109, 188, 239, 262, for 

 hints on fern culture. 



A. M. — It is not at all an uncommon occurrence for the 

 crested newt to make a meal ot the smaller species, the 

 smooth newt. See " Our Reptilps." 



S. A. G. — The coccus on Cornut sanguinea is an Alei/rodes, 

 probably Aleyrodes Phyllirim, Haliday. The examination ot 

 winged specimens may prove it to be a distinct species. — 

 F. W. 



E. G. — The white substance on beech appears to be the 

 same as was formerly included among fungi, under the name 

 of Psi/onia nivea. It is, however, a coccus, ihe Coccus Fagi, 

 Walker, "Cat. Homoptera," p. lisn. — F. W. 



T. R. B. M. — We can only recommend you to studv nature, 

 and imitate the conditions as c'osely as possible. No general 

 instructions can be given. — F. M. 



B. T.— No. 1. Ivory cor-illine, " Ellis' Corallines," t. xxi. 

 f. A, Cel/ulariu ebumea. No. 3. Creeping coralline, " Ellis' 

 Coral," t. xx. f. B., Celluluria repta><s.— .T. E. G. 



Hairs.— W. H. R. wishes for a few hairs of the Indian bat, 

 or the kangaroo. — I, Nelson Place, Aberdeen. 



Correspondents who did not furnish their names and 

 addresses with their queries, and consequently find no answer, 

 will please to observe the notice which is repeated every 

 month at the head of this page. 



EXCHANGES. 



Polariscope Objrcts (mounted) for diatoms, &c. — Photo. 

 Dereham Road, Norwich. 



Butterfly Scales for other objects ; also birds' eggs and 

 shells for objects of interest.— E. G. W\, 3, Bertie Terrace, 

 Leamington. 



Living Desmids.— Apply to J. C. W., Montuellier House, 

 Budleigh Salterton, Devon. 



Deutzia scabra (unmounted) for other objects. — E. 

 Marks, 6, Holford Square, London, W.C. 



Deutzia scabra (flower). — Address F. 23, Post Office, 

 Manchester. 



Coi.ias edusa for birds' eggs. — H. S., 11, Grove End 

 Road, St. John's Wood, N.W. 



Horn Sections, &c, for Echinus Spines. &c. — Thomas 

 Sharp, Ackworth. near Pontefract. 



Helix la.mellata offered tor Cyclns jiisidioides, or Pupa 

 Anglica for Pupa angustior. — J. H. Ashford, Scarborough. 



Arachnoidiscus Eurenberoii (mounted) for other gotd 

 objects. — W. C, 62, Kirk^ate, Leeds. 



Communications Received. — W. C. P. — G. F. P. (Hill 

 Wootton)— W. A. L.— E. W.— G. F. P. (Iludd^rsfield)— A. J. 

 N. M.— G. M. (Norwich)-J. S.— E G. W.— T. P. B.— E. D. C. 

 — F. R. R— G. M. (Wood Green)— J. C. M.— J. A. s.— C.A.J. 

 — T. B. W.— W. H. G.-S. J. B.— A. W.— J. W.— G. 2. C— 

 J. P.— W. H. K.— J. J. R.— F. B.— A. H.-A. G — J. S. H.— 



E. F. W.— B.— B. T.— F. W.— T. S.— M. B.— .1. C W.-J. A.— 

 R. A.— W. N.— E. B.— E. G.— L. G.-W. H. W.— B. F. M — 

 J. W. T.— S C— H. A. A.— W. W. S.— G S - A. E. C— E. T. 

 S.— J. G.— T. G. P.— E. S —J. C. W.— B. S D — H B.— T . R. 



B. M. — S. A. G— B. I.— W. G.— J S.- C. W W.— C. L.— J. 



C. W— G. M.— R. B.— J. P. -R. G.— S.-B. (H. Wycombe)— 

 H. G. E.— VV. McL— B. E. G.— J— S. J. M.- E. M.— A. B. B. 

 — R. B. (Alton)— H. S.— M. D. P.— J. J. P.— T. s.- J. H. A.— 



F. K.— J. E. T— A. M.— C. L.— E. H. F.— VV. H. R.— W. C — 

 F. W. 



