1S6 



HARDWICKE'S SCIEN CE- GO SSiP. 



destroy the winter nests, with a minimum of pain 

 to the caterpillars — if pain they feel. — /. 72. S. C. 



Worcester Junior Naturalists' Field-club. 

 — A new naturalists' club has just been staited in 

 "Worcester under the above title. As is well known, 

 a large and flourishing- Naturalists' Field -club 

 already exists in Worcester, which holds several 

 field-meetings in the year, each of which occupies a 

 whole clay, and is generally held at some distance 

 away. The aims of the new club are somewhat 

 different. It proposes to have very frequent excur- 

 sions in the neighbourhood on certain afternoons and 

 evenings in the week, and now and then to go 

 farther afield. Thus those who cannot spare a 

 whole day, and do not wish to incur the expense of 

 a long journey, will be able to meet for shorter 

 walks, whose frequency will make up for their want 

 of length. Indoor meetings are also contemplated, 

 when specimens gathered on the excursions can be 

 exhibited, and interesting discussions held on the 

 excursions generally. The aid of the micioscope 

 can also be called in to add to the interest of the 

 evening. All interested in botany, geology, ento- 

 mology, and any branch of natural history, are 

 invited to join, and as Worcestershire is especially 

 favourable for the study of these subjects, the 

 results ought to be favourable. The meetings at 

 present are held on Wednesday evenings and 

 Saturday afternoons. The nucleus of the club was 

 formed by a botany and geology class held in 

 Worcester for two years past in connection with 

 the Science and Art Department, South Kensington, 

 and as the class will be resumed in the autumn, the 

 practical experience gained by members will be 

 found especially valuable. The idea of working a 

 science-class in connection with a field-club seems 

 a good one, and worthy of imitation in other 

 quarters. The president of the club is Mr. W. J. 

 Smith, B.A., of the College for Blind Sons of 

 Gentlemen, Worcester, who conducts the science- 

 classes, and is well known as an enthusiastic 

 naturalist, and there is no lack of enthusiasm 

 among the members. We are also glad to note 

 that a kindred society has been formed in Bedford, 

 called "The Bedfordshire Natural History Society 

 and Field-club." It was founded in May last, and 

 now includes about one hundred members. The 

 hen. secretary is Mr. T. G. Elger, F. Ft. A. S A 

 microscopical section is attached to the society, 

 to which we wish success. 



An Enemy to the Colorado Beetle.— A 

 writer in the American Naturalist states that great 

 numbers of the Colorado potato-beetle are destroyed 

 by the Rose -breasted Grosbeak [Goniaphca Inch- 

 viciana). The American farmers hold these birds 

 in great favour, and are very careful to prevent 

 their destruction. The birds were so abundant in 



the neighbourhood of Jeffreson, Wisconsin, last 

 summer, as to completely hold in check the vast- 

 army of the potato-beetles. 



Torpedoes in British Seas.— A torpedo, or 

 shock-ray, was caught in a mackerel-seine at Marie- 

 gissery, Cornwall, a week or two ago. This rave 

 and interesting specimen, which was in excellent 

 condition, was purchased for the Brighton Aquarium. 

 —II. Budge. 



BOTANY. 



Sinapis aryexsis.— I should like to know if any 

 reasonable explanation has been given of the 

 unfailing appearance of the plant Sinapis arvensis 

 on ground that has been newly turned over. If 

 pasture land be ploughed up, this well-known plant 

 (the charlock or kedlock) is the first weed to make 

 its appearance, although none may have been 

 growing previously either there or in any of t he- 

 surrounding fields.—/. R. Thomson. 



Raphides as Natural Characters in Syste- 

 matic Botany. — Commenting on an exhibition of 

 orchids at the scientific meeting of the East Kent 

 Natural History Society, June 9, 1S75, Professor 

 Gulliver showed that they all afford an abundance 

 of Raphides, so that no British species of Orchi- 

 daceee has, after diligent search, been found wauting 

 in these curious needle-like crystals. Hence, in our 

 flora this order might be sharply and truly defined 

 as Gynaudrous endogens, abounding in Raphides. 

 And so, too, as further illustrations of the value of 

 this kind of diagnosis, if for Gynandrous endogens 

 we substitute Thalamifloral, Calycifioi-al, or Co- 

 rollifloral exogens, might be clearly characterized 

 either the order Balsaminacess, Onagracese, or Gali- 

 acea3. And a knowledge of these facts is the more 

 important because they have not yet been recog- 

 nized in the books of systematic botany, and are 

 either ignored or treated perfunctorily, in the trea- 

 tises of microscopy and histological phytotomy, not 

 very creditably to the compilers of this branch of 

 science. The diagnostic characters afforded by 

 Raphides are, moreover, eminently natural, simple, 

 and easy of proof; while the demonstrations are 

 admirably adapted for instruction by means of the 

 microscope, and the vouchers mounted on glass 

 slides make elegant additions to the microscopic 

 cabinet. But Raphides must not be confounded 

 with other and very different plant-crystals, the 

 leading examples of which have been figured in 

 Science-Gossip, May, 1S73, and in the Monthly 

 Microscopical Journal, December,! 1S73. It should 

 be borne in mind, seeing the numberless errors of 

 omission and commission in the current books, that 

 microscopic plant-crystals are chiefly of four forms : 



