II A RD W IC K E'S S C 1 E N C E - G S SI P. 



215 



On July 18th some of these came out, and the per- 

 fect insect proved to be, rather to my astonishment, 

 a blue-bottle. Is it usual for these flies to copy the 

 Ichneumons ? These came out of no other larva? 

 and pupse than those of B. Neu4ria, and several 

 from the same nest have also expelled the pupre of 

 the Blue-bottle. — II. Morton. 



The Banded Beauty. — I should feel much 

 obliged to any contributor 'of Science-Gossip who 

 would give me some information concerning this 

 moth, Nyssia zonaria. I have lived lor some time 

 in the peninsula of Wirral, but have not yet met 

 with the insect. Newman gives three localities, 

 one of which (New Brighton) is well enough known, 

 but I never heard of the other two. Perhaps some 

 one with a knowledge of the locality could inform 

 me whether it is confined to the Wallarea corner of 

 the peninsula, or whether it is to be met with along 

 the coast as far as Hoylake, or up the Dee shore. I 

 presume it is confined to the sandhills, which here 

 form a continuous line along the shore. I should 

 also like to know the time of its appearance, with 

 any other useful hints as to its capture. In tbe 

 event of my obtaining more than sufficient for my 

 own cabinet, I should be happy to supply less for- 

 tunate collectors. — IF. E. S. 



Pigs and Grapes in Old London. — Some 

 astonishment has been expressed by those who have 

 read the earlier chronicles of London, that some 

 centuries aso fig-trees should have ripened their 

 fruit in the City precincts, where also grew, not soli- 

 tary vines, but rows of these trees, forming vineyards 

 not only in London, but at Westminster. I do not 

 think the right explanation of this lies in the suppo- 

 sition that our climate was then more genial than 

 now: local changes will probably account for it. 

 The soil of London has undergone a great elevation 

 during the last 500 years; and though there were 

 elevations here and there, much of London city, in 

 Norman times and later, laid in a sheltered valley, — 

 sheltered by the extensive woodlands spreading to 

 the north, west, and east, while, southward, the 

 Surrey hills gave a screen. There was also much 

 marsh land contiguous ; so that there are noticeable 

 the conditions of a moist atmosphere, in which the 

 sun had full play (for the buildings were then low), 

 and the keen winds were shut off: hence London 

 made some approach then to a sub-tropical clime — 

 J. R. S. C. 



Poplar Hawk Caterpillars. — 1 should be 

 very glad if any of your readers could tell me how 

 it is that I have been quite unsuccessful in my 

 attempts to rear Poplar Hawk Caterpillars? I 

 have had them at all ages, and have given them a 

 variety of willow and poplar leaves (including those 

 they were found on) to feed upon; but iu every 

 case they, after a longer or shorter period, refused 

 to eat, and died. I should be very glad to know the 

 reason for this.— Kate Dewing. 



Antique Remains in Swanscombe Wood, 

 Kent.— Can any reader of Science-Gossip fur- 

 nish information about these ? They are situate on 

 the edge of the wood, looking towards Southfleet. 

 All that is now to be seen is a cavernous gap, and a 

 round well-like opening beside it, popularly called 

 in the locality " Clappernapper's Hole." Guide- 

 books state that this is the site of the ancient 

 British village of Caeber-larber, of which word the 

 previous name is supposed to be a corruption, but 



I find no account of this in two or three histories of 

 Kent I have examined. It is also said that there 

 are (or were) a number of underground chambers ; 

 if so, access to these has been lost, possibly through 

 the quantitv of earth carried down by the rains of 

 '69 and '70." The author of the " Jottings of Kent " 

 speaks of these remains as " earth-mounds," so that 

 it would seem he assumes they are tumuli, or 

 buryingplaces. The soil is loam, not chalk, as is 

 much of the land adjacent; hence we cannot sup- 

 pose these are deserted chalk-quarries that have 

 been grown over with underwood. — /. R. S. C. 



Do Wood-lice Emit Sound? — One sunny 

 morning recently we accidentally disturbed a nest 

 of young wood-lice in a crack of the rugged bark of 

 an old walnut-tree. Our attention was instantly 

 arrested by a distinct murmur of disapproval among 

 the members of the cosy family thus annoyed, — 

 something resembling the faint squeaking of minia- 

 ture shrew-mice — a decided sound, but unlike any- 

 thing in particular, with perhaps, the exception of 

 wind coming in through the hinges of a door. Per- 

 haps some of your many' intelligent readers may be 

 able to inform us whether these little creatures have 

 really the power of emitting sound. — F. $ T. R,, 

 Gioastad. 



exchanges. 



Cornish plants offered :— No. 235, 236, 238, 239, 245, 304, 

 315, 591, 835, 838, 887, 901, 1001, 1001, 1031. 1114, 1244, 1483, 

 1375, 1332, 1473, 1561, 1635, Lon. Cat., 7th edition. Juncacece, 

 Cyperacea, and Graminea preferred in exchange. — W. Curnow, 

 Pembroke Cottage, Newlyn Cliff, Penzance. 



H. alliaria, H. virgata, H. caperuta, S. cantiana, H. car- 

 tusiana, H.hispidu, H. arbustorum, H. rupestris, B. obscurus, 

 P. secale, C. laminata. Desiderata : Lepidoprera and Shells. — 

 W. K. Mann, Granby House, Granby Hill, Clifton, Bristol. 



Lickral exchange of first-class Slides, for a pure gathering' 

 of Volvox globator, or of other Desmids. Male Glow-worms, 

 and small English Carp-fish. — E. Wheeler, 48, Tollington- 

 road, Holloway, N. 



BOOKS, &c. RECEIVED. 



"Oar Summer Migrants." By J. E. Harting, F.L.S. 

 London : Van Voorst. 



" Rambles in Search of Shel's." By J. E. Harting, F.L.S. 

 London : Van Voorst. 



" Report of the United States Geological Survey of the 

 Territories." Vol. VI. Cretaceous Flora. By Lesquereux. 



" Report of the Geological Survey of Missouri." By G. C. 

 Broadhead. 



" Protection of Life and Property from Lightning." By 

 W. McGregor. Bedford : Robinson. 



"Country Gentleman's Reference Catalogue of Natural 

 History, &c, Works." London : R. Home, Edgeware-road. 



"Guide to the Geology of London and the Neighbourhood." 

 By W. Whitaker, F.G.S. London : E. Stanford. 



" Ben Brierley's Journal." August. 



" Land and Water." August. 



"The Colonies." August. 



"Monthly Microscopical Journal." August. 



"American Naturalist." July. 



" Canadian Entomologist." July. 



Communications Received up to 10th ult. from: — 



E. H.— W. E. H.— A. H— H. M — J. U— J. R. S. C — 



A. J. R. S.— W. E. S.— J. C. W.— H M.-F. K— F. T. R.— 

 G. H. K— E. E— Dr. A. C— R. D.— W. K. M.— D. J. P.— 



B. M. W.— Dr. H. W. J. E.-W. E.— C. P.— J. R.- W. H. B — 



F. H. A.— H. E. W.— T. C. O.-W. G.— W. L— W. T.— 



G. M. D.— H. H.— E. W.— H. W.— H. P. M.—J. E. N. B.— 

 C P.G.— B.D.J.— H.B.T.— W. E— W.L. W. E.— G. S. F.N. 

 _G P— A B.— T. B. W— W. J. F— M. B. U.—J. F. R.— ■ 

 J. P H. B— E. E.— G. P.-W. A. C — F. B.— W. J. H.— 

 H. E. W.— T. D. R.— E. I.-E. T. S.— J. E. D.— H. W.— 

 H. G. G.-S. A. K— F. H. A.— W. J. M — W. E.-W. C— 

 J. R.— H. E. W.— H. G W. A-E. D. B.— J. W. B.— 

 J. W. P.— C. W. T.— R. L.-F. H. A.— E. T.-H. P.— 



C. J. C.-M. C. C.-H. F. P.— R. K.— W. L. W. E. — W. L. M. 

 —J. S. B.— C. R.— C. D.— J. A., jun.— J. E. D. -E. T. ir\— 

 J. F. R— J. B. B.— W. J. B.-F. R. M.— S. A. K., &c. 



