HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



i39 



They contain a large proportion of alkali, and in 

 France are collected and burnt for the sake of the 

 potash contained in the ashes. The bark, husks, 

 leaves and oil of the walnut have all been used in 

 medicine, and at one time were held in great repute, 

 possessing a bitter principle, which had its value as a 

 tonic. One other use has been made of an infusion 

 of the leaves or husks — anglers pour it upon the 

 ground to induce earthworms to come to the surface, 

 that they may secure the needful bait. The virtues 

 of the walnut tree have been summed up by an old 

 author in these lines : 



" On barren scalps she makes fresh honours grow, 



Her timber is for various uses good : 

 The carver she supplies with wood ; 



She makes the painter's fading colours last ; 

 A table she affords us, and repast. 



E'en while we feast, her oil our lamp supplies ; 

 The rankest poison by her virtue dies ; 



The mad dog's foam, and taint of raging skies, 

 The Pontic King, who lived where poisons grew, 

 Skilful in antidotes, her virtues knew." 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



We have received reprints of Mr. Barr Frere's 

 delightful and suggestive papers published in the 

 "American Naturalist," entitled, "Sociological In- 

 fluences," and "Climatic Influences," in their bear- 

 ing upon primitive architecture. 



The last number of the "Proceedings of the 

 Geologists' Association " contains a most valuable 

 paper (well illustrated) by A. Smith Woodward, 

 entitled, " A Synopsis of the Fossil Fishes of the 

 English Lower Oolites. 



The Rev. Dr. Hind, of Honington Rectory, Bury 

 St. Edmunds, author of the splendid recently-pub- 

 lished "Flora of Suffolk," has presented his fine 

 herbarium of Suffolk plants, made in connection with 

 the work, to the Ipswich Museum, in trust for the 

 use of the public. Dr. Hind had previously pre- 

 sented a fine herbarium of British plants to his alma 

 mater, Dublin University. 



We are deeply sorry to have to chronicle the death 

 of an ardent and painstaking geologist, a frequent 

 contributor to our columns, Mr. S. A. Adamson, 

 F.G.S., of Leeds. 



Those botanists who can afford the time ought 

 not to lose the opportunity of seeing Mr. William 

 Bull's magnificent exhibition of new, rare, and 

 beautiful orchids, now in bloom at 536 King's Road, 

 Chelsea. 



In the course of the excavations for the Manchester 

 Ship Canal, "pot-holes," resembling those seen in 

 the well-known "Glacier Garden" at Lucerne, have 

 been discovered. 



The Twentieth Annual Report of the Wellington 

 College Natural History Society is to hand. This is 

 one of the most admirably managed of all our School 

 Societies. The Report gives a pretty full account of 

 the excursions, papers read, &c, as well as special 

 "Reports" on Phenological Phenomena, Meteor- 

 ology, Entomology, Zoology, Ethnology, Photo- 

 graphy, &c. 



The last number of "The Essex Naturalist" 

 contains in full the admirable address of the President 

 of the Essex Field Club, Mr. E. A. Fitch, F.L.S., 

 on "Bird Migrations." 



Part 8 (vol. v.) of the "Transactions of the 

 Hertfordshire Natural History Society " is devoted 

 to short accounts of the proceedings, reports of field 

 meetings, the library balance-sheets, &c. 



The monthly leaflets issued by the Huddersfield 

 Natural History Society, giving short accounts of 

 meetings, papers, &c, are both highly interesting and 

 very useful. The idea is worth copying by other 

 societies, as it entails little expense. 



The First Annual Meeting of the Museums 

 Association will be held in Liverpool on June 17th, 

 18th, and 19th — the Rev. H. H. Higgins, President. 



The Birmingham Naturalists' Publishing Company 

 are issuing a series of cheap twopenny paper-covered 

 pamphlets or handbooks of great service to young be- 

 ginners. They deal with the collecting and preserva- 

 tion of freshwater Algae, birds, birds' nests and eggs, 

 flowering plants and ferns, land and freshwater shells, 

 and dragon-flies. 



A CAPITAL portrait of the veteran geologist, Mr. 

 William Pengelly, F.R.S., of Torquay, appears in 

 the May number of "Research," accompanied by a 

 memoir. 



A very interesting and highly readable natural 

 history and popular scientific paper has just appeared 

 in Portland, Conn., under the title of "The 

 Observer." 



We have received the first part of a new scientific 

 monthly, published by Messrs. W. H. Allen & Co., 

 entitled "The Entomologists' Record." 



MICROSCOPY. 



The Royal Microscopical Society. — The 

 April number of the Journal, in addition to the 

 welcome and succinct " Summary of Researches" in 

 all things histological, botanical and zoological, con- 

 tains the full text of Dr. Hudson's delightful Presi- 

 dential Address on " Some Needless Difficulties in 

 the Study of Natural History " ; and a paper by Mr. 

 A. D. Michael, "On the Variations of the Female 



