HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



27 



Royston-Piggott, M.A., F.R.S.). In this is briefly 

 summarised the work done by the Society during the 

 past year. The subjects dealt with are numerous 

 and very various, and they do great credit to the 

 members. 



The October and December issues of the Transac- 

 tions of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society 

 and Field Club contain the following contributions : 

 — "The Formation and Arrangement of Provincial 

 Museums," by John Hopkinson, F.L.S., F.G.S. 

 Mr. Hopkinson divides museums into three classes. 

 National, Provincial, and Educational, and shows 

 the functions of each, he also exhaustively treats of 

 the method of arranging museums. "Local Mu- 

 seums," by H. George Fordham, F.G.S. The paper 

 treats of the functions and uses of local museums. 

 Two contributions on local meteorological observa- 

 tions : the first is a " Report on the Rainfall in Hert- 

 fordshire in iSSo," and one on" The Frost of January 

 1881, as experienced in Hertfordshire." They are 

 both by Rev. C. W. Harvey, M.A., F.M.S. The first 

 paper of the December part of the Transactions is by 

 the same gentleman, and gives a series of meteorolo- 

 gical observations taken at Throcking, Herts, during 

 18S0. "Notes on Birds observed during the Year 

 1880 and the first three months of 1S81." By John 

 E. Littleboy, Esq. Mr. Littleboy records eight species 

 new to the society's register. "Meteorological Ob- 

 servations taken at Wansford House, Watford, during 

 the year 1 881," by John Hopkinson, F.L.S., F.M.S. 

 " Report on Phenological Observations in Hertford- 

 shire in 1S80," by John Hopkinson. "On the 

 Presence of Cilia on the Tadpole of the Common 

 Frog," by R. B. Croft, R.N., F.L.S., F.R.M.S. 

 This is merely a short notice of the discovery of cilia 

 on the exterior cuticle of the tadpole of the common 

 frog {Rana tcmporis). 



The Bristol Natural History Society have recently 

 issued part iii. of vol. iii. of their "Proceedings," 

 containing papers as follows : — " On the Breathing 

 Apparatus of Aquatic larvit," by W. J. Fuller. " On 

 the Preparation of a Local Flora," by J. W. White. 

 "Darwinism," by C. Jecks. " The Boulders of the 

 Bromsgrove District," by O. Giles. " Catalogue of 

 the Lepidoptera of the Bristol District," by A. E. 

 Hudd. " Fungi of the Bristol District," by Cedric 

 Buckwall. "A Naturalist's Ramble in Guernsey," 

 by Adolph Leipner (Hon. Sec), &c. 



The Fifth Report of the Winchester College 

 Natural History Society shows a very flourishing 

 state of things. Among the papers published are the 

 following :—" The Food of Plants," by H. T. F. 

 King. "Glaciers," by A. H. Kensington. "The 

 Sea Shore," by G. L. Hawkes. " Hemiptera," by 

 W.A.Forbes. "Teeth," by F. A, Bather. "Bo- 

 tanical Report," giving lists of local plants. " En. 

 tomological ditto." "Geological Lists" of local 

 fossils. " Zoological Lists " of local animals. " Lists 

 of Land and Fresh-water Shells," &c. All the papers 



show a remarkable grasp of the questions discussed 

 therein. 



Whitby Naturalists' Field Club. —The annual 

 meeting of this society was held a few weeks ago, 

 when the following officers were elected to serve 

 during the coming year : T. Newbitt, President 4 

 W. H. Tate, Chairman ; A. Mallinder, Treasurer 4 

 W. H. Dotchon, Secretaiy ; Committee : T. P. 

 Dotchon, G. G. Skelton, and H. B. Thornton. 

 During the year seventeen papers have been read, 

 the principal of which were "Life on the Globe," 

 and " Chemistry of Water," by the President, and 

 "Observation," delivered by the Rev. J. C. Atkin- 

 son, M.A., at the inauguration of the exhibition, heM 

 by the club during the months of October and 

 November. 



The "Transactions of the Epping Forest and 

 County of Essex Naturalists' Field Club," Vol. IT. 

 part 5 ; contain the following: "On the formation 

 of Local Museums," being the conclusion of Mr. 

 Harting's suggestive paper on this subject. " Infii- 

 soria : what are they ? Their Collection and Investi- 

 gation," by W. Saville Kent, F.L.S., &c. "Report 

 on the Excavation of the earthwork known as 

 Ambresbury Banks, Epping. Forest," by Majof- 

 General Pitt-Rivers ; " On the Origin and Distri- 

 bution of the British Flora," by Professor Boulger. 

 In addition to the above there is a full report of Pro- 

 ceedings, &c. The great success of this club, and. 

 the capital way in which the Transactions are brought 

 out, reflect the highest credit on the Hon. Sec, 

 Mr. Cole. 



THE KANGAROO. 

 Bv W. T. Greene, M.A., M.D., &c 



[Continued yrom page 6.] 



THE wallaby (Pefrogale) is distinguished from the 

 kangaroos by a muzzle devoid of hair. The 

 rock wallaby is one of the most remarkable animals 

 belonging to this genus, and may be called the chamois 

 of the family, inhabiting, as it does, wild rocky mouK- 

 tains, whose sides it seldom descends, even partially, 

 whilst it is never met with at their base. The rock 

 wallaby is a rather dangerous animal, owing to a 

 habit it has when closely pursued of rushing against 

 its enemy, and forcing him over the rocks ; it is 

 smaller than the red kangaroo, and is chiefly to bo 

 seen in the south-eastern parts of Australia ; it is 

 gregarious in its habits, but the herds, or mobs, are 

 usually small. 



The short-eared rock wallaby {P. brachyotis) is 

 another shy and retiring animal, inhabiting the 

 most inaccessible haunts. It is much smaller than 

 the preceding species, and lives in caves and crevices 

 among the rocks on the north-west coast. The tail 

 is bushy, the terminal third being of a dusky-blacZc 

 colour. 



c 2 



