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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



same acid and chlorate of potash, but all to no 

 purpose. The coal gradually dissolved, but remained 

 opaque as before. Will any one who has been more 

 successful kindly give his method ? — //' Daltoii Smith. 



Snow Cryst.vls. — I should be much obliged if 

 you would tell me in Science-Gossip what is the 

 best way to examine snow crystals with the micro- 

 scope, as they melt even in a room where there is no 

 fire. — T. Pearson. 



What is the meaning of x ? — T. R. J. is con- 

 fusing himself needlessly. The meaning of X 50 is 

 that the object is magnified fifty diameters, and has 

 nothing to do with detail at all. If the proboscis of 

 a fly, for instance, is viewed with a i in. which will 

 not even show the rings, and then with another which 

 exhibits every possible detail, they may both be 

 exactly X 50. If a drawing of a man 5 feet high be 

 made 20 feet, he is X 4, whether the grain of his skin 

 becomes visible or not, or even if his features should 

 be unrecognisable. — E. Holmes. 



"The Journal of the Postal Microscopical 

 Society." — This Society, which may be said to have 

 been formed by the readers of Science-Gossip in 

 1873, ^^s now attained to such an influential position 

 as to publish a quarterly journal, named as above. We 

 gladly welcome this additional evidence of intellectual 

 vigour. Among the papers of No. I of the "Journal " 

 are the following : " The History of the Postal 

 Microscopical Society," " Numerical Aperture," 

 "Microscopical examination of Chlorophyll, Imdine, 

 and Protein Crystals," " Tubifex rivulorum " 

 ■" Diatoms," " How to prepare Foraminifera," 

 "Lichens," " An hour at the Microscope" (by 

 Mr. Tuffen West), reviews, notes, reports of societies, 

 correspondence, &c. There is a sound and healthy 

 and enduring look about this " Journal " that all will 

 like. The illustrations are capital. 



"Journal of the Royal Microscopical 

 Society." — The bi-monthly issue of this now attrac- 

 tive Journal contains the address of the President 

 (Professor P. M. Duncan, F.R.S.) ; papers on 

 " Mounting Objects in Phosphorus, and in a solution 

 of Biniodide of Mercury and Iodide of Potassium," by 

 J. W. Stephenson (vice-president) ; " On the Threads 

 of Spiders'-webs," by John Anthony, M.D., and a 

 very copious and clear summary of current researches 

 relating to Zoology, and Botany (principally Inver- 

 tebrata and Cryptogamia), Microscopy, &c., including 

 original communications from Fellows of the Society 

 and others. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Woods near Enfield. — Can any of your readers 

 tell me [whether there are any good woods (public) 

 near Enfield, or Bamet, for entomological pursuits ; 

 also, are there any local insects in the district ? — 

 M. N. J. F. C. 



York Field Naturalists' Society.— A very 

 interesting exhibition by members of the St. Thomas' 

 Field Naturalists' Society, of York, has been held 

 with much success, and the Dean of York gave an 

 admirable address on natural history, in which he 

 alluded to the influence left behind it by the recent 

 meeting of the British Association. The above ex- 

 hibition consisted largely of specimens collected by 

 the members during the previous summer. 



Folkestone Natural History Society. — At 

 the annual meeting of this society, recently held. 

 Dr. Fitzgerald (President) gave a capital address 

 " On the Recent Progress of Science," in which he 

 dealt chiefly with electrical discoveries and the 

 problem relating to fog and smoke. The meeting 

 memorialised the Corporation to secure a site for a 

 Museum, Reading Room, and School of Science and 

 Art. 



The Salmon Disease. — In a paper recently read 

 before the Royal Society Prof. Huxley suggests that 

 the salmon disease fungus is the same as that which 

 attacks flies, and that flies thus affected may convey 

 the fungus to fresh-water and so to the salmon fre- 

 quenting it, when they liappen to fall in. He pro- 

 duced the fly-fungus by rubbing a house-fly with a 

 piece of the skin of salmon affected with the disease. 



Professor Ray Lankester, F.R.S. — It is with 

 much pleasure we announce the appointment of this 

 distinguished biologist to the chair of Natural History 

 at Edinburgh, vacant by the death of Professor Wyville 

 Thomson. Mr. Lankester's appointment will be wel- 

 comed by all lovers of original research, and there 

 can be no question it will greatly stimulate biological 

 inquiry in Scotland. 



Preparations for the Destruction and 

 Prevention of Mit-es in Entomological Col- 

 lections. — I should be glad to know whether any 

 of the entomological readers of Science-Gossip 

 use any other preparations than the following for the 

 above purpose : — Camphor, Naphthaline, Bisulphide 

 of Carbon, Benzole, and Mercuric Bisulphide 

 (Corrosive Sublimate). I should also be glad to hear 

 from any entomologist who has used the oilsof Cajuput, 

 Anise, Thyme, Marjoram, Amber, or Turpentine, or 

 any of them (mentioned by Dr. Knaggs at page 120 

 of the new edition of the " Lepidopterist's Guide"). 

 As I am collecting information upon the subject, I 

 should be glad of answers through the post. — 

 ]V. y. V. Vandenbergk, Hornsey, N. 



Early Spring Bees. — The second week in March 

 last was so warm and summer-like that many spring 

 insects were on the wing in this neighbourhood 

 several weeks before their usual time. The most 

 noticeable among these were the bees. By the i8th 

 of that month I had noted no less than seventeen 



