HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



277 



little practice a very useful adjunct to my appliances. 

 I used to experience much disappointment in my dry 

 mounts. I succeed now, by employing the shellac 

 varnished paper-rings recommended by Professor H. 

 L. Smith, in an article published in " Science," and of 

 which an abstract is given at p. 1S3 of the "American 

 M. M. Journal" for iSSo. I manufacture my rings 

 with two gun-wad punches of different bores. Some 

 care is requisite in heating the sUde. — ]V. J. S. 



Mr. F. Bolton's " Portfolio of Drawings." — 

 No, 8 of this valuable collection is just out, and will 

 be at once secured by all microscopic workers who 

 treasure Mr. Bolton's practical remarks. Clearness 

 and terseness are happily combined in his descriptions, 

 whilst the illustrations, if not specimens of high art, 

 are vigorous and truthful, and always successful in 

 bringing out the "points" of an object. Among 

 other objects here described are Prasiola crispa, 

 RivJilaria, Vaucheria, Loxophyllum, Condylostovia, 

 VorticellidcB, Floscularia trifolium, Planaria lactea, 

 Pisckola, &c. 



" The Microscopical Compendium." — We have 

 received a specimen of the above from Mr. E. Marlow, 

 III, Constitution Hill, Birmingham, and have much 

 pleasure in recommendiug it to microscopists gener- 

 ally. It is in reality a very pretty little cabinet, 

 arranged so that the top holds the turn-table, whilst 

 the interior.contains drawers for slides, brushes, bottles 

 of chemicals and varnishes, cements, &c., all of which 

 are necessary to mounters. 



Continuous Observation of Micro-Fungi. — 

 Will any readers of Science-Gossip kindly give me 

 some information about observing the germination of 

 fungus spores under the microscope ? I have for 

 some time been attempting to experiment with various 

 fungi, and cannot get the spores to germinate well 

 — under a cover-glass, not at all. When uncovered 

 some spores will send out filaments to a certain 

 extent, but here the pabulum gets dry and the process 

 stops short. I have at present chiefly experimented 

 with varieties of Aspergillus and with Spirendonema 

 musca. — G. M. Wasse. 



Studies in Microscopical Science.— Mr. A. C. 

 Cole's weekly studies keep up their high character. 

 We would particularly notice one on " Dolerite " just 

 sent out. It is an excellent model of petrological 

 study, and the slide accompanying the weekly number 

 is a highly-finished production, fit either for , ordinary 

 or polariscopic examination. Most of these studies are 

 full of original research, at the same time the author 

 is careful to include all that has been said on the 

 subject by others. 



Brazilian Birds.— I should feel obliged if any 

 of your correspondents could tell me if there are any 

 books pubHshed on the Birds of Brazil, and if so, what 

 are their titles.— C, A. R'., Pendleton. 



ZOOLOGY. 



"Report on the Migration of Birds." — This, 

 paper (published by West, Newman, & Co.) contains- 

 a summary of investigations of a committee appointed, 

 by the British Association in 1S81. An abstract of it 

 was read at the Southampton meeting by Mr. Philip- 

 M. C. Kermode. The report deals with bird infor- 

 mation from the east and west coasts of Scotland, the 

 east and west coasts of England, and the Irish coasts 



"The Naturalists' Monthly." — Under this- 

 title we have to welcome a new confrere. It is neatljr 

 got up, well edited (by Mr. R. Christie), and contains 

 a variety of natural history notes and articles, some 

 of the latter by known writers. The price is only- 

 one penny. We cordially wish it success. 



Chelifer Degeerii (C. Koch), a species- 

 new TO Britain. — Whilst collecting shells and 

 mineralogical specimens on the promontory at North 

 Berwick, Scotland, on September 13th, I procured' 

 three specimens of the above-named Pseudoscorpion, 

 Their proximity to the sea was such that at high tide 

 the spray was constantly thrown upon the cracked 

 igneous rock which sheltered them, and which, in 

 stormy weather and during neap and spring tides, is 

 submerged ; though I doubt not the Chelifers and 

 other minute terrestrial forms common to the in- 

 numerable cracks and crevices of these and other- 

 rocks about the "Bass" will be dry, owing to the- 

 difficulty of displacement of air by water, from such 

 narrow fissures as they lodge in. Associated with 

 them in the loose earth that sparingly filled the 

 crevices were Podurse and Onisci. I kept the Chelifers 

 alive for above a week. Whilst seeking food they 

 ran backwards and forwards with equal celerity ; 

 carrying the maxillary palpi or chelae (hence the 

 name) elevated about one-third above the head ; the 

 dactylopodite and propodite held apart. They seized 

 almost everything they came near, especially each 

 other's chelae. Perhaps the most interesting feature 

 one noticed was the quick and indiscriminate use of 

 both nipping organs in conveying food to the mouth. 

 The position, elevation, sensitiveness, &c., betokened 

 in the chelae a character homologous to antennae. On 

 submitting the specimens to the Rev. O. P. Cambridge, 

 who is collecting material for a monograph on- 

 British Chelifers, and in which will be given figures 

 and descriptions of this new addition to our fauna, I 

 learned that they were Chelifer Degeerii, C. Koch. 

 — Henry Crowther, Beeston Hill, Leeds. 



Pachynobia hyperborea. — In a late number of 

 Science-Gossip, Dr. J. A. Osborne has asked me 

 to fix a local habitation and a name for a moth thus- 

 styled, and at the same time he inquires of me regard- 

 ing the nature of its food-plant. In reply I may state-, 

 in passing that the editorial of the "Entomologist" 



