HAHPWICKE'S SCIENCE-GO 8 SI P. 



23 



The importance of these gatheriugrs in creatin;? a 

 uider sympathy for science cannot be over-estimated. 



Longfellow's Compass-plant.— This plant is 

 the Silphinm Jaciiiiatum, -u-ell known to the settlers 

 and hunters of the Far- West, Ijclonging to the class 

 Compoxiffr, and all the species lieing natives of the 

 United States. Bnt it is a coarse and stout, not 

 delicate and fragile plant, as described by Long- 

 fellow, though it is correct that tbe edges of its 

 vertical leaves are directed north and south. The 

 cause assigned for this by Dr. Gray is no doubt the 

 correct one,— that both sides of the leaf are equally 

 sensitive to light, and the stomata, or pores, about 

 the same in number on each surface.— -£'. Edwards. 



Collecting and Setting Lepidopteea. — As a 

 collector of twenty years' exjierience, I beg to offer 

 my opinion upon the above subject. In reply to your 

 correspondent " P. E. A.," as regards fiat -setting, 

 my experience has taught me that those specimens 

 set in that style are valueless, because all practical 

 British lepidopterists set their specimens upon 

 rounded corks ; and to place specimens in the 

 cabinet set in any other style would not look uni- 

 form. I think every entomologist will agree with 

 me that all specimens should be thoroughly dry 

 before they are removed from the setting-boards. I 

 don't see how it is possible for the wings of every 

 specimen to drop exactly the same distance if 

 removed before they are dry, as suggested by your 

 correspondent " F. E. A." By using braces pointed, 

 and only one pin, we may save space. By setting in 

 this style, about twenty specimens of the Yellow 

 TJnderwing {Nodua promiba) size may be set upon a 

 board J 4 inches long. Setting with a pin at each end 

 of the brace, not more than ten specimens could be 

 set in the same space. Another mistake is made by 

 the same correspondent, namely, mixing thecapturcs 

 with the empty boxes. Why cannot an ento- 

 mologist have two pockets, and keep them sepa- 

 rately ? If not, the chances are that, while you are 

 hunting for an empty box, your prize will either 

 make its escape, or spoil its beauty by running 

 about the net, especially if your net is at all damp. 

 I always use a bottle charged with cyanide of 

 potassium, as i-ecommended by Dr. Knaggs. The 

 moment my prize is in the net, I transfer it to the 

 bottle. When it is stupefied, I turn it into iny 

 hand and pin it, after which I place it in a zinc 

 collecting-box, with two or three drops of chloro- 

 form, to prevent its returning to life. Such large 

 and active insects as Sphinx convolvuli should be 

 chloroformed in the net. Butterflies may be pinched, 

 but it is not a good plan. I much prefer using the 

 bottle. Only such insects as fly in the daytime, 

 and small species, should be boxed, and then great 

 care should be taken to keep them cool. I usually 

 carry a zinc box for this purpose, and pack the 

 boxes with a few green leaves. I advise all amateur 

 lepidopterists to read "the Lepidopterist's Guide," 

 by H. Guard Knaggs, M.D., E.L.S., which I believe 

 to be the best work upon practical entomology. — 

 E. G. Meek. 



Flat v. Rounded Setting-boauds por Lepi- 

 dopteea. — In Science-Gossip for December last, 

 your correspondent H. A. Auld cautions ento- 

 mologists against using flat setting-boards, which 

 " F.E. A." recommended in your November number. 

 As an authority to back up his opiniou, he mentions 

 the name of Dr. Knaggs, who is well known to be 

 one of our best entomologists. Kow, although 

 li. A. Auld denounces setting on flat boards, 



yet he does not give a reason for its disuse, but 

 contents himself with asking the question, "Why 

 the lepidoptera in our public museums are not set 

 in this way, and also why our creat authorities do 

 not set theirs on flat boards?" Now, if H. A. 

 Auld wishes to know the reason, it is this : All 

 continental lepidoptera are set on flat boards, and 

 English entomologists being jealous of the nation- 

 ality of their specimens, set them on rounded or 

 bevelled setting-boards, in order that they may not 

 be confounded with foreign specimens. Besides, 

 flat-setting is considerably easier to beginners, and 

 in addition, lepidoptera so sethaveamore natural ap- 

 pearance. 1 cannot, however, agree with "F. E. A." 

 in recommending the use of setting-boards made 

 entirely of wood, my own experience being that the 

 softest of wood would be found too hard for the 

 ]3oints of the strongest of entomological pins. _ Dr. 

 H. G. Knaggs, in his " Lepidopterist's Guide," 

 p. IIG, says: "Flat-setting has many great advan- 

 tages over the ordinary method (setting on rounded 

 boards), but it is very unpopular in this country, 

 for the reason that continental specimens are set 

 in this way, and English collectors are very sensi- 

 tive on the point of having the authenticity of their 

 captures doubted." — Claude Eyan. 



Dkied Plants. — Having tried many methods of 

 drying and pressing a specimen of Atropa Bella- 

 donna (Deadly Nightshade), with a view of retain- 

 ing, in some degree, its natural green colour, but, 

 alas! always without success, 1 should be glad, 

 therefore, to know, through any of your numerous 

 readers, whether such a thing as preventing this 

 discoloration be accomplishable or not ; and pro- 

 viding it should not be, if they can state as to what 

 the probable cause of failure is due ? Also whether 

 a similar tendency to discoloration in other plants, 

 when pressed and dried, be at all attributable to 

 any property common to that plant ? Else, so far as 

 regards Atropa Belladonna, as also Melampijrum 

 pratense (common yellow Cow-wheat), 1 have 

 thought in my own mind that perhaps the general 

 habit of these plants, growing, as they niostly do, 

 in shady situations, might have something to do 

 with it, 'in that of preventing the free development 

 of chlorophyl (green colouring-matter of plants) 

 in its tissues. Still, since this theory seems to be 

 opposed by other plants to which this remark does 

 not apply, I am compelled, therefore, to distrust 

 the idea, as affording any explanation thereof, alto- 

 gether.— /o//« Harrison, Newcastle-on-Tyne. 



Beech-tkeesIand Lightning (p.283,lastvol.).— 

 I venture to suggest that the exemption of beech-trees 

 from injury by lightning is due to the uninterrupted 

 passage afforded by the smooth bark to the electric 

 fluid, while the rugged surface of oaks offers nu- 

 merous points of resistance, and thereby causes in- 

 jury to the tree. — 11. Egerton. 



Communications Receivkd up to 12th ult. C. L. A. — 

 J. W. N.-J. P. B.— S. G.-T. H. G.— i^. M. C— F. D. S.— 

 H. L.— J. L.— S. F.— A. G.— E. L.— J. E. S.— J. P. B.— 

 H. E. W.— J. B.— C. C— G. B.— T. B. B.— F. H.— J. F.— 

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

 J B — F. W. M.— W. L. S.— J. H. E.— C. L. J.— T. E. T. W. 

 — E. T. S.— T. B. W.-J. K. S. C— E. W.-F. a.— J. P.— 

 \ L — F. S.— A. N.— E. W.— J. M.— J. B — E. B. K. W.— 

 W. K. C.-G. G.— J. G. R. P.— P. B.— J. H. M.— W. T. P. \V. 

 _R. G.— E. L.— H. R. W.— J. D. M — G. C-J. F.— A. S.— 

 H E. D— J. B.-J. A. Jun.— E. T. N.— R. H. N. B.— 

 ■Vv G. W.— S. W.— T. E. D.— E. E.— J. H —J. W. G. 

 -J. W. G.-W. S. P.-C. R.-E. J. M.-W. M. R.- 

 Dr. L. G. M.-C. M.-J. G.-C. H. M.-J. H. H.-C. M.- 

 H. H.— E. C. J.-E. C. M. -A. A.— J. S. Juii.,'&f. 



