212 



HARDWICKE'S SCIE2Src£-GOSSii-. 



ago in a small bog close by, and continued to thrive 

 there up to last summer. What struck me as the 

 most remarkable feature of the case, was that the little 

 pigmy grew in a straight line across the moor, at no 

 part spreading more than three or four feet. It was 

 a pretty sight to stand at one end and trace this 

 dainty morsel right across — here just peeping over 

 the trailing pennywort, and there over-topped by the 

 lesser skull-cap — and then to compare it with the 

 more elegant trailing branches and delicate pale-blue 

 flowers of the normal plant which blossomed profusely 

 all round. 



In addition to the plants mentioned we have 

 noticed white varieties of Raimnnilits ficaria, 

 Aipiilegia vulgaris, Viola caiiina, Polygala vulgat-is. 

 Geranium mollc, Erodium maritimiim, Sediim ajigli- 

 ciiin, Epilobium montanum, Valeriana officinalis, 

 Jasione montatia, Primula vulgaris, Polemonium 

 cceruleiim, Symphytum officinale, Myosotis palustris. 

 Digitalis purpurea, Veronica chamxdrys, Pedicularis 

 sylvatica. Thymus serpyllum. Prunella vulgaris, 

 Ajuga reptans. 



This list is a very significant one, and, if Grant 

 Allen's theory of progressive colour development goes 

 for aught, argues conclusively a movement on retro- 

 gressive lines. It will be noticed that in this list, as 

 well as in the one submitted last month by E. 

 Armitage, only two plants with yellow flowers figure 

 as sporting into white. In his progressive colour- 

 scale, Mr. Allen gives yellow, white, red, purple, 

 lilac, mauve, violet, and blue ; white being an 

 improvement on the yellow, red on the white, etc. 

 Our two lists show a remarkable preponderance of 

 blue over the yellow, and of red over the blue, 

 driving one to the conclusion that as red is an im- 

 provement on white, and blue is the highest stage of 

 development, white variations from the type indicate 

 a retrogressive rather than a progressive development 

 of colouring-matter. 



Of course these are merely a few suggestions. I 

 may be right or wrong in assuming the subject to be 

 of vital importance, or in objecting to the word 

 albinism being used in reference to this subject. I 

 may be equally right or wrong on the progressive or 

 retrogressive colour theory, or in my assumptions on 

 the oxidation of chromule, on the absence or presence 

 of certain elements in the pigment, or in the modi- 

 fication of the pigment cells. Be that as it may, 

 these suggestions may help to focus our attention, 

 and thereby enable us to deal practically with the 

 problem. 



Pousanooth^ Perran-ar-worthal, Corn-wall. 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



We have received a reprint from " Inventions," 

 giving an account of Mr. James Nelson's ingenious 

 " Calculating Dial," as furnishing a ready means for 

 calculating figures in commercial business. 



The celebrated collection of recent shells formed 

 by the late Sir David Barclay, Bart., was sold by 

 auction at Messrs. Stevens' Rooms, London, on the 

 6th of July and three following days. The catalogue 

 compiled by Mr. Hugh Fulton contained particulars 

 of 1,200 lots, which included a number of extremely 

 rai^e species, also many type specimens. The 

 following are some of the highest prices realised for 

 single specimens: — Voluta aulica, £^0% Murex 

 Barclayi, £<) 10s. ; Maiginella mi^-abilis, £6 \os. ; 

 Strombus taiirus, £^ los. ; Conus crocatus, £$ 10s. ; 

 Cyclostoma formosa, ^4 \os. ; Cyprcca bicallosa, £'},; 

 Scalaria decussata (two specimens), £^ ^s, 



A DEEPLY thoughtful, and highly interesting 

 address is that of Dr. A. Leifius, delivered before 

 the Royal Society of New South Wales (London : 

 Kegan Paul & Co.). 



Dr. J. E. Taylor has just published verbatim 

 the " Story of the Felixstowe Crags ".(illustrated), as 

 told by him to a public audience at Felixstowe on 

 Wednesday, July 29 (Ipswich : " East Anglian Daily 

 Times " Office, price sixpence). 



The second quarterly number of " The Concholo- 

 gist " (edited by W. E. CoUings) is even better than 

 the first. It cannot fail to prove a welcome guest 

 among all interested in Conchological subjects. 



The Report of the Botanical Exchange Club for 

 1890 (Manchester, Jas. Collins & Co., King St.) 

 is as valuable an accession to our botanical literature 

 as usual. No English botanist should be without it. 



The third number of the " Mediterranean Natural- 

 ist " demonstrates that a welcome and useful periodical 

 has joined our ranks. 



Dr. C. W. Riley's "Report of the Entomologist 

 for 1890," is even more readable and suggestive than 

 is usual with this distinguished entomologist's " Re- 

 ports." 



The " Garner " is now amalgamated with the 

 " Naturalist's Gazette," and both in the new form 

 are published at one penny monthly. 



We have received a most interesting and thought- 

 ful brochure, by F. Howard Collins, on "The 

 Diminution of the Jaw in Civilised Races, an Effect 

 of Disuse." Of course, the author refers to eating — 

 not to politics or " social " subjects. 



Sir Geo. B. Airy, late Astronomer Royal, is the 

 doyen of British science. He has just entered his 

 ninety-first year, and appears to be as bright and 

 chippy as ever. 



AVTER re-consideration the President of the Board 

 of Trade has granted a licence to the British Institute 

 of Preventive Medicine to register the institution as a 

 limited liability company with the omission of the 

 word " limited." The licence, however, is not to be 



