n6 



HA RDWICKE'S SC 1 EA C E-G OSS/ P. 



and interesting. The Proceedings contain also 

 reports of many other papers or addresses, together 

 with other matter botanical, geological and micro- 

 scopical, and accounts of numerous excursions. The 

 Holmesdale Club, most of whose members hail from 

 Redhill and Reigate, appears to be in a very 

 flourishing condition. 



Arion ater, var. bicolor. — This variety which 

 I noted in a late number of Science-Gossip, as 

 being found near Stroud, and referring to which 

 Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell in his note last month 

 mentions that I do not give any description of the 

 slug, is upon the authority of Mr. Roebuck, the 

 recorder for the Conchological Society, to whom I 

 sent some specimens, not having noticed it before or 

 having means to identify it. He wrote me, that 

 though he had it previously sent to him from Ireland, 

 this was the first time he had seen it from an English 

 locality. Not taking any notes at the time, nor able 

 at present to visit the place where I found them, I 

 cannot venture upon any accurate description, but, if 

 Mr. Cockerell will send me his address, I shall be 

 happy to forward him some specimens of this 

 interesting variety when I can procure them. I may 

 mention here, that the chosen locality of this variety 

 seems to be damp marsh spots. Have any readers 

 of Science-Gossip, who take an interest in these 

 matters, met with a variety of Arion ater, which has 

 the wrinkles of the skin and the mantle of a uni- 

 colorous ash colour, and the interstices of a much 

 lighter colour, almost white, so that when the animal 

 is extended it appears much lighter. This I have 

 found in company with the common black kind, but 

 have not noticed any of an intermediate character. — 

 E. y. Elliot, Strou J, Glos. 



Notes on Mollusca, Middlesex and Kent. — 

 Limax Levis. On March 29 I found this species in a 

 damp spot near the Thames at Twickenham, associ- 

 ated with H. pulchella, Z. crystallinus, C. lubrica, 

 and Carychium minimum. The river here is very 

 prolific in freshwater shells. I have seen the bed at 

 lovv water covered with countless specimens of 

 Unio pictorum and Anodonta analina, dotted here and 

 there with Lim. peregra, Z. aurieularia, Ancylus 

 /luviatilis, Paludina vivipara, and Neritina pluvia- 

 tdis ; while the grassy banks abound in L. palnstris, 

 Z. truncatula, and Snccinea elcgans. On April 5, 

 I again met with Limax Icevis living under very 

 similar conditions on the banks of the Cray, at St. 

 Mary Cray in Kent, this time with Zonites nilidus, 

 JT. con a an a, Snccinea elcgans, and S. virescens, as 

 well as Z. crystallinus and Car. minimum. The 

 river contains Sph. corncum, B. tentaculata, V. 

 piseinalis, V. cristata, Plan, vortex, P. contortus, 

 P. complanatus, Lim. pcregra, and Z. palnstris. I 

 may here mention that Z. lapis is the ninth species 

 of slu<r recorded for Middlesex, the others beitis 



Arion ater, A. hortensis, Amalia gagates, A. mar- 

 ginaia, LJmax flavus, L. agrestis, L. maxiinus, and, 

 last, but not least, Tes/acella haliotidea, v. scutulum, 

 which has been found in gardens in various parts of 

 the country, including Bedford Park. — Sydney C. 

 Cockerell. 



BOTANY. 



Swiss Plants. — Your notice in Science-Gossip 

 (January) called my attention to your observation 

 about the double dahlia. I have watched the 

 enclosed Cyclamen Europaum, apprehending by the 

 slowness in its full flower that it would be over- 

 powered by the first flower. It has succeeded. This 

 plant is cultivated and the second year with me, first 

 with the double flower, originally brought to a 

 nursery here found only at one place ; up the mountain 

 two miles off there I have found it. I have now 

 collected over 1000 wild flowers, &c, and having 

 duplicates I offered exchange. After five or six years 

 search in the four cantons by a celebrated botanist 

 here, the result did not exceed 1415 ; a few new ones 

 I have found, he has added to the work he had 

 published, and is pleased with my searchings. — 

 Z. H. C. Russell. 



Helleborus viridis. — Dr. FitzGerald observes 

 of this plant : "I was struck with the curious form 

 of the stem immediately beneath the flower. It has 

 a wrinkled appearance for about half-an-inch." 

 Having a number of recently gathered specimens 

 before me, March 30, I would remark that while the 

 stems immediately beneath the flower have uniformly 

 this wrinkled appearance of various length, it is also 

 to be observed on the petioles, in one instance I find 

 it nearly three inches long. The cuticle of this plant 

 seems to be of unusual tenuity, which may account 

 for the circumstance mentioned. I am not acquainted 

 with the growth of this hellebore at a later stage, 

 but hope to note it further on. — F. LL. Arnold. 



Watson Botanical Exchange Club. — We 

 have received a Report of this recently formed club, 

 the object of which is "to promote more intercourse, 

 help, and exchange, between working botanists, and 

 particularly with regard to critical species." The 

 club already numbers over thirty members, and the 

 report contains a long list of desiderata which should 

 give them plenty of work during the coming season. 

 The hon. sec. is Mr. A. R. Waller, Low Ousegate, 

 York. 



A beautiful specimen of the ospiey (Pandion 

 haliceetus) visited Copmere in October 1SS2, and 

 remained a week on its southern migration. — VV, 

 Wells Braden. 



