HA RD WICKE'S S CIENCE- G OS SI P. 



95 



pavonia was particularly common. Here at home 

 I have seen one V, Io ; I have not come across any 

 Urtice or Atlanta though I have usually found them. 

 P. gamma was also abundant. — George T. Baker, 

 Hagley Road, Edgbaston. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Exchangers. — As we now 

 publish Science-Gossip a week earlier than heretofore, we 

 cannot possibly insert in the following number any communi- 

 cations which reach us later than the 9th of the previous 

 month. 



To Anonymous Querists. — We receive so many queries 

 which do not bear the writers' names that we are forced to 

 adhere to our rule of not noticing them. 



To Dealers and others. — We are always glad to treat 

 dealers in natural history objects on the same fair and general 

 ground as amateurs, in so far as the "' exchanges " offered are fair 

 exchanges. B«t it is evident that, when their offers are simply 

 disguised advertisements, for the purpose of evading the cost of 

 advertising, an advantage is taken o( our gratuitous insertion of 

 "exchanges" which cannot be tolerated. 



" For full instructions how to prepare the cyanide for butterfly, 

 •&c, killing, see " Notes on Collecting and Preserving Natural 

 History Objects," page 58. 



J. R. Neve. — The sketch you enclosed us of the discontinuity 

 in strata on the Dorset coast, indicates the occurrence of one of 

 those dislocations known to geologists as "faults." 



W. Roberts. — It is uncertain when the next part of Dr. 

 Carrington's " British Hepaticse " is likely to be issued. 



Ernest Jones. — We are aware of the paper you name, but 

 we believe that the real merit of producing flint implements 

 after the manner mentioned in the paragraph of Science-Gossip, 

 is due to Dr. John Evans, the author of " Stone Implements of 

 Great Britain," who manufactured an implement after the 

 manner described before some of the learned societies, ten or 

 eleven years ago. 



J. D. Stuart. — The drawing you sent us of a water mite, 

 is Arrenurus maculator ; it is figured and described by Koch 

 in his great work on " German Mites," &c. The genus 

 Arrenurus (Duges) is of the family Hydrachnea, order Acarina. 

 We do not know whether A. maculator 'is figured or described 

 in any English work. 



S. K. A. (Stafford). — The fungi you sent us were the pretty 

 scarlet cups of Peziza aurantium. 



S. M. Hubbard. — For a full discussion on the word " Cul- 

 verkeys," see the preceding volumes of Science-Gossip. The 

 fruits or flowers to which this name has been applied are 

 1, The fruit of Fraxinus excelsior ; 2, Aquilegia vulgaris ; 3, 

 Scilla nutans ; 4, Primula veris — found in Kent, where the wine 

 made from it is called Culverkey wine ; 4, Orchis mascula. 



Nosboh. — We have received the slab of limestone shale you 

 sent us from India. There can only be one opinion respecting 

 the nature of the seaweed-like objects impressed on the surface. 

 They are the dendritic crystals of the oxide of manganese. 

 Such shrub-like crystallisation are very common in some rocks, 

 notably slates, especially in North Wales, where they are 

 exceedingly beautiful, and are known to the quarrymen as 

 "fossil seaweeds." 



V. G. (Waltham Cross). — All the lobelias possess an acrid 

 property. The plant however you allude to as being so 

 poisonous, is the Isotoma longiflora, a native of the West 

 Indian Islands ; you need not fear any evil effects from the 

 mere cultivation of the pretty garden lobelia. 



C. U. (South Hackney). — It is the Lycopodium Sclaginoides. 

 Many thanks for the pretty object for microscopic slide. 

 M. S. (Brentford). — We will give you names next month. 

 C. B. — For directions how to preserve mosses and fungi, see 

 " Notes on Collecting and Preserving Natural History Objects," 

 containing a chapter on Mosses, by Dr. Braithwaite, F.L.S., 

 &c, and one on Fungi, by Worthington G. Smith, F.L.S., pub- 

 lished by D. Bogue, 3 St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square, 

 W.C. 



H. G. — We do not remember having received the specimens 

 you mention, but if you will send us others, we will endeavour 

 to name them. 



J. F. (Brechin). — Thanks for note on mosses. Hypnutn 

 ceespitosum, and Orthodontium gracile shall shortly be for- 

 warded. 



W. Kirkley (Leeds).— We have addressed two letters to you 

 on the subject you mentioned, by post, but both have been re- 

 turned to us through the Dead Letter Office. There can be no 

 doubt as to the larger seed being Ervutn Lens ; the others are 

 the well known " red lentils." 



J. A. W.— Get Lindley's *' Botany," published by Bradbury 

 & Evans. Write to Messrs. Hunter & Sands, 20 Cranbourne 



Street, Leicester Square, for their catalogue of secondhand micro- 

 scopes, and you will see their prices, and be able to get one that 

 will suit you. 



J. M. Ward. — The protuberance on the carapace of the 

 shrimp is due to the encystment of a parasitic crustacean called 

 Bopyrus crangorum, or "shrimp parasite," which is a retrograded 

 type of crustacean. See Taylor's " Half Hours at the Sea- 

 side " for figures of male and female of same. 



A. H— Get M. P. Edgeworth's work on " Pollen," illustrated 

 by 438 figs., second edition, price ys. 6d., published by D. 

 Bogue, 3, St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square, London. 



W. E. — The specimen of the "Rose of Jericho" came duly 

 to hand, for which accept our best thanks. It expanded fully 

 after about an hour's insertion in water, and again contracted 

 after a night's drying. 



J. W. C. — We can confidently recommend any or all of the 

 firms of microscope makers who advertise in Science-Gossip 

 for microscopic lenses. If you write to them they will send you 

 all the information you require. It would be invidious for us to 

 mention any one in preference to the rest. 



Oscott — The objects you sent us from near the roots of oak 



trees are barnacle galls produced by an insect (Cynips corticalis). 



J. Laing — The " sponge insect" you found in East Indian 



sponge must have got in after the sponge was dried ashore, for 



it is one of the pseudo-scorpions, called Clielifer Latreilli. 



N. C- Haring — See the chapter on " Bones" in " Notes on 

 Collecting and Preserving Natural History Objects," price 

 3.J. 6d., published by D. Bogue, 3 St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar 

 Square, London.- 



Alpha. — We do not exactly know which species you refer to 

 under the name of the " English Diamond Beetle," unless it be 

 Rhynchites auratns, which is of a variable shining copper colour, 

 and about a quarter of an inch in length. If it be this species 

 it is not common, except in some parts of Kent. The best plan 

 would be to detach the elytra, or wing-covers, and mount them 

 dry. 



EXCHANGES. 



Thirty- four numbers of" English Mechanic," numbers 229, 

 and from 255 to 288 in succession ; for an equal number of 

 Science-Gossip, from No. 1 to 94. Address, J. K., 7 Gibraltar 

 Terrace, Chatham. 



Science-Gossip from January 1874 to October 1879, at half- 

 price (12^.), or exchange for standard books. — Mr. Marshall, 

 Bruce Grove Post Office, Tottenham. 



Wanted, a second-hand cabinet for 1000 slides. Will give 

 well-mounted transparent coal-plant slides in exchange, or 

 partly slides and partly money. Address, Z., Post Office, 

 Stretford, near Manchester. 



Wanted, by the end of the year, good specimens of Charas. 

 Date, place, and county collected in to be given. Will give 

 rare dried or living British plants for the above. — A. Bennett, 

 107 High Street, Croydon. 



For exchange, three polished deal microscopic object cases, 

 each to hold three dozen objects, to lie flat, for really well- 

 mounted and interesting slides. — Joseph Anderson, jun., 

 Chichester, Sussex. 



Wanted, to exchange Huxley's " Crayfish " (new), for 

 McAlpine's " Biological Atlas " (4to.) second-hand, but in good 

 condition. — Fred. James, Museum, Maidstone. 



Many species of British marine, land and fresh-water shells 

 offered for foreign land shells or Derbyshire crystals. — Miss 

 Jessie Hele, Fairlight, Elmgrove Road, Coltham, Bristol. 



Quercifolia, Promissa, Lucipara, Albulalis, Munitata. 

 Myrtilli, Belgaria. Desiderata many, especially large, showy 

 insects. — T. Ovenden, Frindsbury Road, Strood, Kent. 



Exotic Lepidoptera, chiefly Indian and African, in exchange 

 for good books on Coleoptera or Hymenoptera, for other foreign 

 insects, or for an entomological cabinet. — F. W. Savage, 

 University School, Hastings. 



Wanted, diatomaceous earth, various, for cash or exchange. 

 — M. Johnson, 14 Whitefriars. Chester. 



Old Transactions of the Microscopical Society wanted for 

 a consideration. — J. H. M., 17 Walham Grove, St. John's, 

 Fulham. 



Wanted, to purchase, a few live specimens, male and female, 

 of the natterjack toad. — W. B. Scott, Chudleigh, Devon. 



A small compound microscope in mahogany case (cost 

 i8j. 9^.), is offered in exchange for micro slides ; or what offers 

 in cash? Address, T. Swepson, 31 Shaw Street, Ashbourne 

 Road, Derby. 



Collection of dried fronds, named, of exotic ferns, collection 

 named mosses, seaweeds, &c, and other natural objects, 

 exchange for coins or rubbings of monumental brasses, or any 

 antiquities. — F. Stanley, Margate, Kent. 



For exchange, two fine articulated skulls of the porpoise, 

 also jaws and backbone of shark, geological exchange pre- 

 ferred. Other exchange entertained. — J. McKenzie, Birkby, 

 Huddersfield. 



About thirty good specimens and 100 imperfect specimens of 

 British and foreign beetles, in exchange for British Lepidoptera. 

 — W. Bentley, jun., Stakehill, Castleton, near Manchester. 



For exchange, very perfect specimens of fish, clupea and 

 spaniodon from Lebanon (only a few) ; also beautiful white and 



