144 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Notes on the Diptera.— Erratum.— In the fifth line from 

 the bottom of page 103, for the second "transverse" read 

 "transparent." Thus: " Its wings are dark brown, with 

 three transverse bands of transparent spots," &e. 



J. H. Bloom.— There is no book on the British Diptera 

 that we are acquainted with corresponding: to Wood's shilling- 

 series. There would be no "market" for the issue of such 

 works at present. Perhaps some of our readers will answer 

 Mr. Bloom's query as to whether there is any method of pre- 

 serving the eggs of reptiles. 



A. H. Searlbs. — Bell's " British Reptiles " is published at 

 (we think) 12s. by Van Voorst, London. We do Dot know of 

 any work on the Jersey Lizard. The latter, we imagine, 

 must be the Lacerta viridis, or one of its many varieties, as 

 this is so common on the Continent, and not infrequent on 

 the southern coasts of England. In answer to your last 

 query, get Professor Nicholson's " Advanced Text-book of 

 Zoology.'' 



W. T. E. — There is no examination required for admission 

 to the Linnean Society. You must be proposed by three 

 Fellows " from a knowledge of your works or writings," and 

 then be balloted for. 



E. J. R.— You will find all you ask for in the second edition 

 of Taylor's " Half-hours in the Green Lanes." London : 

 Hardwicke & Bogue. 



Nemo. — Consult Mrs. Lankester's " Wildflowers Worth 

 Notice." It is just the book for you. Masters's " Botany for 

 Beginners " is one that will give you the idea you seek as to 

 structural botany. 



James Whitton. — The zoophytes are very common forms, 

 such as you may name lor yourself if you get Landsborough s 

 " British Zoophytes." No. 1 is Sertularia abietina, No. 2 

 Sertularia operculut i, and No. 3 Sertularia falcata. 



Query. — The specimens sent are: — 1. Curex paludosa, 2. 

 C. teretiuseula, var. genuina. 



W. L. W. E.— The egg is that of the Missel Thrush (Turdus 

 viscivora). 



R. O. M. — The plants sent are : — No. 1. Vulerianella oli- 

 toria, or Common Lamb's Lettuce ; 2. Erndium ctcutarium, 

 or Stork's-bill ; 3. Asperula odorata, or Common Woodruff ; 

 4. Iris faetidissima, or Stinking Iris; and 5. Druba verna (in 

 flower). 



G. K. Redgrave. — The specimen of wallflower sent is very 

 singular, and «e don't remember having noticed such a kind 

 of malformation before. It is due to the suppression of the 

 petals in Borne of the flowers, and a partial suppression of the 

 sepals in others. Some of the sepals have evidently been 

 converted into leaves (phyllody). 



Fritii.laria Meleagris.— This plant occurs abundantly 

 on the Kennet. above Reading, the white variety being there 

 almost as common as the red. It was found sparingly on the 

 Mole by the Epsom College Natural History Society some 

 years ago. It is abundant in the "Lammas Meads;" at 

 Oaksey, near Cirencester. Gloucestershire, on the Swill 

 Brook, another tributary of the Thames ; but here the white 

 form is less abundant.— G. S. Buulger. 



Leucojum ^estivum. — H. E. Wilkinson will find the habi- 

 tat of Leucojum <e*tivum described in the Pliytologist for 

 October, I860.— T. W. 



A. C. — Your insect is the male of the common Cuckoo-bee 

 {Melecta urmuta). It is parasitic on that stout black bee 

 which looks like a small bumble-bee, with reddish-yellow 

 hind legs, and is commonly found at the red nettle during 

 April and May. The female stings sharply. — J. B. B. 



R. R. R. (Birmingham).— From the tiny fragment you 

 inclose, it is difficult to decide with any degree of certainty ; 

 still we believe you will find the supposed willow to be the 

 Balsam Poplar (Pnpulus bahan.ifera), a tree which answers 

 to your accurate description, and which yields a rich balsamic 

 perfume, especially in the evening. It is also most conspicu- 

 ous when the buds are expanding. 



J. W. B. (Liverpool).— Your zoophytes are a9 follows: — 

 No. 1 , Sertularia lendiyera ; No. 2, Plumuluria cristuta ; No. 3, 

 Sertiduria pumdu ; No. 4, Sertularia abietina; Nos. 5 and 8, 

 Sertularia argentea ; No. 6, Plumuluria falcata ; No. 7, Plu- 

 mtil 'aria falcata covered with Membranipora pilosa . 



Tub Microscope —By an oversight, in our notice of Mr. 

 Phin's excellent little work, published in America, on the 

 Microscope, we spoke of it as " Half-hours with the Micro- 

 scope." This title belongs to the book written by the late 

 Dr. Lankestet. and the last edition of which had an extra 

 chapter on " Polarization," by Mr. F. Kitton, of Norwich. 

 We are sorry we gave a wrong title to Mr. Phin's book, as it 

 made it appear as if he were using Dr Lankester's, when 

 >uch was not the case. The full title of Mr Plan's work was 

 " Practical Hints on the Use of the Microscope." We gladly 

 make this voluntary confession because Mr. Phin's little 

 manual is too good to be supposed to sail under false 

 colours. 



F. H. C. — Your moss is Aid acomnium andrugynum (young). 



B. C. L. — You had best apply to John Tym, Castleton , 

 Derbyshire, who has long studied the geology and mineralogy 

 of the district, and has an excellent museum, where nearly 

 all the catalogued fossils may be obtained. 



M. W. — 'i our specimens are, — 1 and 10, Weissia verticillata ; 

 2, Grimmia trichophylla ; 3, Hyp. molluscum, var. croceum f 

 4, Fissidens adiantoides ; 5, Bryum pseudotriquetrum ; 6, 

 Hyp. molluscum; 7. Hyp. cupresziforme, var. ericetorum ; 

 8, Campylopus polytrichoides ; 9. Trichostomum mutabile. 



M.S. — Your mosses are :— I, Tortula unguiculata ; 2 and 

 4, Funaria hygrometrica ; 5, Tortula? 1<b vipila ; 3, Hyp. 

 rutabulum ; 6, Bryum carneum ; 7. Bryum alpinum ; 8, 

 Hyp. serpens; 10, Aulucomnium androgynum ; 11, Hyp. 

 sylvaticum ; 12, Campylopus flexuosus. — R. B. 



EXCHANGES. 



Duplicates — Machaon and Carpini, discrata, Versicolor, 

 Quercifolia, Fagi, Dispar, Ocellatus, Porcellus, Elpenor, and 

 many others. — H. Wiglesworth, Chilton Lodge, Rotherham. 



Wanted, Stone Implements of Europe, in exchange for 

 similar specimens of America. — Address, A. F. Berlin, Read- 

 ing, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. 



Eggs of Kingfisher, Water-rail, Starline:, Moor-fowl, Corn- 

 crake, and others. Lists exchanged. What offers? — W.J. 

 Houston, Cullybackey, co. Antrim, Ireland. 



Muscari racemonum and other Cambridgeshire Plants 

 offered for Rare Plants of other counties.— H. L. J., Caius 

 College, Cambridge. 



For Slide of Arborescent Silver send a Well-mounted 

 Object to W. A. Hyslop, 22, Palmerston-place, Edinburgh. 



Silene italica, Pers., for any of the following Nos. Lon. 

 Cat. :— 106, 293, 349. 389, 457, 472, 623, 710, 9/1, 1,035, 1,089, 

 1,121, 1,247, 1,312, 1,484, 1,632.— A. B., 107, High-street, 

 Croydon. 



I have Larva: of Fascelline for exchange, and am open to 

 offers.— 20, Bedford- street, Unthanks-road, Norwich. 



Conchology. — Zonites radiatulus, var. viridiscentia-alba, 

 for Limncea stagnalis, var. albida, or good Vertigos. — Lister 

 Peace, Hebble-terrace, Bradford-road, Huildersfield. 



A first-class No. 2 Eye-piece in exchange for a good 

 Section-cutter, or a firm double or triple Object-glass Nose- 

 piece, or equivalent in Good Objects. — H.G., 45, St. George's- 

 road, Peckham. 



Mosses. — .inomodon viticulosum, Bartramia ithyphylla 

 (both in fruit), &c, are offered in exchange for any Rare 

 Moss, by E. J., 24, Queen street, Ulverston, Lancashire. 



For specimens of Puccinia Smyrnii on " Alexanders," 

 send stamped envelope to J. H. A. Jenner, 4, East-street, 

 Lewes. No exchange required, but, other Micro-fungi accept- 

 able. 



BOOKS, &C, RECEIVED. 



" Lankester's Practical Physiology." Sixth Edition. Lon- 

 don : Hardwicke & Bogue. 



" Food Chart." By R. Locke Johnston. London : Hard- 

 wicke & Bogue. 



"Monthly Microscopical Journal. '' May. 



" Ben Brierley's Journal." May. 



" Land and Water." May. 



"Journal of Applied Science." May. 



" Potter's American Journal." April. 



"American Naturalist." April. 



"Canadian Entomologist." April. 



"The Laboratory." April. 



" Boston Journal of Chemistry." April. 



"Chambers's Journal." May. 



"Journal of Wesc Riding Consolidated Naturalists' So- 

 ciety." 



" The Argonaut." May. 



Communications up to 8th ui.t. Rbceived feom : — F. K. 

 — J. N.-E. E— W. H. P.-H. G. G.— J. L. C— A. G. W.— 

 J. R. S. C— F. A A.— H. L— W. K. B.— T. E.-J. J. R.— 

 G. C. D — C. W.- W. V. A.— A. H. B.— C. F.— S. H— R. G.— 

 A. D.— J. H. G.— T. S. C.-R. N. V.— T. P.-R. M. D. P.— 

 S. M. P.- A. J. A.-W. J. -J. E. S.-C. D.— L. P.— J. C— 

 H. T.— T. L. B.— R. S. T— T. B.— H. E. P.— T. E.— J. H. B. 

 _j. p _w. G. P.— E. L.— J. B.— P. F.— H. G. G.— S. W. U. 



— W. H. N.— A. F. B— E. S.— M. B. A.-J. G. H.— G. W., 

 jun.— F. J. A.-M. S.— F. H. C.-R. J. 8.— H. M. J. U. - 

 J. B.— H. L.— H. W. H. J. T.-R. R. R.-Dr. E. T. N.— 

 W. A. H.-T. W.— C. W.— J. R. R.-H. L. J.— C. W. W.— 

 E. E.-A. C— S. J. B.— G. C. D.— A. J.J. B.— W. J. H.— 

 I. L. B.— W. T. E.— R. G.-T. B. W— Dr. C. C. A.-J. H. B. 



— R. N. V.— W. G. P.— J. W. B.— F. J. A— F. B.— T. G. B - 

 J. 15- R. C— F. H. A.— J. H. A. J.-G. S. B.— E. D. M — 

 A. E.-G. S — E J.— A C— H. G.— A. E. O.— M. W.— L. P. 



— H. L.— A. B— W. L. W. E.-J. P. S.— A. H. S.-R. R. K. 

 —J. R. R.— F. H. C— Dr, T. O. W.-Dr. E. T. N.— W. T. r,. 

 &c. &c. 



