HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



185 



searches relating to zoology and botany, and amongst 

 these will be found some very interesting articles. 

 Nearly 130 separate subjects are here dealt with, as 

 well as a large section appropriated to microscopic 

 apparatus. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Pine Marten in Northumberland.— Mr. \V. 

 Yellowby writes to "Land and Water," stating that 

 a fine specimen of this rare British mammal has 

 been caught at Chirton. A few still linger in the 

 wilder parts of Cumberland and Northumberland. 



Distribution of Acme lineata v. alba, Jeffr. 

 — Mr. Rimmer in "The Land and Freshwater Shells 

 of the British Isles," gives the latest account of the 

 distribution of this form, from which it appears to 

 have been noticed only in Ireland at Ballinahinch, 

 co. Galway (Jeffreys), and Killarney (Barlee). In 

 England the only locality cited is the " rejectamenta 

 of the River Avon at Bristol" (Jeffreys). It has 

 however been found near Folkestone, Kent, by 

 Mr. Fitzgerald, whose zeal and success in scientific 

 research are so well known ; and recently Mr. W. 

 West, of Bradford, Yorks, an enthusiastic cryptogamic 

 botanist and conchologist, has detected it at Helks 

 Wood, near Ingleton. Its range is thus widely 

 extended, but further records are very desirable. — 

 J. W. T. 



Monograph of the Land and Freshwater 

 Mollusca of the British Fauna. — Mr. J. W. 

 Taylor, the editor of the "Journal of Conchology," 

 is accumulating materials for a work with the above 

 title. He desires to enlist the assistance of all 

 persons interested in the exhaustive study of the 

 species and varieties of British mollusca, and with 

 this object has issued a short announcement detailing 

 the chief features of the proposed work, and advising 

 those willing to help in what their aid is required, 

 and how it may be most serviceable. It is intended 

 to devote special attention to the following points : — 

 Variation ; Distribution, local, general, and exotic ; 

 Biological aspect, under which head embryological 

 development will be treated ; Relation to environ- 

 ment, including habits, parasites, popular super- 

 stitions, vernacular names, &c. &c. Communications 

 of all kinds, specimens, &c. should be forwarded to 

 the care of Mr. J. W. Taylor, office of "Journal of 

 Conchology," Leeds. 



Natural History Societies. — We are glad to 

 see from the " Transactions of the Yorkshire Natura- 

 lists' Union," that the important work of cataloguing 

 the fauna and flora of Yorkshire is still being carried 

 on. The different branches are worked by local 

 specialists : Conchology, by Messrs. William Nelson 

 and John W. Taylor ; Hymenoptera, by S. D. 



Baristow, F.L.S., W. Denison Roebuck, and Thomas 

 Wilson ; Lepidoptera, by G. T. Porritt, F.L.S. ; 

 Botany, William West and F. Arnold Lees, F.L.S. 

 The " Report and Transactions of the Penzance 

 Natural History and Antiquarian Society for 1882- 

 83," is somewhat bulky, denoting an active year. The 

 Vice-President, Mr. John Ralfs, M.R.C.S., contri- 

 butes a paper on " The Lichens of West Cornwall ; " 

 J. Bernard Magor, some notes on "Two of the 

 Common Brittle-Stars ; " Mr. E. D. Marquand, on 

 "The Aculeate Hymenoptera of the Land's End 

 District;" Mr. John Ralfs, M.R.C.S., " Additions 

 to the Fungi of West Cornwall ; " Mr. S. Tait, " Wild 

 Flowers at the End of the Year j" Edwin P. Mar- 

 quand, "The Lepidoptera of West Cornwall;" Mr. 

 J.Bernard Magor, "Teeth of Fishes;" Ernest D 

 Marquand, "Desmids and Diatoms of West Corn- 

 wall." Two papers on "Sussex Folk-lore and 

 Customs," connected with the seasons and local 

 superstitions, by Mr. Frederick Ernest Sawyer, 

 F.M.S., from the Sussex Archaeological Collection, 

 are very interesting. The third Annual Report of 

 the Hampstead Naturalists' Club contains the address 

 of the President (Mr. William Boulting, L.R.C.P. 

 Lond.). It consists of a very clever summary of 

 " Organic Evolution." 



Land and Freshwater Shells near Middles- 

 borough. — Your correspondent, Mr. Baker Hudson, 

 gives a list of land and freshwater shells taken 

 during last year within twelve miles of Middles- 

 borough. I can add to them the following species 

 taken by myself : Vertigo substriata, \ V. pttsilla, 

 Zonites radiatulus, Cochlicopa tridens, Limnaa palus- 

 tris, Physa fontinalis, Bulimies obscurus, Vertigo 

 edentula. Also the rare reversed variety of Helix 

 aspersa. — Wm. C. Hey. 



New Variety of Neritina fluviatilis 

 (Cerina, Cold.). — Last May, I took in the Avon and 

 Bath Canal, near Timpley, Stoke, the " var. cerina" 

 of Neritina fluviatilis, which Mr. Taylor, the editor 

 of the " Quarterly Conchological Journal," has 

 kindly noticed in his last journal as being a new 

 variety for England, although it has long been found 

 on the Continent. I have specimens from Italy and 

 Dalmatia, but the specimens from the Avon Canal 

 are smaller, although of quite as brilliant a yellow 

 colour. I have taken several Helix aspersa near 

 Bristol, with the bright pink lip Mr. W. Cundal 

 describes. I think they are a beautiful hybrid 

 between the type shell and the var. exalbida. They 

 are a rare form. — F. M. Hele, Bristol. 



Provincial Societies, &c. — The June number of 

 the "Transactions of the Hertfordshire Natural His- 

 tory Society" contains capital papers on "The Agri- 

 cultural Geology of Hertfordshire," by J. Vincent 

 Elsden, illustrated by two geological maps of the 

 country; "The Importance of Minute Things of 



