HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



21 1 



and gave me two specimens of the shells. I send 

 this note because of the remark on page 173 of the 

 August number concerning this species. I intend 

 sending the list to Mr. Taylor at Leeds. — Henry 

 Ullyctt, Folkestone. 



Colours of Birds' Feathers. — Miss Lewis has 

 recently read communications before the Philadelphia 

 Academy of Natural .Sciences showing that the 

 lustrous parts of the feathers of birds are composed 

 of angular cells, whilst the duller feathers are formed 

 of globular cells. She thinks the cell characters 

 might be utilised in the classification of birds. 



"Half Holiday Handbooks." (London: 

 T. Fisher Unwin.) — This is a new little volume of 

 the series which the publisher has so well placed 

 before the world. It deals with the district of 

 Wimbledon, Putney, and Barnes, and is accompanied 

 by a map and bicycle route. It is a pleasant chat 

 about the topography, history, &c, of the district, 

 but it concerns the naturalist most in giving abundant 

 details concerning the botany, entomology, and 

 general zoology of the various localities. The illus- 

 trations are of a high character, and the book is 

 cheaply puL lished at ninepence. 



The British Association Meeting at 

 Southport. — This year's meeting, which com- 

 mences on the 19th of September next, promises to 

 be of an unusually interesting character. The South- 

 port people are using every effort to make the 

 gathering successful. The President is Professor 

 Cayley, of Cambridge, and the Presidents of the 

 various sections are as follows : Mathematical and 

 Physical Science, Professor Henrici ; Chemistry, 

 Dr. J. H. Gladstone ; Geology, Professor W. C. 

 Williamson : Biology, Professor E. Ray Lankester ; 

 Anthropology, Mr. W. Pengelly ; Geography, Colonel 

 Godwin Austen ; Economic Science, Mr. R. H. Inglis 

 Palgrave ; Afcchanical Science, Mr. J. II. Brunlees. 

 The two evening discourses will be as follows : on 

 Sept. 21st, " Recent Researches on the distance of 

 the Sun," by Professor Ball, Astronomer-Royal for 

 Ireland; and on Sept. 24th, on " Galvani, and 

 Animal Electricity," by Professor McKendrick of 

 Glasgow. Sir F. W. Bramwell will also give a dis- 

 course to working men. The conversazioni are 

 expected to be of an unusually attractive character, 

 and will be held in the celebrated Winter Gardens. 

 Numerous excursions have been arranged, many of 

 them to view the great manufactories of the neigh- 

 bouring district, such, as that of Messrs Piatt Bros. 

 & Co. at Oldham, the Coal and Iron Company's pits 

 at Wigan, &c. A geological excursion will be made 

 to Clitheroe and the Victoria caves (where the remains 

 of early man have been met with). Others will visit 

 Furness Abbey and the Lake District. The Honorary 

 Local Secretaries are Messrs. J. H. Ellis, H. H. 

 Vernon, and T. W. Willis. 



Provincial Societies. — Part iv. of Vol. iii. of 

 the "Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich 

 Naturalists' Society" for 1882-83 contains the ad- 

 dress of the President (Mr. H. D. Geldart) ; a most 

 instructive paper on "The Scenery of Norfolk," by 

 Mr. II. B. Woodward; others on "The Dusky 

 Petrel," by Mr. H. Stevenson ; "Seals and the Seal 

 Fishery," "The Herring Fishery of 1882," &c, by 

 Mr. Thomas Southwell ; " Ornithological Notes," by 

 Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., and Mr- H. Stevenson ; 

 "The Bearded Tit," by Mr. J. Young: "The 

 Springs and Spas of Norfolk," by Mr. H. B. Wood 

 ward ; and part x. of " Fauna and Flora of Nor- 

 folk : Marine Algae," by Mr. H. D. Geldart. Some 

 miscellaneous notes, &c, form the conclusion of an 

 unusually good number. 



The Liverpool Naturalists' Field Club has 

 also issued its Proceedings for the year 1SS2-83, 

 containing, besides digests of papers, excursions, &c, 

 an interesting address by the President, entitled, 

 "Notes on Grangeover Sands, by an invalid Field 

 Naturalist," illustrated by a faithful representation of 

 Humphrey Head in North Lancashire. An impor- 

 tant list of the most interesting of the plants collected 

 during the excursions is given at the end. 



The Bristol Naturalists' Society has issued 

 Part i. of its Annual Report and Proceedings for 

 1S82-83. The latter contains papers on "The 

 Density of Rocks with regard to Water Supply," by 

 E. Wethered, F.G.S. ; "Rainfall at Clifton," by 

 Dr. G. F. Burder ; "Temperature Observations 

 taken at Clifton," by H. B. Jupp, M.A. ; "The 

 First Telephone," by Professor Silvanus Thompson. 

 Part vi. of the "Fungi of the Bristol District" 

 (illustrated), by Cedric Bucknall ; besides notes on 

 some new electrical apparatus by Mr. Worthington, 

 and on a local colony of alien plants by Mr. White. 

 We find also included part iii. of " Flora of the 

 Bristol Coal-field," edited by Mr. James W. White. 



"The Butterflies of Europe." By Dr. H. 

 C. Lang. (London: L. Reeve & Co.) Part xiv. of 

 this beautifully illustrated work is just out. containing 

 descriptions of the genera Argynnis, Limenitis, 

 Neptis, Vanessa, Thaleropis, Melibcea, &c. The 

 illustrations are of the usual exquisite character, and 

 are devoted chiefly to the caterpillars and chrysalids 

 as well as the food plants on which the larva; feed. 



Abnormal Growth of Limb of Cancer 

 pagurus. — I have recently received a curious 

 abnormal development of the right, fifth walking 

 foot or ambulatory appendage of the common edible 

 crab, Cancer pagurus. The terminal joint in this 

 remarkable specimen consists of three perfect joints, 

 soldered together at the base and therefore working 

 on one "hinge," like the rest of the terminal claws 

 of the animal. It would be interesting to know if 

 this form obtained at the time of its change from the 



