66 



HA RD WICKE'S SCIENCE- G OS SIP. 



A woman of fashion recently ordered a dress to be 

 trimmed with canaries ! 



During one week in January many thousands 

 of larks were snared on Royston Heath, and no less 

 than 8 cwt. sent to the London market from Royston 

 Station within a few days. 



On the nth ult, Dr. J. E. Taylor, editor of 

 Science-Gossip, lectured at the Chelmsford Museum 

 on "The Natural History of Dust"; and on the 

 15th, before the Hitchin Scientific Society, on 

 " Carnivorous Plants." 



The "Journal of Anatomy and Physiology " has 

 a very able paper by Dr. Alexander M. M'Aldowie, 

 on " The Development and the Decay of the 

 Pigment Layer on Birds' Eggs." 



The " Journal of Microscopy and Natural 

 Science " for January contains, besides the Presi- 

 dent's address, papers on "The Mouth-organs and 

 other characteristics of the British ground predaceous 

 Beetles," " Freshwater Alga?," "The Microscope, 

 and how to use it" ; besides "Half-hours with Mr. 

 Tuffen West," "Notes from the Postal Society's 

 books," etc. The lithographical illustrations are all 

 excellent. 



The " Scientific Enquirer," No. I of which ap- 

 peared in February, is another proof of the large 

 and increasing interest taken in natural history litera- 

 ture. It is edited by Mr. Alfred Allen, and professes 

 to be a monthly medium for the supply of information 

 on all scientific subjects. Consequently there can be 

 no complaint as to the narrowness of the field in- 

 tended to be cultivated ! 



Mr. E. T. Draper, whose charming micro- 

 scopical illustrations will not soon be forgotten by 

 readers of Science-Gossip, is continuing the papers 

 from the 1st of March, price one shilling, but con- 

 taining two plates drawn from nature, with descrip- 

 tive text. They will be published by the author 

 at 11 Palace Road, Middle Lane, Crouch End, 

 London, N. 



The Annual Report of the Hemel Hempsted 

 Natural History Society for 1885 is to hand, con- 

 taining papers on "Blue Mould," by Mr. W. G. 

 Smith; " Characese of the Midlands," by Mr. John 

 Saunders ; a catalogue of the British plants in the 

 Society's Museum, etc. etc. 



The Annual Report of the Huddersfield Natura- 

 lists' Society for 1SS5 (established in 1847) shows 

 an active and vital state of things. The disposition 

 of officers in this society is admirable, and might be 

 copied with advantage by others. Thus, in addition 

 to the usual list, it has a curator, librarian, seven 

 members who form a sub-committee for a botanic 

 garden, and three who act as recorders in botany, 

 fungology, and entomology. 



An unpretending but useful little journal is the 

 "Natural History Teacher," conducted by Mr. S. L. 

 Mosley, the lecturer on natural history in the 

 Huddersfield Board Schools. Every one knows what 

 a hold natural history has on the working classes 

 of the north, in some form or another, and Mr. 

 Mosley is doing good work by giving it a scientific 

 direction among the young. 



"Changes in Land and Sea" is the title of a 

 capital article in the "Hull Quarterly" by Mr. 

 C. S. Whiting. It gives an account of the marine 

 denudations which are going on along the eastern 

 coast. 



In the Transactions of the Seismological Society 

 of Japan, there is an elaborate paper of eighty-two 

 pages, by Professor Milne, giving the details of his 

 admirable series of experiments and observations on 

 earthquakes. 



The last number of the " Proceedings of the 

 Folkestone Natural History Society" contains the 

 papers read. Among them is one on "Develop- 

 ment," on which there is a capital and good- 

 tempered discussion reported. 



The Sidcup Literary and Scientific Society publish 

 their Annual Report, in which there are some ex- 

 cellent papers on "Varieties of Life," "Colour," 

 "The use of the Microscope in Geology," "The 

 Dispersal of Seeds," " Detection by the Microscope 

 of Adulteration in Food," "The Bexley Deneholes," 

 etc. 



MICROSCOPY. 



Colossal Amcsba. — Observing that Mr. Brayley's 

 query, as to a colossal Amoeba which he found, 

 remains unanswered, I would advise him to consult 

 Prantl and Vine's " Botany," where I think he will 

 find a similar organism described as the compound 

 Plasmodium of one of the Myxomycetes. Saville 

 Kent also describes this form : vide ' ' Manual of the 

 Infusoria," pp. 41 and 42. — E. C. Bousfield, L.R.C.P. 



Zinc Cement. — I have been using white zinc cement 

 lately for finishing off slides, but somehow it doesn't 

 harden properly or become white, as it should do. 

 Would some reader kindly give me a hint on the 

 subject?— IV. M. Ratisoji. 



The late Mr. J. B. Jeaffreson. — We record 

 with the deepest regret the death, on January 12th, 

 of Mr. J. B. Jeaffreson, M.R.C.S. He came of a 

 family distinguished for many generations in the 

 medical profession, having worthily followed his 

 father and grandfather in Islington, and he will be 

 succeeded by his eldest son, who is on the eve of 

 completing his studies. Mr. Jeaffreson had been for 

 many years one of the most active members of the 



