HA RD WICKE 'S SCIENCE - G OSSIP. 



like form, the Uvellida, contains the world- famed 

 Globigerina. And another well-known sub-family, 

 the Textilaria, shows a curious conformation of a 

 spiral that produces the appearance of being woven. 

 Then comes the second great family of the Poly- 

 thalamians, the Natitiloidea, that led M. D'Orbigny 

 into the error of classing them with the Nautilus 

 and Ammonite. A reference to specimens showed 

 how far he was justified in this. The first sub- 

 family, the Cristellarida, the second Nonionida, 

 third Peneroplida, and fourth Orbientina, contain 

 well-known genera that, either in outward form or 

 inward structure of cell and segment closely mimic 

 the form of that great class from which more recent 

 investigation has banished them. The remaining 

 two families were then enumerated, and the Orbitn- 

 lita, as being the most interesting belonging to them, 

 was detailed, after which the Rhaboidea, the second 

 great group, or rod-shaped Foraminifera, was ex- 

 plained. This possesses but one family, the Nodosa- 

 rida, whose knot-shaped chambers, arranged one on 

 another, enables everybody at once to identify 

 them. This brought the classification to an end. 

 Mr. Marriott, in conclusion, passed on to the life 

 history of one of the Foraminifera as typical of the 

 whole of the class. He chose the Globigerina, because 

 round it has centered the most popular and scientific 

 interest and research, and gave the most recent 

 investigations and speculations on the subject. 



A VISIT TO SPONSA'S HEADQUARTERS. 

 By H. C. Dent. 



AFTER' reading the two papers on " Lepidoptera 

 of the New Forest" and "Sport in the New 

 Forest," our hopes were roused, and we arranged to 

 go] to that Elysium in the long vacation. As my 

 brother was not free till the first week in August, I 

 filled up some of the spare time in visiting Darenth 

 Wood, Box Hill, and Epping, in successful quest of 

 the spring species ; and at the end of June went for 

 three weeks to Switzerland, and visited its glaciers, 

 snow-peaks, and insect hunting-grounds. Here I 

 must wander, and give a few localities for those who 

 propose a trip to that glorious country next season. 

 The upper end of the Lauterbrunnen valley, near 

 Trachsellauenen (very good little inn) is a splendid 

 place. Here, while revelling in the sight of the 

 Jungfrau, Monch, and many other superb peaks, you 

 may take Machaon, Arion, Hyale, Cratcegi, Globu- 

 larics, Trifolii, Lonicenc, Grammica, two kinds of 

 large copper, and many foreign species of blues and 

 fritillaries ; on the Chaumont near Neuchatel, Apollo 

 and Podalirius abound (also the most atrocious and 

 pertinacious Diptera) ; at Grinclelwald I captured 

 four superb Machaons at one fell swoop ; the Nicolai 

 Thai — and in fact the Zermatt district generally — 

 with the vineyards above Saxon (Rhone Valley) well 



repay a visit ; while at Gryon, near Bex, Dia and 

 other rare fritillaries abound ; besides Sinapis, Hero, 

 the Zygenida:, Szc. 



To return. We arrived at Brockenhurst on August 

 8th, and put up at the "Rose and Crown" (pro- 

 prietor, James Ings), where we had, a week previously, 

 ordered beds. Nothing could be more cheerful than 

 our rooms, and during our whole stay we were most 

 comfortable, while the charges were reasonable. Affer 

 a good lunch, we sallied forth for a couple of hours, 

 and — considering that the weather was bad — obtained 

 a very fair "bag." In the evening, however, we 

 were not so fortunate, as we only took one Promissa 

 and a few Pyramided ; although the weather was 

 suitable, rarities would not appear. 



The next morning we went through the Forest to 

 Lyndhurst, on the right side of the road for about 

 halfway, and then on the left. We saw innumerable . 

 Paphia — all more or less rubbed — two Sibylla, and 

 ' ' buttered " a female Iris ! This splendid lady was 

 sipping the nectar from a bramble blossom, when 

 down came the net over her, but, alas ! her imperial 

 majesty quietly glided downwards through the thorns, 

 evading the death-dealing gauze, and soared triumph- 

 antly to the top of a neighbouring oak. This 

 damped our spirits, but they soon rose when we 

 captured two Argiolus and a pair of Qiiercus. The 

 latter we found very abundant at the tops of young 

 oaks ; so at length we devised a plan for their 

 capture, and having cut down a straight birch 

 " stick" of about 15 ft. long, and fixed a net at the 

 top ; after two days' practice we succeeded in taking 

 eighty specimens in less than a couple of hours ; the 

 abominable Forest flies tormenting us all the time 

 above measure. We saw daily a few Iris besporting 

 themselves above and around the high oaks, but they 

 were inaccessible. 



From August 8th to 10th, the weather was unpro- 

 pitious ; as clouds, wind, and rain are not compatible 

 with fly-catching. However, as we liked the sylvan 

 beauties of the places we had visited, and as we feared 

 "to go farther and fare worse," our daily plan was 

 to start from the "Rose and Crown" about nine, go 

 through the Forest to Lyndhurst (about three miles 

 direct), where we arrived about one. Then after 

 lunching at the "Crown and Stirrup " (three minutes 

 from forest, proprietor Charles Pack, who lets apart- 

 ments), we returned through the Forest, arranged our 

 captures, dined, and set off for sugaring. 



At length we were told of a place where Sponsa 

 was said to abound. "Some gentlemen 'uv took 

 fourty a noight this season," said our informant. 

 Thither we determined to go, and the following 

 evening (August 13th) we started, equipped with 

 bags full of empty pill-boxes, chloroform and cyanide 

 bottles, and corked boxes well stocked with No. 6 pins. 

 We arranged to sugar 150 trees, and keep on visiting 

 them till we were tired. We had sugared over 100 

 when an individual approached armed with a net, a 



