HARD WICKE'S SCIENCE- G OSSIP. 



277 



Esq., was re-elected as hon. secretary ; Mr. C. A, 

 Grimes, as hon. treasurer. The Dover Field Club 

 and Natural History Society was formed in May of 

 last year for the purpose of extending a taste for 

 natural history pursuits in the ueighbourhood by 

 means of excursions during the summer, and evening 

 meetings in the winter months. It numbers forty- 

 two ladies and gentlemen as honorary or ordinary 

 members. Attention has been given during the year 

 to the botany and etymology of the neighbourhood, 

 which has resulted in the addition of several new 

 species to the fauna of the district. Specimens have 

 also been exhibited at the meetings, and papers read 

 on the structure of plants illustrated by drawings 

 and sections for the microscope. Excursions during 

 the summer months were made to St. Margaret's 

 Bay, Alkham, St. Radigund's Abbey, Fredville Park 

 and grounds, Folkestone Warren, and Whitfield, by 

 the Roman way. 



Late Swallows. — On Saturday last, November 

 the fifth, about half-past four in the afternoon, upon 

 going to my window to look at the sky touched with 

 crimson clouds of much beauty of approaching sunset 

 following heavy rain, I was surprised to see three 

 swallows flying across from side to side, only a short 

 distance off ; which, after remaining near for a few 

 minutes, so as to be distinctly recognised against a 

 clear space of sky, gradually flew away towards the 

 south-west. Never before can I remember having 

 seen any in this neighbourhood later than the 

 twentieth of October. — Horace Fearce, F.L.S., Stoiir- 

 ■bridge. 



The Annual Soiree and Exhibition of the 

 Lambeth Field Club will take place at St. 

 Philip's schools, Kennington, on Monday, January 

 2nd, when exhibits of specimens (botanical, ento- 

 mological, &c.), will be heartily welcomed. Notice of 

 -same to be sent to W. G. Masters (at the Old Vestry 

 Hall, Lambeth Road). 



BOTANY. 



Malformation in Daisy. — Late in October I 

 collected a daisy {BcHis perennis) in which four of 

 the bracts of the involucre were converted into true 

 leaves. — J. E. Taylor. 



Abbreviations in Rabenhorst. — In answer to 

 your correspondent's query (p. 258, Nov. 1881) — 

 askins the meaninc: of certain abbreviations in 

 Rabenhorst's " Flora Europxa Algarum," I beg to 

 explain them as follows : — v. v. (= vidi vivam) 

 means that the author had seen and examined a 

 living specimen of the diatom, he was describing ; v. s. 

 ( = vidi siccam) means that he had only seen it in a 

 dry or fossil state ; n. v. (= non vidi) means that he 

 had not seen the diatom either living or dry ; v. ic, 

 v.i. (= vidi iconem) each means that he had seen the 



figure of the diatom he referred to in his description ; 

 a. vt. ( = ab mari) is used by him when leferring to 

 the number of feet the locality indicated was "above 

 the sea level."—// Ramsdcn, M.A., F.L.S. 



Plants in Extinct Volcano. — In Science- 

 Gossip for November, J. F. of Cranswick, Leeds, 

 wishes to know the botanical name of the plant 

 growing in the extinct volcano Haleakala in the ■ 

 Hawaiian group. It is ArgyroxypJiiuin Satidwicens 

 of Sir William Hooker, it belongs to the composite 

 family, and was grown at Kew twenty years ago. — 

 y. Smith, Ex-Curator, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 



Plant Lore. — In your last number, G. N. Wid- 

 combe states that plants of Orchis mascitla are popu- 

 larly known about Western-super-Mare as "stannen- 

 gusses." In the Western Lowlands of Scotland, 

 plants of the same species — and of O. viaculata and 

 latifolia as well — are known as " Baldberries," the 

 accent being put on the second syllable. What the 

 primary meaning or derivation of the word "Bald- 

 berry" may be, I do not know; but I have fre- 

 quently heard it used in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. 

 Perhaps some of your correspondents may be able to 

 throw light on the etymology of the word. — R. T. 



Botanising on the Sussex Downs. — Has it 

 been the good fortune, I wonder, of any of the 

 numerous readers of Science-Gossip to wander 

 at will over the breezy downs in the neighbour- 

 hood of Steyning, plant-hunting? If it has not, 

 the following list may indicate some of the treasures 

 awaiting their first visit ; and if it has, let me 

 hope that the perusal of these jottings will call 

 up not unpleasant reminiscences. Ascending the 

 downs from Steyning, we notice an abundance of 

 Clematis Vitalba, and find Riibus cccsius in the 

 hedgerows. The fields through which we pass yield 

 Cetitaiirea Scabiosa, Sileitc iiijlata, and Scabiosa 

 Columbaria. Etipatoriniii cajiiiabiniim in the hedge - 

 banks appears very seductive to insects. Having 

 reached the downs we are constantly on the qui-vive ; 

 a bit of blue, different in shade from what we have 

 been accustomed to, turns out to be Fhytenma orbiat- 

 lare, and growing near. Cardials acaulis and Carliiia 

 vulgaris. We are too late for perfect specimens of 

 Anthyllis Vulneraria, but gather one or two dilapi- 

 dated heads. Helianthemum viilgare has also done 

 flowering, but there is abundant evidence of its having 

 done so profusely a little earlier. On the top of the 

 downs is a thicket composed to a great extent oi Rubiis 

 Idceus, among which Origanum vitlgare is noticed ; 

 another thicket gave us Epilobium angustifolium, and 

 Spircca Filipendula. Gcntiaiia amarella, though 

 present, was not yet in flower. Reseda Luteola and 

 Echium vulgar e were found, but sparingly. Near to 

 the steep down we gathered Onobrychis sativa, but 

 its being indigenous is doubtfuL The lanes and fields 

 are not the least attractive surroundings of Steyning, 



