22 CURKESPONDENCE. 



Note on a CuRiors Beetle. — Presuming that the occurrence of 

 the loss common species of insects in our Midland district vaU be a 

 matter of interest to the readers of the " Naturalist," I send the following 

 note : — On the I'ith of September, 1B73, a young friend of mine brought 

 to me fi-om the newly-opened Clifton Colliery, near Nottingham, some 

 specimens of a remarkable beetle. Its entire length, body and head, 

 was J of an inch ; its prevailing colour an iron gray, with lighter putches 

 on the thighs and tarsi, and lighter strokes between the segments on the 

 under side of the alxhmien. i3nt the most striking feature about the 

 beetle was its anteunfe. These were 3.| inches long, composed of ten 

 joints, the one nearest the head being much thickened. How this little 

 creature manages to fly through the woods without breaking such long 

 and slender organs is a puzzle. They are longest in the nuilos ; and as 

 the males, so 1 am told, frequently light, the antennie do got broken. 

 Several specimens were brought to me in this state. The beetle in 

 question I made out to be Asli)toi)mn ipdili-t. Some authorities call it 

 Acanthocinus. It appears to occur at Bannock, in Pei"thsliire ; and Mr. 

 Rye says that " it may be not uucommonly seen flying across the glades 

 of the Black Forest, with its long appendages streaming behind. It 

 loves to settle on felled pine logs, with its antonuas spread out like 

 compasses, fi-om which habit it is termed by the Highlanders " Timber- 

 man. " There seems to be no doubt that the beetle was imported in the 

 timber needed for tlie colliciy, and travelled from its proper home in the 

 stage of larva or pupa. Waking from its quiescent state, it flew, attracted 

 by the warmth, in great numbers to the tall cliimney of the engine house, 

 where several very flue specimens were secured. For a good figure see 

 Rye's British Beetles, plate xiii. — Edwin Sjhth, Nottingham. 



A Few London Notes, by an Occasional Correspondent. — Now 

 that the season for the woi'k of the learned societies has come, they 

 are as busj- and interesting as usual, and as admission is easily obtained 

 to any or most of them, the subscribers of " The Midland Naturalist" 

 cannot do better, when they are in town, than consult " The Weekly 

 Calendar "of the III ust rated Lomh»i New--:, and, choosing their society, ask 

 a member for an introduction. — A great want in mici-oscopy is likely to 

 be supplied by the " Immersion Paraboloid," exhibited at the Quekett 

 Club, which renders dark ground illuiuination possible with high 

 powers. It is, being " immersion," somewhat more troublesome than the 

 ordinary illuminator, but auswei's admirablj\ — Every one will be glad 

 to hear that Sir Josh. Hooker is looking strong and well after his tour. 

 He visited Colorado and the SieiTa Nevada, with Professor Asa Gray, 

 with the intention of classifying the Conifers on their route. The task 

 is rendered difficult by every tree having as many local or scientific 

 names as branches ; but among other curiosities, he mentioned pne pine 

 which does not shod its seeds or cones, and showed a specimen of another 

 and a piece of juniper, deeply scored and honey-combed in parts, to the 

 depth of thirty annual rings, by sandblast. Considering the trees were 

 grown at an altitude of some thousands of feet, and are so hard that a luiife 

 will not touch them, it can be easily imagined, as is the fact, that 

 hundreds of j^ears have been spent in making the excavations. — Professor 

 Tyiadall's lecture, at the London Institution, was a gi'oat success, the 

 Theatre not being nearly large enough to hold the intending audience. 

 His proofs, in opposition to Dr. Bastian's assertion of spontaneous 

 gonei-ation, seemed unanswerable; but the Doctor is too tough an 

 antagonist to be easily vanquished. In passing, I may remark that if 

 scientific lecturers generally only knew the pleasure it gives an audience 

 to listen to the fluent and animated delivery of Professor Tyndall, as 

 opposed to the sing-song, monotonous read lectures, only too common, 

 they Would cultivate stylo as they do their other gifts, and doubtless as 



