82 GLEANINGS. 



some time past at the Bethnal Green Branch. Museum, was intended 

 by Mr. Murray as a type museum for instruction in agricultural districts. 

 Its formation had occupied the gi-eater part of his energies for years past, 

 and his last few days at work were devoted to its completion. He died 

 on the 9th January. 



Thomas Veknon Wollaston. — This well known Entomologist died 

 on the 4th inst., at his residence, Teignmouth. We copy the follo-wiug 

 from Nature : — " To students of British Entomology, Mr. Wollaston is 

 best known by his early papers in the Zoologist and Stainton's Entomolo- 

 gists' Annual and Weekly Intelligencer, and by his revision of Atomaria in 

 Transactions of the Entomological Society, 1877. He published many 

 descriptive and analytical papers, almost exclusively on Coleoptera, in the 

 above-named publications, the Journal of Entomology, and the Entomolo- 

 gists' Montiily Magazine ; hxxt his magnum opus is the well-known ' lusecta 

 Madereusia,' published in 1854, the results of his sojourns in Madeira, to 

 which he iirst went in 1847. The acquisition of fresh material compelled 

 him to write his ' Coleoptera Atlantidum,' an arduous, critical work of 

 nearly 700 pages, followed in 1867 by the ' Coleoptera Hesperidum,' a 

 valuable descriptive account of the species of the Cape Verde Archipelago, 

 visited in 1866. His last contribution to geographical entomology, 

 ' Coleoptera Sanctas-Holense,' 1877, contains a multiplicity of unexpected 

 developments." 



Leicestekshire Floea. — ^Many years ago Mr. T. R. Potter, of 

 Wymeswold, projected a New History of Leicestershire. For this work 

 the late Rev. Andrew Bloxam prepared and supplied to Mr. Potter a 

 copious list of wild plants found in Leicestershire. The history was 

 never issued, and it is unknown what became of Mi'. Bloxam's MS. 

 Was it sold, with other papers, after Mr. Potter's death ? If so, to whom, and 

 who is now the possessor of the papers? Any information on the subject 

 communicated to the Editors of this magazine will be gladly received. 



Aquahia. — It may be interesting to sonae of our readers to know 

 that Mr. W. A. Lloyd, of the Crystal Palace Aquariimi, is not 

 only engaged in preparing the volume to which wo referred on 

 page 54, but is also writing a series of very plain and clear 

 articles (which will probably extend to eight or ten) on the 

 management of Aquaria for the Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, 

 (Ward and Lock.) The first appeared in the number for December last, 

 and the second in the February number. The articles, though written 

 mainly for the use of ladies, are, of course, equally adapted to anyone 

 who may be desirous of understanding the how, why, and wherefore of 

 Aquarium management. 



West London Entojiolooical Society.— At the weekly meeting of 

 this society, on February 8th, Mr. J. Smith exhibited a very extraordinary 

 . variety of L. conigcra, showing all the markings and colour of the upper 

 wing on the left under wing, j^articularly the white central spot, which 

 made it appear as if the under wing had been folded up on the upper one 

 and taken the exact impression. It was taken at the Welsh Harp, near 

 London, 187G, by the exhibitor. 



Phenologic.Uj Obseevations. — The Rev. T. A. Preston read an 

 interesting paper on this subject before the Meteorological Society on 

 December lUth, 1877. He stated that the order of flowering had been 

 the same in 1877 as in 1876. Plants begin to flower hrst in the south- 

 west of I]ugland, and thence in gradation up to the north of Lincolnshire. 

 Damp api)ears to act more powerfully than cold in retarding the flowering 

 of some plants. The year 1877 was an unfavourable one for vegetation 

 generally. The bitter cold of May checked the growth of plants, and by 

 the autumn there was little new wood, and that not properly ripened. 



