Notes and Comments. 275 



the young Thrushes rarely took part in this work) of the 

 Ribes species of our kitchen gardens. The Gooseberry was 

 -everywhere, in woods and hedges alike, in endless forms of 

 varieties. The Red Currants came next in frequency, but the 

 Yellow I did not see for very many years. Their colour did 

 not then attract the attacks of birds. At that time, I still 

 believe, they thought Yellow Currants were unripe red ones ; 

 but they have become better educated in the last fifty years. 

 The Black Currants were then, and are still, much rarer ; but 

 all these, with the Raspberry added, were not uncommon on 

 the Pollard Willows round about my home. Though I was 

 only a child of ten at the time, under the influence of Gilbert 

 White's "Selborne" and Charles Darwin's works, what I had 

 discovered set me thinking and observing still further.' 



A GLOBULAR SPRINGTAIL. 



In The Vasculum for June, Mr. R. S. Bagnall deals with 



some of the neglected orders, viz., Primitive-tails, Bristle-tails 

 and Spring-tails. Mr. Bagnall has added to our knowledge of 

 the less-known orders very considerably, and his records are 

 always reliable. The specimen figured herewith is reproduced 

 from the paper cited, and shows a globular Springtail, Sphvro- 

 theca lubbocki Tullb. (Sminthuridce). Size, 1-3 mm. 



BIRMINGHAM NATURALISTS. 



We have received Part 1 of Vol. XIV. of The Proceedings of 

 the Birmingham Natural History and Philosophical Society 

 (56 pp., 3s.), edited by Prof. W. S. Boulton, and we are glad to 

 see that this society keeps up the excellent character of its 

 publication. There are some illustrated natural history notes 

 contributed by various members ; Mr. L. J. Wills has a well 

 illustrated article on ' The Structure of the Lower Jaw of 

 Jurassic Labyrinthodonts ' ; Prof. E. W. Carlier writes on 

 the ' Post Pericardial Body of Skate ' ; the Editor describes 

 an Esker at Kingswinford ; Messrs. J. L. Haughton and D. 



1917 Sept. 1. 



