NORTHERN NEWS. 
‘If a fly should get in your eye, keep your eye tightly closed for ¢wo o7 
three minutes’ :—the prize ‘ Country-side hint’ recently ! 
More damages! Mr. E. E. Austen describes ‘A rare British Fungus- 
midge, re-discovered in London,’ in the ‘ Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine’ 
for August. 
In answer to an advertisement for a well-known geological memoir, a 
leading London bookseller sends us a quotation for ‘The Yorkshire Liars, 
Tate & Blake.’ 
At the Arncliffe meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union the geological 
members were invited to examine a fine ‘fossil trout,’ which was so well 
preserved that even the spots were clearly shown. It proved to be a cast 
of a Stigmaria / 
We must congratulate our Bradford scientific friends on their method of 
popularising their journal by the insertion of short scientific notes of a 
humorous nature. Ina recent issue we learn that ‘Gold has been discovered 
on the shores of Loch Fyne (where the herrings come from)’ ! 
Mr. John Maclauchlan, the President of the Museums Association, thinks 
that had there been museums in Elizabeth’s time, the greatest of all the 
poets would have written, ‘ All the world’s a museum, and all the men and 
women merely specimens, who, in their time, play many parts.’ 
We quite agree with a recent writer, in referring to the courtship of 
grasshoppers, that ‘one’s fancy must stretch a good deal from the human 
point of view to realise that the suitor whispers his soft nothings with the 
back of his wings, and his sweetheart listens with her front legs.’ 
Early in August the local press recorded a ‘pest of jelly fish’ on the 
Yorkshire coast. ‘Some of the pink variety were of immense bulk, 
measuring over three feet across, and from six to nine inches in thickness. 
The blue-tinted fish were also very numerous.’ Salmon nets were quickly 
filled with them, and incautious bathers were severely stung. 
We learn from a certain source, which can probably be guessed, that 
‘Insects have no conscious feeling of pain. Their knots of nerves are 
distributed down their body, and there is no central brain to enable the 
insect fo regard itself as an individual, and realise that it suffers.’ The 
information is so decisive that we presume the writer has had the informa- 
tion supplied direct by some ‘insect.’ Or was it the lyre-bird, which, by 
the way, is suggested as a badge for a certain natural history (szc) paper. 
In connection with the recent meeting of Yorkshire Naturalists in 
Littondale, Mr. W. Morrison supplied the members with some interesting 
local information. The devil, locally known as Old Pam, takes the Thresh- 
field Grammar School for one night in the year, and teaches the little 
Wharfedale devils, who are ‘that clever that they need nobbut yan nicht’s 
schuling i’ the year.’ The devil also gives a supper at Kirkby Malham on 
a tombstone in the churchyard at midnight. As the dates on which these 
events occurred were not known, the members were not able to take part. 
Mr. Morrison also could not help, nor could he make enquiries, as, he said, 
he did not know the devil's address ! 
The editor of a certain ‘natural history’ newspaper, thinking that ‘many 
may be glad to know’ how he manages to be prepared for most eventualities, 
although, when starting for a walk, he may seem to be armed only witha 
walking stick [!], proceeds to the length of two columns to give his readers 
the necessary information. We have had the patience to peruse his article, 
and learn that he wears a coa¢ with plenty of pockets, in which he puts his 
tobacco pouch, handkerchief, match-boxes, etc. He also carries a knife 
and a piece of string. We wonder if he wears a hat, and if so, what he 
puts init. We wish the army of badge-wearers would see that their chief 
did not run short of matter. Have the 135 who have recently won sixpence 
each in a ‘ what is it’ competition no gratitude ? 
Naturalist, 
