46 Irving: The Boring Habits of the PJiolas. 



Pholas dactylns does not occur at Scarborough. Probably 

 Mr. Hutton refers to Pholas crispata, which is very common, and 

 which, with Pholas Candida, may be found in hght slate-coloured 

 clay both in North Bay, and in Carnelian Bay. Pholas crispata also 

 occupies soft sandstone, and grey limestone, rocks in South Bay. 



Saxicavce bore into the harder limestone rocks, and possibly 

 depend even more on the help of water 'than the pholades do. 

 It is much easier to discover young saxicavce than the young 

 of the pholas, as they are more plentiful, and may be seen at 

 a higher tide level. Invariably they are anchored to stoned 

 by a slight but sufficient byssus, which prevents their being 

 washed out of their crannies. The rock being hard, yields 

 much more slowly than that selected by the pholas, and, as 

 saxicavce bore more or less horizontally, the process of entry 

 from the rock face necessitates a cable to maintain the creature 

 long enough in situ to effect its purpose. 



We regret to hear of the death, which occurred last year, of our con- 

 tributor. Miss Mary L. Armitt, of Rydal Cottage, Amlileside. INIiss 

 Armitt was a true naturalist, as the tone of her communications clearly 

 indicated. One of her latest papers appears in ' The Parents' Rev^iew ' 

 for December last, and is entitled ' Seed-time with the Birds.' At the 

 foot of this paper, the editor, Miss C. M. Mason, gives the following interest- 

 ing note : — ' The " lake country " has been made the poorer by the loss 

 of two accomplished sisters, Sophia (died June 1908), and Mary L. Armitt 

 (died July 191 1), Sophia Armitt, like Solomon, knew plants, from the 

 hyssop that groweth upon the wall to the cedar of Lebanon, was familiar 

 with almost every British plant in its own habitat and with its proper 

 environment. Her sister knew birds, with what sweet intimacy, the above 

 paper will show. 



' The " Parents' Review " has been from time to time enriched by many 

 papers written by the sisters, of perennial \ alue, because they chronicled 

 personal observations. These were published so long ago that they are 

 probably unknown to the present generation of readers, and we pur- 

 pose to reprint next year a series of observations, recorded month by 

 month, by Sophia Armitt. We are glad to take this opportunity of 

 expressing our gratitude to two sisters for whose sake distinguished 

 botanists, birdmen, and archa-ologists sought out " Rydal Cottage" and 

 its charming mistresses, whose stories of varied knowledge and their 

 wide interests were at the disposal of their humblest neighbours. Miss 

 Mary L. Armitt, who probably represents the mind of both sisters, has 

 left a final evidence of the love of knowledge which characterized them, 

 and of their strong sense that no greater benefit than the .spread of know- 

 ledge can be conferred upon a neighbourhood, by a munificent legacy for 

 the founding and endowment of a public library at Ambleside.' 



By her will Miss Armitt left over £5000, and her books, to found and 

 maintain a public library in or near the parish of Ambleside. 



The following is an extract from the will in reference to the matter : — 

 ' The ainr of the bequest is not to furnish a Free Library for the town, but 

 to create a collection of books of scientific, literary, or antiquarian \alue, 



which may be made available to the student and to the book-lover 



This collection might be housed, to start with, in tlie simplest manner .... 

 With the books might be housed such objects of anticjuarian or personal 

 interest as would be secured by gift or purchase, and e\entually a museum 

 might be made that should illustrate the life of Ambleside, through the 

 long past to the present.' 



