264 Notes and Comments. 



of Cumberland, enumerating over three hundred species ; 

 Mr. T. S. Johnstone writes on ' Plant Life around Carlisle ' ; 

 Mr. E. B. Dunlop contributes ' The Natural History of the 

 Peregrine Falcon in the Lake District.' The longest con- 

 tribution is ' The Lepidoptera of Cumberland, Part IL (Moths)', 

 by Mr. G. B. Routledge, and occupies 90 pages. Mr. Hope 

 follows with a detailed description of the ' Ducks and Geese of 

 the Solway,' and 56 pages are occupied by Part IL of Mr. F. H. 

 Fay's ' Coleoptera of Cumberland.' Would that all our pro- 

 vincial societies were as careful with their publications as is the 

 Carlisle society. There is only one improvement that we 

 should like to suggest, and that is that in future the volume 

 should be lettered on the back, so that it can be found when 

 on the shelf. 



GLASGOW GEOLOGISTS. 



The Transactions of the Geological Society of Glasgow* 

 contain a lengthy paper on ' The Carboniferous Limestone Rocks 

 of the Isle of Man,' by Mr. John Smith. From this we learn 

 that during the ten weeks he hammered at the Manx Car- 

 boniferous rocks, he added 377 species and varieties to the 

 Government list, including 2 genera and 30 species new to 

 science. This seems to be an almost incredible performance. 

 He figures and describes three new species, viz. : — Michelinia 

 balladoolensis, Mchmina carbonifera, and Mona monensis. 

 He also figures some 'diseased fossils.' 'The brachiopods 

 (probably from their sedentary habits), were by far the most 

 afflicted, Productus and Orthis having suffered more than others, 

 perhaps from hereditary complaints of the internal organs.' Mr. 

 Smith also refers to the glacial deposits of the island, from which 

 it is apparent he can no more subscribe to the views of Lam- 

 plugh, in reference thereto, than we can to the views of John 

 Smith. There are many illustrations from photographs, in 

 most of which a gentleman, possibly the author, is shown as 

 standing, sitting, crouching, stooping, sleeping, etc. 



CHANGES IN THE LOWER DEE VALLEY. 



In the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, No. 270, 

 Mr. L. J. Wills has a paper on ' Late Glacial and Post-Glacial 

 Changes in the Lower Dee Valley.' In this he concludes that, 

 owing to the obstruction of the peculiarly serpentine course 

 of the whole valley of the Dee, near Llangollen, by ice and 

 glacial deposits, overflow channels across the necks of several 

 loops were initiated. Two of these have become permanent 

 on the retreat of the ice, and are now river-gorges, while the 

 loop!; are left as dry valleys. Near Cefn the river enters a long 

 post-glacial gorge, which extends to beyond Overton Bridge. 



* Vol. XIV., Part II. 



Naturalist, 



