356 



NEWS FROM THE MAGAZINES 



British Birds for October has a well-illustrated paper on the Bearded 

 Tit, by Miss E. L. Turner. 



Knowledge for October contains a magnificent portrait of the late Sir 

 Joseph Dalton Hooker, at the age of ninety-four. 



Mr. J. W. Jackson describes some MoUusca from the Lancashire Coal 

 Measures, in the Geological Magazine for October. 



In British Birds for September there is a record of the Continental 

 Hedge Sparrow having been shot at Spurn in October 191 1. 



The Entomologist for October contains a portrait of Prof. Edward 

 Bagnall Poulton, who was President of the Second International Congress 

 of Entomology at Oxford, 1912. 



A portrait and obituary notice of the late Ludwig Ganglbauer, the 

 well-known writer on Pal c arctic Coleoptera, appears in The Entomologist' s 

 Monthly Magazine for September. 



In the Journal of the Board of Agriculture for September, Mr. F. V. 

 Theobald writes on ' The Aphides on Mangolds and Allied Plants,' and 

 Mr. W. E. CoUinge has an article on ' The Food of Nestling Birds.' 



The Zoologist (No. 854) contains a paper on the Habits and Colouration 

 of the Starling, by Mr. F. J. Stubbs, in which he refers to the fact that in 

 East Lancashire he has never observed the starlings at rest on any animal, 

 whereas this habit is common to the birds in other districts. Mr. J. M. 

 Charlton continues his Northumberland bird notes. 



In the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine Mr. G. T. Porritt describes 

 an all-black form of the Magpie Moth under the name of Abraxas grossul- 

 ariata var. nigra. The following is the description given : — ' All the wings 

 both above and underneath of a very dark blue-black, with the usual black 

 markings of the species showing through of a still more intense black, 

 except that on the hind-wings there are no spots except the marginal 

 series, and these smaller than usual. Head, thorax, and abdomen of the 

 more intense shade of black. The only trace of bright colour consists of 

 a very few dark orange scales just at the junction of the hind wings with 

 the thorax (J.' 



: o : 



Spiderland. By R. A, Ellis. Messrs. Cassell & Co. Price 3/6 net. 



T he value of this book lies in the fact that it fills a distinct want, namely, 

 a popular book on spider life, suitable fcr young people. It is written in an 

 interesting style, and should at least serve to remove many of the common 

 prejudices against spiders. It is rather a pity for English readers that 

 the author did not confine himself to English species, instead of recurring 

 here and theie to > orth American forms. Ihere are many English species 

 whose forms, habits and life histories are quite as interesting as the Ameri- 

 can ; and the value of the book for outdoor observation would have 

 thereby been increased. 'J he illustrations, some coloured, many from the 

 author's own photographs, are all that can be desired. 



House-Flies, and how they Spread Disease. By C. G. Hewett. Cam- 

 bridge I ni versify Frees, i/- net. 



In view of the general interest now being taken in the spread of in- 

 fectious diseases by house-flies and the ' kill that fly ' crusade which is 

 being taken up by the popular press, it is satisfactory to find from the 

 Cambridge I'niversity Press, a popular and sober account of the unques- 

 tionable harm done by these small insects. In the present work it is 

 clearly shown that the animals feed and breed in the vilest of situations, 

 and it is easily demonstrated that this filth is carried to food used in con- 

 sumption, and even to the human subjects direct. Dr. Hewitt's book, 

 which is well illustrated, contains an admirable summary of this important 

 subject. 



Naturalist, 



