IIo Northern News. 
an account of how Mr. Evans was able to trace the development 
of Leptus phalangw to its next or nymphal state. Having 
cast its larval skin and obtained another pair of legs it was 
easily recognised as Ritteria nemorum. The life circle then is 
as follows :—First the mature female, Autteria, lays eggs. 
These eggs hatch and develop into small larve, which become 
parasitic on Phalangium opilio and perhaps also on other species 
of Phalangium. On reaching their full larval development 
they cast their skins, leave their hosts and become nymphs, 
and these ultimately develop into adult mites, Retterta nemorum. 
Of course the same process is passed through by other species, 
but this is so far as I know the only case of a Trombidium 
being fairly traced from one stage to another, although it is 
many years since I traced the development of a parasitic larva 
of the Great Water Beetle to its nymphal stage of Hydrachna, 
but this was a much easier matter as the Beetle could be 
imprisoned in an aquarium until the larva became developed 
into a free swimming mite. 
7O.; 
NORTHERN NEWS. 
Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace was 90 years of age on 8th January. 
According to the Press, a tay has been found in the Washburn Valley. 
A great auk’s egg, said to be ‘ the very finest of its type,’ was sold at 
Stevens’ rooms recently for 220 guineas. 
The Rev. Hilderic Friend has described three new species of worms, 
from Nottinghamshire, to the Royal Microscopical Society. 
“Natural Gas from a Bradford Bore’ has been announced in one of 
the Yorkshire papers. But it has no reference to any public speaker. 
The zoological collections formed by Thomas Pennant in the eighteenth 
century have been presented to the Natural History Museum, South 
Kensington, by Lord Denbigh. 
At a recent meeting of the Royal Society, Dr. T. Rettie read a paper 
on ‘A Gregarine: Steznina rvotundata noy. sp.—present in the mid-gut of 
bird-fleas of the genus Ceratophyllus.’ 
Mr. C. Crossland favours us with a reprint of Parts. III. and LV. of 
Contributions to Halifax Bibliography and Authors, which are devoted to 
Natural History items. They occupy 72 pages, and are reprinted from 
the Tvansactions of the Halifax Antiquarian Society. 
Mr. A. Leslie Armstrong, of Sheffield, sends us the following note in 
reference to ‘A Blackbird Suffragette.—_‘ A remarkable instance of what 
appears to be the far-reaching influence of Mr. and Mrs. Pethick Lawrence 
has recently been brought to my notice. A pair of blackbirds during last 
nesting season elected to build in the boundary hedge of the Lawrence’s 
villa at Dorking, and, presumably, to show their loyalty to ‘the cause,’ 
founded the structure upon a large piece of the Daily Chronicle containing 
news of Suffragette activities, which had been carefully laid in the desired 
position. Other fragments of the same newspaper were woven into the 
nest itself, a large piece was hanging from it on one side, and one or two 
pieces were prominently placed about the margin in convenient positions 
for study during the weary hours of incubation.’ 
Naturalist, 
