SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



h 



GEOLOGY 





x i olithic Remains in Kent. — At a meeting of 

 the Bromley Naturalists' Society, held on March 

 [3th, Mr. A. S. Kennard read an interesting paper 

 on " Neolithic Settlements at West Wickham " and 

 exhibited a large number of beautiful flint imple- 

 ments which he had found on the fields in that 

 neighbourhood. From a careful study of these 

 implements he said he had arrived at the conclusion 

 that there had been three successive settlements at 

 West Wickham in neolithic times, and showed that 

 in all probability more time had elapsed between 

 settlement No. 1 and settlement No. 3, than 

 between No. 3 and the present day. 



Early' Man in Britain. — While Pithecanthropes 

 credits is still the subject of animated discussion, we 

 hear of the discovery of a low-type human skeleton 

 in the Thames valley, under circumstances which 

 indicate that it is of considerable antiquity. A 

 detailed account of the find is said to be in pre- 

 paration for the press. It will be remembered that 

 portions of a human skeleton, bearing a striking 

 likeness to the Neanderthal man, were unearthed 

 during the excavation of the East and West India 

 Docks extensions at Tilbury, and described by Sir 

 Richard Owen, in 1884, so that there is nothing 

 improbable in the above-mentioned report. Anthro- 

 pologists will be fortunate, indeed, if the newly- 

 discovered bones can be accurately described and 

 safely housed before they are overtaken by that ill- 

 luck which so persistently attends the discovery of 

 human remains in this country. 



Section of the Chalk at Croydon. — I am 

 obliged to Mr. E. A. Martin for his remarks on 

 this subject, and am well acquainted with the facts 

 he mentions. I think, however, that if he had 

 taken the trouble to visit the section he would not 

 have suggested that the deposit in question is of 

 recent alluvial age. I have again examined the 

 section, and have not the least doubt that it shows 

 the junction of the chalk with the Thanet sand. 

 Although not abundant, I found several of the 

 green-coated flints typical of the base of that 

 deposit. The sand is identical in appearance with 

 that of the Thanet outcrop a mile or so to the 

 north, and I am not acquainted with any recent 

 drift which shows ten or twelve feet of clean buff 

 sand. Moreover, this outlier is almost wholly 

 above the 500 -foot contour line, and therefore 

 occupies some of the highest ground in the 

 neighbourhood. As to the deposit on the sides of 

 the hills, a glance at the varying colours of the 

 upturned soil and the irregular distribution of the 

 vegetation suffices to show that a dressing of drift, 

 or the detritus of older deposits still overlies the 

 chalk. I have been able to trace the remains of 

 the Thanet sand almost continuously from the 

 above-mentioned outlier to the outcrop of the bed 

 at Crohamhurst and Ballards. It is also interesting 

 to note that pieces of Wealden ironstone are to be 

 found on these fields, and, unless they have been 

 accidentally transported thither by human agency, 

 they can only have arrived there when the drainage 

 of the country was entirely different to what it is 

 at present.— A. Abseil, Jun., South Norwood. 





MICROSCOPY 



Vegetable Sections. — I beg to thank your 

 correspondents for their information about Section 

 Cutting (Science-Gossip, N.S., vol. ii., page 46). 

 I have got Strasburger's book, and have read 

 Bower's. I have tried to get Dr. Marsh's book, 

 but I am told it is out of print. Could anyone tell 

 me where I can procure a copy ? My best results 

 have been in cutting sections from alcohol material, 

 staining with eosin, clearing in oil of cloves, and 

 mounting in balsam and benzole. My greatest 

 difficulty is fixing the stain — Isaac Stephenson, 

 Accrington <■ ; April 16th, 1895. 



Cauthocamptus Minutus. — During the last 

 month I have examined many individuals of this 

 interesting entomostracan, and have paid special 

 attention to the organ carried by the female, which 

 is described by Dr. Baird, as " a very singular 

 horny-looking, club-shaped organ, fastened to the 

 body by a narrow elongated stalk." I have noticed 

 in every individual I have examined, that this organ 

 passes through the ovary, just within the surface 

 nearest the body, and it appears to me that this 

 organ is a support for the ovary, carrying it in a 

 rigid position, and so providing against the danger 

 of damaging the contents of the ovary, which 

 would be likely to obtain if attached directly to a 

 segment of the abdomen. Moreover, Cauthocamptus 

 is in the habit of doubling the posterior portion of 

 the body over the anterior, and the position of this 

 organ would protect the ovary from the blow, on 

 the body returning to its normal position. Up to 

 now I have not observed the transit of the ovary 

 to its carrying position. — C. W. Maw, Bradford, 

 Yorks. ; April, 1895. 



Sections of Eye of Codfish. — I am sure we 

 are all pleased with the New Series of Science- 

 Gossip. It ought to have a large circulation, 

 especially as you intend augmenting the Micro- 

 scopical Department. This will be of value to us 

 amateurs, who, though possessing a great love for 

 nature and the microscope, yet find ourselves much 

 limited by time, means, and isolation. We are, 

 therefore, glad to avail ourselves of hints from the 

 experienced workers who will thus kindly help us 

 to the enjoyment they themselves desire. I have 

 been making sections from the crystalline lens of 

 cod-fish, with the object of rendering the beautiful 

 wavy lines that pass through the ball as clear as 

 possible. I first boiled the eye somewhat until 

 fairly firm, and then cut. I stained two sections 

 with aniline, blue and red, one with carmine, and 

 left one clear. I mounted dry. I tried mounting in 

 balsam, but found it made the sections too trans- 

 parent. As far as I can judge, the apex of the 

 waves are about , , 1 ,, ,,-inob apart, and the lines 

 about ijA-jj-inch, thus requiring about 500 x dia. 

 to show them ; under 50 x or 100 x they appear just 

 lines. Perhaps some of your readers will kindly 

 say if they know of any special way of mounting 

 these sections, ami what is the use or cause of 

 these lines. — Jas. Tomlinson, 2S0, New Hall Lane, 

 Preston; April, 1895. 



