330 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



nearly black var. of Hypsipetes sordidata. Mr. Sauze 

 a box of Diptera, including Melanosioma quai- 

 rimaculatum, Sydenham, March, '95 ; and Oxycera 

 trilineata. Deal, July, '95. Mr. E. Heasler, the 

 following species, taken at Brokenhurst last 

 summer: four male Selidosemaericetaria, Pseudoterpna 

 primata, unusually green for captured specimens ; 

 two Gnophos obscurata, one nearly black, the other 

 ash-grey; and four Acidalia straminaia. Mr. Tutt 

 observed that one of the latter had the very 

 distinct dark band generally regarded as the 

 distinguishing mark of A. circellata. Mr. Frost, 

 two examples of Epinephele hyperanthes, with pale or 

 xanthic blotches ; a very dark Hade-na dissimilis, 

 var. confluens, strongly resembling some of the 

 forms of H. oleracea, and a short series of Noctua 

 glareosa ; all from Ipswich. Mr. Tutt read a most 

 interesting and instructive paper, entitled. " The 

 Modern Principles on which the classification of 

 Lepidoptera is based. - ' — January 21st, 1896. Ex- 

 hibits: Mr. May, two sets of cocoons of Saturnia 

 pavonia, the larvae having been reared on whitethorn 

 by himself and Mr. S. J. Bell. Both sets were off- 

 spring of the same parents, and the latter had 

 -evidently been somewhat starved while in the larval 

 stage. The cocoons in one set, sixteen in number, 

 w-ere all dark in colour ; while in the other set, w : ere 

 ■eighteen pale cocoons and one dark one. The sixteen 

 dark cocoons were spun by larvae which had been 

 badly fed in a damp cage without ventilation ; the 

 eighteen pale cocoons and the dark one were well 

 •fed in a roomy, dry, and well ventilated receptacle. 

 On six of the pale cocoons being accidently damped, 

 •they immediately became dark brown like the other 

 set, and Mr. May supposed that the larva, when 

 spinning, incorporated with the silk a kind of 

 "cement'' produced by itself, and tbat this "cement" 

 was affected by damp. Mr. Tutt said that this 

 material had been determined as an oxalate of 

 lime. The sixteen dark cocoons were mostly small 

 and some of them almost round, while the nineteen 

 other cocoons were large and well-formed. Mr. 

 Tutt : a humble-bee's nest completely filled with 

 the cocoons of Aphomia sociella, and a specimen of 

 that moth bred from them. Rev. C. R. N. 

 Burrows, a fine and variable series oiCalamia lutosa 

 taken during the past season at Rainham, and he 

 read a most interesting and humorous paper on that 

 species. Messrs. Bate, Heasler, Prout, and Tutt, 

 exhibited the species to help to illustrate Mr. 

 Burrow's paper. Mr. Xewbery said that, in 

 order to relax coleoptera, he was in the habit of 

 soaking them in water for twenty-four hours or 

 more, drying off the superfluous moisture, and 

 then applying wood naphtha with a brush, — C. 

 Nicholson, L. J. Tranayne (Hon. Sees.) 



Victoria Institute. — At a full meeting of the 

 Victoria Institute, held on March 2nd, Sir George 

 Stokes, Bart., F.R.S., in the chair, Dr. H. B. 

 Guppy gave an interesting account of his 

 researches as to the light thrown by a study of 

 the differences in plant names in use among the 

 Polynesians He said : The more useful plants 

 of these islands, and many also of their littoral 

 plants, have in each case a story to tell not only 

 of the history of a plant, but of a people. The 

 distribution, the uses, the vernacular nomenclature, 

 etc., are all so many guides in such an investiga- 

 tion. The wide range of the useful plants in this 

 region, such as the banana, the breadfruit, and the 

 paper-mulberry, is an indication of an age of free 

 intercourse over the Pacific, an age long since 

 passed away. Under the conditions prevailing in 

 -this region in the time of Cook a newly-introduced 



plant would acquire a very local distribution ; and 

 among such plants we may include the shaddock 

 of Fiji and Tonga. Almost all the plants, and in 

 most cases their names, have their homes in the 

 Indian Archipelago and in Further India. On 

 comparing the names of the different regions, the 

 Malagasy names are found to be mere closely 

 connected with those of Fiji than with those of 

 Polynesia. The Melanesian variety of man is 

 regarded as the original possessor of the Malayo- 

 Polynesian type of speech, which it has imposed to 

 a greater or less degree on all that have come in 

 contact with it. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Exchangers. — Science-Gossip 

 is published on the 25th of each month. All notes or other 

 communications should reach us not later than the iSth of 

 the month for insertion in the following number. No com- 

 munications can be inserted or noticed without full name 

 and address of writer. 



Notice. — Contributors are requested to strict!}- observe the 

 following rules. All contributions must be clearly written 

 on one side of the paper only. Words intended to be 

 printed in italics should be marked under with a single line. 

 Generic names must be given in full, excepting where used 



immediately before . Capitals may only be used for generic, 

 and not specific names. Scientific names and names of 

 places to be written in round hand 



The Editor is not responsible for unused MSS., neither 

 can he undertake to return them, unless accompanied with 

 stamps for return postage. 



Subscriptions. — Subscriptions to SciENCE-Gossip.at the 

 rate of 6s. 6d. for twelve months (including postage), should 

 be remitted to the Proprietors, c/o Nassau Press, Limited, 

 60. St. Martin's Lane. 



The Editor will be pleased to answer questions and name 

 specimens through the Correspondence column of the maga- 

 zine. Specimens, in good condition, of not more than three 

 species to be sent at one time, carriage paid. Duplicates 

 only to be sent, which will not be returned. The specimens 

 must have identifying numbers attached, together with 

 locality, date and particulars of capture. 



All editorial communications, books or instruments for 

 review, specimens for identification, etc. to be addressed to 

 John T. Carrington. i. Northumberland Avenue, London, 

 W.C . 



EXCHANGES. 

 Notice. — Exchanges extending to thirty words (including 

 name and address) admitted free, but additional words must 

 be prepaid at the rate of threepence for every seven words 

 or less. 



Cuckoos' eggs with those of foster parent wanted. — 

 W. Wells Bladen, Stone, Staffordshire. 



Exotic Orthoptera wanted in exchange for Pachytylus 

 cinerascens (Cadiz), Caloptenus italicus. CEdipoda fasciatum, 

 blue and red forms.— Harry Moore, 12, Lower Road. Rother- 

 hithe, S.E. 



Offered, several books and pamphlets on Conchology in 

 exchange for others on Helicida? or for foreign Helices ; 

 exchange lists — G. K. Gude, 5, Giesbach Read. Upper Hollo- 

 way, London, N. 



Duplicates— Pleistocene mollusca from Crayford; desi- 

 derata. British and Continental land, freshwater and marine 

 shells, and Pleistocene shells from other localities.— A. S. 

 Kennard. Mackenzie Road. Beckenham. Kent. 



A large collection of birds' eggs, blown two holes, 

 including black-headed bunting, kestrel, sparrow, hawk, 

 crow, landrail, etc : also some side-blown eggs and excellent 

 specimens of Helix aspersa v. exalbida. Wanted, side-blown 

 eggs of coot, red grouse, red-legged partridge, golden plover, 

 water-rail, sandpiper (common), snipe, woodcock, etc., local- 

 ised if possible.— Chas. D. Heginbothom. 5, Estcourt Street, 

 Devizes. 



British and Australian land, freshwater and marine shells 

 offered. Wanted, Helix aspersa, var. unicolor ; liberal 

 exchange given for good specimens. Foreign correspondents 

 desired in any part of the globe.— A. Hartley, 14, Croft Street, 

 Idle, near Bradford, Yorkshire. 



Large collection freshwater shells to exchange for good 

 marine shells, such as Conus mussatella. Oliva maura, O. 

 subulata, Ovulum volva. O. ovum, Cassis tuberosa, C.testi- 

 culus, C. erinaceus. Ricinula horrida, Triton pilcaris, T. 

 anus, T. lotorium, T. cutaceus, Rootellaria cunirostrum, R. 

 columbaria, Pleurotoma babylonia, P. strombiformis.— P. J. 

 Roberts, 11, Ash Street, Bacup. 



