SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



2 75 



weeks. ' Mr. Simes read an interesting paper, 

 called. "Through Devon and Cornwall." It was 

 generally descriptive, but contained many natural- 

 history notes of interest. He had for the first time 

 noticed the wall-flower justifying its name by 

 growing over a red brick viaduct near Liskeard. 

 He had noticed numerous meadow pipits in the 

 fields on leaving Penzance, and remarked that this 

 bird enjoyed the proud distinction of being the 

 victim of the cuckoo more frequently than any 

 other. He also said that the Cornishmen turn 

 furze to account in many ways : cattle feed on it 

 freely It makes good fuel when dried. The 

 flowers are an Eldorado for hive-bees, and the 

 tender green shoots are cooked and served in place 

 of cabbage. Remarking on the natural features of 

 Cornwall, he said that the face of this extreme 

 portion of the western peninsula can have changed 

 but little since the days of Merlin. The actual 

 coast, granite bound, must be nearly the same as 

 when the first Greek or Phoenician trader landed. 

 It cannot have receded like the soft sandstone 

 shores of south Devon, or the flat lands of the 

 eastern coasts. Two or three miles north of New- 

 quay he had seen a pair of ravens sitting on the 

 edge of the cliff, and he referred to the rapidity 



hich the raven discerns the carcase of any 

 dead animal. Not much in the way of lepidoptera 

 had been seen, the rarest species met with being a 

 full-fed larvae of Lasiocampa quercifoiia, unfor- 

 tunately injured, near Boscastle. He also gave a 

 list of the wildflowers in the hedgerows there 

 which were in blossom on May igth. The roadside 

 banks were in places perfectly blue with the 

 germander and other speedwells. He had passed 

 the collecting-ground for the largest of the British 

 blue butterflies (Lycatna arion), and did not believe 

 that over-collecting could do the insect any 

 damage there. Noticing the swallows near 

 Bideford, he remarked how all this tribe seemed to 

 take great delight in dipping their breasts in the 

 stream as they skim over its surface, and when 

 they have performed the operation about a dozen 

 times, they sit on the telegraph wires in the sun, 

 and preen their feathers. Immediately, however. 

 they have got dry, they fly back to the pool 

 and start bathing afresh. Mr. Culpin doubted 

 that the raven and its kind found their carrion food 

 by smell. On one occasion, when fishing in 

 Queensland, he had left his fish tied up in the 

 water. Coming back he found that three kites had 

 killed the whole. These fish were in the water, 

 and probably smelt no differently because they 

 were tied up. He gave another instance of birds 

 having detected meat, even though wrapped up in 

 tarpaulin. His opinion was that they found their 

 food not only by scent but by sight also. Mr 

 er was of the same opinion, and gave 

 • of his having been shooting up the 

 n Mozambique A buck had just been 

 •hot. and the vultures immediately came t" the 

 spot, though none had been seen f'.r two months 



.ily — La-artnct J. Tremayne, Hon. Sec. 



Secretaries of Societies — Weare 

 always pleased to insert ab .ceed- 



I vjcieties, so long as they are <.f general 

 who kindly send them 

 lot publication, would save themselves and the 

 much trouble if iniy ironld l^ar thai I 

 •hanks. clccii',n '.( rn>-mlx:r 

 the usual routine bosincsi arc <,\ : 



venture al 

 secretaries to keep their reports up to d 



NOTICES OF SOCIETIES. 

 Geologists' Association of London. 

 Feb. 4. — The Annual General Meeting, at University 



College, Gower Street. Presidential Address 



" Palaeolithic Man." 7,30 p.m. 



North London Natural History Society. 

 Feb. 3. — " Rainfall in India." Stephen Horsley, M.I. C.E. 

 12. — Visit to the Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, 

 conducted by R. Quick. 

 „ 17.—" London Clay." J. E. Greenhill, F.G.S. 

 Mar. 17. — '* Insectivorous Plants." R. W. Robbins. 



„ 19. — Visit to the Bethnal Green Museum. 

 April 16. — Visit to Kew Gardens. 



,, 21. — " Lepidopterous Larvae." A. Bacot. 

 May 5.— Discussion : " Nebulae." Opened by C. Nicholson, 

 F.E.S. 

 „ 21. — Half-day Excursion to Epping Forest. 

 ,,27-30. — Excursion to the New Forest — leader, L. J. 



Tremayne. 

 i, 30. — Alternative whole-dav Excursion to Shere. 

 June 16.— " The Catocalidae." E. M. Dadd 

 ,, 18. — Whole-day Excursion to Deal — leader, L. J. 



Tremayne. 

 Visitors will be cordially welcomed at all meetings and 

 excursions. Lawrence J . Tremayne, Hon. Sec 



Selbourne Society — Croydon and Norwood Branch. 

 Feb. 5. — "Health and Fashion." E. J. Davies, Lantern 



Slides. Thornton Heath Polytechnic. 8 p.m. 

 April 7.— Social Evening. Exhibits, etc., will be welcomed. 



Rev. F. E. J. Bird, Vice-President, will speak. 



Seneca Hall, 8 p.m. 

 „ 21. — Annual Meeting, at Public Hall, Croydon. Subject: 



"The New Forest." Rev. H. E. H, Bull, M.A. 



Lantern slides. 8 p.m. 



North Kent Natural History and Scientific Society. 

 Feb. 9. — " Leaves : their Structure and Use. ' J.W.Cooper. 



,, 23. — "Aquaria and Uncommon Pets." Jno. Potter. 

 Mar. 9. — "Conchology." E.Dennis. 



,, 23. — "British Birds' Eggs and Nests." D.Miller. 

 April 6.—" Lepidoptera." S. T- B. Pine. 



Carlisle Entomological and Natural History Society. 

 Feb. 7.—" Coleoptera." F. H. Day. 



21 — " Prehistoric Man." J.Murray. 

 Mar. 7. — " Lepidoptera taken at light in Carlisle." J. E. 

 Thwaytes. 

 " 21. — " Observations on Bird life." B.Johnston. 



F. H. Day, Hon. Sec, 6, Currock Terrace, Carlisle. 



Hull Scientific and Field Naturalists' Club. 

 Feb. 2. — "Breeding-Haunts of British Birds," lantern 

 views. T. Audas, L.D.S. 

 ,, 16. — "An Early Doctrine of Evolution." Rev. C. A. 

 Hall. 

 Mar. 2.— "The Natural History of Goole Moor." Thos. 

 Bunker. 

 ,, 16. — " Spectroscopic Astronomy," lantern illustrations. 



Rev. H. P. Slade, M.B.A.A. 

 ,. 30. — "The Marine Fauna of the Yorkshire Coast," 

 lantern views. F. W. Fierke, M.C.S. 

 The Meetings held at 72, Prospect Street, alternate 

 Wednesdays. 8 p.m.— T. Sheppard, Hon. Sec, 

 7&, Shcrburn Street, Hull. 



Preston Scientific Society. 



April 6. — * " Methods of Fishing and Fish Culture on our 

 Coasts." R. L. Ascroft (Member of the Lan- 

 cashire Sea Fisheries Committee). 

 ,, 20.— • " Biography of a Fern." W. Clitheroe. 

 ' Illustrated by oxy-bydrogen lantern. 

 Lecture Hall, Cross Street, Winckley Square, 8 p.m. 

 If. Ily. Heathcote, F.L.S., Secretary, 47, Frenchwuod Street. 



Scarborough Field Naturalists' Society. 

 Feb. 10.— " Blrds'-Nestlng with a Camera." W.J.Clarke. 

 ,, 24.— "A Winter Trip to the Wesl In. lies and Vene- 

 .. 1.1 " !•'. H. Rowntree. 

 Mar. 10.— " A Ramble In Kent." J. H. Burton. 



h 24.— Exhibition of Specimen., and Dl 1 usslon. 

 April 7.—" A Chit on Shells." R. H. Barker. 



,. 21.— Short Papers. Members. 

 May 5.— "Anemones." J.C.Harrison. 



16.— V.N.I). Excursion to Claphani for Howl. .ml, Notti, 



[9, " An Ardent Entomologist." T. W, Lownsbrough, 



V.'.'.r. Excursion to Doncaitei foi Balbam ind 



Sandal 



June j,— "Chan and '.11.11., tbeli structure, 111. ...i 



11 ..." 1). w ]:■ .1 



l', |J| '].,..! 



18 v ■'• ! 1 . .1 ... 1.. 11.. Ingl 1 md v. 1, Tin 



,, 30 sConvei 1; loni 



I ■ ..I in the Museum ■■' B ij p m 

 B.R.Cn id H. Herbert, 7 j, Pre /... 1 A'..,../. 



