22 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



In our last number appeared a note on " Wood- 

 peckers near London," by Mr. J. A. Cooper. We 

 regret to say that this genial ornithologist contracted 

 a cold at Eastertime which speedily caused his death. 

 He will be much missed at the meetings of some 

 London societies. 



On April 20th, Mr. Noble bought at auction, at 

 Mr. Stevens' rooms in Covent Garden, for 160 

 guineas, a great auk's egg which was a fine 

 specimen, though very slightly damaged on one 

 side. It was from the collection of the late 

 Mr. Tuke. 



We have received the first three parts of a new 

 monthly magazine devoted to ornithology, bearing 

 the name "The Ornithologist," edited by Mr. H. 

 K. Swann. Each number contains an illustration. 

 The articles and notes on birds are of a popular 

 character, and many are of interest. We wish our 

 new contemporary success. 



Little more than a year ago we noticed in these 

 pages a clever book by the Rev. W. Clement Ley, 

 M.A., on "Cloudland." Even then Mr. Ley's 

 health had so far failed that his son was entrusted 

 with seeing the work through the press. We 

 have now to announce the death of this talented 

 meteorologist and author, under peculiarly sad 

 circumstances. 



, Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod, so long known as 

 an authority in this country on economic entomo- 

 logy, will have a fine display, illustrating injurious 

 insects, at the forthcoming Bath and West of England 

 Agricultural Society's Show at St. Albans. In 

 addition to actual material supplied by farmer 

 correspondents, which will be fully explained, this 

 lady's sister has prepared some large diagrams. 



We have received a specimen of a scientifically 

 constructed tobacco-pipe made by the Biltor 

 Company, of 93, Oxford Street. The new arrange- 

 ment is excellent for stopping the nicotine and oils 

 from entering the mouth. This is attained by 

 inserting an absorbant cartridge into the stem, 

 which effectually arrests the noxious oils, and 

 renders smoking a pleasure, not only to the smoker, 

 but to his neighbours who probably dislike the 

 smell of a foul pipe more than genuine tobacco 

 smoke. 



The London Geological Field Class com- 

 mences its eleventh year of most useful work. 

 The teaching is given during excursions made on 

 Saturday afternoons between the end of April 

 and middle of July. The excursions are of a 

 popularly scientific character and are open to 

 ladies as well as gentlemen. They are conducted 

 by Prof. H. G. Seeley F.R.S., who gives short 

 lectures upon the districts visited, which are all 

 within easy access of London. Further particulars 

 as to membership and future excursions may be 

 obtained by writing to the Hon. General Secretary, 

 Mr. R. Herbert Bentley, 31, Adolphus Road, 

 Brownswood Park, South Hornsey. 



Helix pomatia is recorded by Mr. Wilfred Mark 

 Webb, from Chappie, in Essex, which is a new 

 locality for this edible land-snail. 



In the number of Science-Gossip for September 

 last, we wrote an article upon the preservation of 

 our fauna and flora. It advocated the formation 

 of reserves for the purpose, and among other places 

 suggested Wicken Fen. We now hear this fen is 

 for sale, and could be purchased for a comparatively 

 small sum. Can anything be done to apply the 

 property to this purpose ? 



Messrs. Ross and Co. of in, New Bond 

 Street, W., have issued two fully illustrated cata- 

 logues of optical instruments. One of these is 

 devoted to the most modern photographic appara- 

 tus and the other to microscopes and objectives, 

 hand-telescopes, field and opera-glasses, and many 

 other necessities to our comfort and enlightenment. 

 These catalogues are priced sixpence each. 



The Agricultural Department of the University 

 Extension College at Reading has issued its second 

 annual report upon field experiments on hay, pasture 

 and root crops, carried out in 1895. The reports 

 are by Mr. Douglas A. Gilchrist, B.Sc, the director 

 of the department, and Mr. P. Hedworth Foulkes, 

 B.Sc. The latter portion of the report deals with 

 insect and other animal ravages of crops in the 

 district. 



Dr. Albert Gunther, F.R.S., is the President 

 of the Linnean Society for the coming year. He 

 recently retired from the keepership of the Zoologi- 

 cal Department at the British Museum. Born at 

 Esslingen, in Wiirtemburg, sixty-six years ago, 

 his knowledge of the English language is most 

 perfect, and most of the scientific papers which 

 have contributed to make his name so well-known 

 in connection with zoology were written in 

 English. 



Now that all the natural science museums in 

 London are open on Sunday afternoons, many 

 naturalists, who through their daily occupation 

 rendering it previously impossible, will have golden 

 opportunities of visiting these magnificent institu- 

 tions, as well as the picture galleries. The little 

 known, but splendid Museum of Practical Geology, 

 in Jermyn Street, adjoining Piccadilly Circus, is 

 by no means the least interesting. 



The Journal of the Marine Biological Association 

 for February contains some notes and a figure 

 relative to specimens of female common eels in the 

 museum of the Royal College of Surgeons in 

 London, displaying nearly mature ovaries. There 

 are also important papers on the " Culture of 

 Sponges," by Mr. E. J. Allen, B.Sc, and upon 

 the "Improvement of Sponge Fisheries," by Mr. 

 George Bidder. It does not appear that, as at 

 present understood, the artificial culture of sponges 

 is commercially profitable, though exceedingly 

 interesting from a scientific point of view. 



Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell of Las Cruces, New 

 Mexico, U.S.A., is anxious to establish for 

 scientific research a biological station in that 

 State. He proposes to combine with it a holiday 

 home for rest for over-worked students and 

 teachers. The climate is magnificently healthy 

 and bracing. It is intended to carry on the 

 establishment without "interference of politicians 

 and other self-interested or ignorant persons." 

 We sincerely hope the plan will succeed, for it 

 sounds just like the place to which we are longing 

 to retire. 



