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SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



forms of Abraxas grossulariata bred this year from 

 some 3,000 larvae. In one, the black external to 

 the yellow band was almost entirely suffused ; 

 another was slightly smoky, and the spots had the 

 appearance of having run ; a third had the fore- 

 wings almost entirely black, with the outer half of 

 the hind wings wholly black ; another had the 

 hind wings with a narrow black border, from the 

 middle of which a wide streak ran into the centre 

 of the wing. The smoky form was remarked as 

 being very rare. Mr. Manger, the huge malodorous 

 flower of the exotic orchid, Stanhofea tigrina. 

 Mr. Dennis, a series of Ccedonympha typhon from 

 North Lancashire, taken early in June. The 

 specimens had very pure white markings under- 

 neath, referable to var. rothliebii. Also he exhibited 

 several very brilliant Cyaniris argiolus from Horsley, 

 of a shade approaching that of Polyommatus bellargus. 

 Limenitis sybilla was reported to be flying in the 

 New Forest early in June. Mr. Turner made a 

 few remarks on the locality visited by the Society 

 under the guidance of Rev. E. Tarbat on June 20th. 

 — Hy. J. Turner, Hon. Report. Secretary. 



Selborne Society (Croydon Branch). — Some 

 twenty members of this Society met in lovely 

 weather on the first Saturday in July for a ramble 

 from Banstead Heath to Woodmanstowe and 

 Coulsdon. On the first Saturday in each month 

 the central Society has arranged to meet around 

 Croydon. Last Saturday's walk was a little-known 

 one, and opened up some very charming scenery. 

 The early blossoming of wild-flowers was noticed ; 

 amongst the appearances being red bartsia, melilot, 

 wood-sage, St. John's wort, meadow-sweet, yellow 

 bedstraw and toad-flax. Prominent around an old 

 lime-kiln a quantity of vipers' bugloss was met 

 with, some specimens being five feet high. The 

 noble ash-trees of the plantations about Woodfnan- 

 stowe were especially worthy of admiration. A 

 hope was expressed that the District Council would 

 be alive to the necessity of protecting the public 

 footpaths now being threatened by the Chepstead 

 Valley Railway in the neighbourhood of Cousldon. 



North London Natural History Society. — 

 At the meeting of May 23rd— Mr. C. B. 

 Smith, President, in the chair — the exhibits 

 included : Mr. Bacot, specimens of Tryphcena 

 comes (orbona), bred from ova laid by two females 

 taken at Sandown last September. The larvae 

 fed up during the winter on cabbage, carrots, etc., 

 and the moths emerged during January, February, 

 and March. As the larvae got mixed, he was 

 unable now to separate them into two broods, 

 which was unfortunate, as the variation was 

 considerable. The females were too worn to be 

 worth keeping, but, so far as he could remember, 

 there was nothing very remarkable about them ; 

 also Tryphc^na janthina, bred from a female taken 

 at Sandown. Mr. Simes, Epipactis grandiflora 

 (white helleborine), Aceras anthropophora (green- 

 man orchis), Asperula odorata (woodruff), and 

 Poteriwn satiguisorba (salad burnet). He gave an 

 account of his work at Whitsuntide. On May 

 23rd, at Epping Forest, he had seen Polyommatus 

 phlceas, larvae of Odonestis potatoria, ova of Etichloe 

 cardamines, Drepana binaria (hamula), D. cultraria, 

 Eubolia plmnbaria, Panagra petraria, Nisionades tages, 

 and Syricthus malva, but had noticed no fritil- 

 laries. On May 24th, at Thames Ditton, he had 

 seen the ova of Eitchloe cardamines on Erysimum 

 alliaria, Sisymbrium cannabina and Car damine pratense, 

 and had also noticed Anaitis plagiata, Pararge 

 megcera, and a dwarf specimen of E. cardamines. 



On May 25th, at Ripley, he had seen Argynnis 

 euphrosyne, Lycana minima, L. bellargus, L. icarus, 

 Euchelia jacobea, Euclidia glyphica, and larvae of 

 Cucullia verbasci, but no Nemeobius lucma. Mr. 

 Harvey, specimens of the fruit of the oak, showing 

 variation in size and shape, and the cuckoos and 

 other eggs. Mr. Prout gave an account of the 

 collecting on Epping Forest. He had taken the 

 larvae of Asieroscopus sphinx off the buckthorn, and 

 a specimen of Dicranura furcula on a tree-trunk 

 about 8.30 p.m., and the larvae of Trichuira cratagi 

 were again being found commonly. Mr. Prout read 

 a paper written by his sister on " The Oak Tree." 

 On June 13th this Society made an excursion to Ox- 

 shott, arriving at about 10.30 a.m. On getting over 

 the railway bridge on to Esher Common, Mr. Lovis 

 espied a freshly-emerged specimen of Chcerocampa 

 porcellus at rest on a small plant. On proceeding 

 over the Heath several Anarta myrtilH were seen. 

 A pine-wood produced Bupalus piniaria. Mr. C. 

 Nicholson took a fine specimen of the local Tortrix 

 piceana. Some half-dozen specimens of Ellopia 

 prosapiaria were found at rest on the pine-trunks, 

 on which also occurred Scoparia ambigualis, of 

 which fifteen were counted on one tree. 



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Cuckoos' eggs with those of foster parent wanted. — 

 W. Wells Bladen, Stone, Stafiordshire. 



Microscope.— Swift's Histological, 5 eye-pieces, 1", i", iV'- 

 objectives, substage, condenser, etc., nearly new, worth £22 ; 

 exchange for astronomical telescope to value or offer. — 

 Letters to J. C. Webb, 32, Henslowe Road, Dulwich, S.E. 



Eggs of glaucous gull, great black back, kittiwake, laugh- 

 ing gull, gannet, Bartram's sandpiper, roseate tern and 

 others. Wanted, clutches with data of many of the smaller 

 birds.— K. H.Jones, St. Bride's Rectory, Manchester. 



British Birds' Eggs.— For exchange, common, kittiwake 

 and other gulls, R. T. divers, R. N. phalarope, eiders, five 

 species terns, guillemots (choice and common), cormorants, 

 rock-pipits, nightjars and others ; also bird-skins and well- 

 stuffed specimens. Wanted, other British clutches of eggs. 

 — E. G. Potter, ig, Price Street, York, 



Wanted, slides (by Flatters) and trilobites ; in return, 

 shells, fossils, unmounted objects, etc. Offers wanted for 

 1890-1895 Science-Gossip, " Naturalist's Journal," 1894-5.— 

 A. Sclater, Naturalist, Teignmouth. 



