SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



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the party arrived at Tunbridge Wells about eleven 

 o'clock, and immediately proceeded to the house of 

 Mr. George Abbott, M.K.C.S., Secretary of the 

 South-East Union of Scientific Societies, who had 

 kindly consented to lead the excursion. The first 

 move was to a small museum, kept going by the 

 local Natural History Society, and containing 

 many attractive geological specimens, but princi- 

 pally interesting on account of an admirable 

 collection of living wild flowers. The party next 

 went on to the common, where Mr. Abbott pointed 

 out the lesser dodder (Cuscuta, epithymum), parasitic 

 on the furze and heather. Geology was then the 

 order of the day, and the rocks at the far end of 

 the common were shown and commented on by 

 our guide, who subsequently utilized several 

 building cuttings to explain the geological forma- 

 tion of the district. Our route now lay round by 

 Hurst Wood on to Rusthall Common and to the 

 Toad Rock, which Mr. Abbott also explained as a 

 perfectly natural formation, being composed of a 

 harder substance than the strata by which it was 

 formerly surrounded, and which had been weathered 

 away. Some people, however, believe this rock to be 

 a relic of an ancient sphinx. Leaving Rusthall, we 

 made for the High Rocks Hotel, and in the lane lead- 

 ing thereto found Lactuca muralis growing abundantly 

 on the old walls and hedgerows. Up to the 

 present, the only lepidoptera seen had been a few 

 specimens of Lycana icarus and Pararge megaera, 

 together with some Heaths and Meadow Browns. 

 But now Messrs. Bishop and Bacot plied the 

 hedges with their beating-sticks to some purpose. 

 A good specimen of Zonosonia porata fell to the net 

 of the former gentleman, and an unusually finely- 

 marked example oi Asthena cajididata to Mr. Fuller. 

 Shortly afterwards Mr. Bishop captured another 

 Acidalia, which no one of the party was able to 

 certainly name, but which it was thought might be 

 a nice var. of A. aversafa. About the same time, 

 the Secretary took a specimen of Eubolia bipunctaria 

 from a fence. After lunch at the High Rocks 

 Hotel, the party started for Broadwater Forest. 

 Coming out on to a breezy heath, it was discovered 

 that a few specimens of Lyccina ago7i were flying 

 among the innumerable L. icarus. At the same 

 time Mr. L. J. Tremayne beat a male Drapana binaria 

 from a small birch tree, and several fine examples 

 of Polyoimnatus phlocas were taken. Meanwhile the 

 botanists collected Epilobium angusti folium, Scutell- 

 aria viinor, Narthecium ossi/raguin, Solidago virga- 

 aurea, Ulex nanus and Serratula tinctoria, upon which 

 Cuscuta epithymum again occurred. Rhamnns frangula 

 was also noted. On descending towards the Eridge 

 Woods, a ditch lined with Blechnum gave the first 

 indication of what was to come in the way of 

 Filices. A small piece of marshy ground, thickly 

 sprinkled with Lastrca, was next traversed, where 

 careful search was made for specimens of Drosera 

 and Gcntiana pneunomanthe, but, owing to the 

 dryness of the season at the period, none were 

 found. The leaves of Viola palustris were plentiful 

 here. Then, entering the woods, the party sud- 

 denly found themselves in the midst of a perfect 

 wealth of most beautiful ferns. Lastrea filix-mas, 

 L.dilatata, Ethyriumfilix-fcmixd, were all represented, 

 together with Blechnum spikant, and, apparently, 

 several species of Asplenium, whilst Poly podium 

 vukare grew on the rocks above. The finest and 

 most noticeable species was the lemon or hay- 

 scented fern {Lastrea aemula), which was growing in 

 the greatest beauty and profusion. Afterwards, 

 the party visited Eridge Rocks, by kind permission 

 of the Marquis of Abergavenny, stopping on the 



way to collect the tiny Radlola millegrana, which 

 was found growing abundantly in one or two spots. 

 The whortleberry was also noticed sparingly here. 

 The rocks, and the beautiful scenery around them, 

 were much admired. A remarkable feature about 

 these rocks is the curious honeycomb formation on 

 many of their surfaces, caused by series of small 

 circular holes, each having a slight upward 

 tendency. Traces of this honeycombing are found 

 in nearly every set of rocks throughout the Tun- 

 bridge Wells district, but the best examples of it 

 are to be seen on the road from the Wells to the 

 High Rocks Hotel. Mr. Abbott said the phe- 

 nomenon was quite inexplicable. A dead pine tree, 

 completely riddled with small holes, apparently 

 the work of some beetle, was also inspected at the 

 Eridge Rocks, and then, after tea at a neighbouring 

 inn, the party enjoyed a quiet and pretty walk of 

 about three miles back to Tunbridge Wells. Then 

 there was another adjournment to Mr. Abbott's 

 house, where our host, besides providing light 

 refreshments, showed us over his fernery and 

 collection of curiosities. The latter were princi- 

 pally geological, and included some curious speci- 

 mens of naturally-formed iron piping surrounded 

 by and filled with sand from the Folkestone beds 

 at Oxshott. The members subsequently returned 

 to London in good time. The heartiest thanks 

 were tendered to Mr. Abbott for the trouble 

 he took over this excursion. The programme 

 was admirably arranged and carried out, and 

 seemed to leave time for loitering just in the right 

 spots. The weather was fairly fine throughout, 

 and the ramble was one of the most varied 

 and interesting ever taken by the Society. — 

 Thursday, August 27th, 1896. — Mr. S. Austen, 

 Treasurer, in the chair. After numerous exhibits 

 and observations, Mr. Quail read a paper entitled, 

 " Neuratian : Observations and Remarks in refer- 

 ence to the Rhopalocera," in which he went 

 carefully through the present families, and stated 

 that there was no solid foundation for considering 

 the Rhopalocera to have evolved from the super- 

 family Zeuzerides. He endeavoured to show that 

 there were at least three primary groups : 

 Papilionidae, Pieridae, and Nymphalidae. The 

 most ancient of the Pieridae were the Anthocaridi, 

 and from these have probably evolved the present 

 Pieridae, and (possibly) the Lycaenidae, which 

 Mr. Quail felt justified in considering closely 

 connected with them. Among the Nymphalids, 

 the common ancestor was probably in or near the 

 tribe Danaidi, and from this, Argynnidi, Vanessidi, 

 Nymphalidi and the Satyrinae seem to have 

 evolved. A lengthy and interesting discussion 

 ensued.— Thursday, September loth, 1896. — Mr. J. 

 Wheeler, Vice-President, in the chair. After a 

 number of exhibits had been examined, Mr. 

 Harvey opened a discussion on "The Emerald 

 Moths." He gave a short life-history of each 

 species, and said it was a remarkable thing that 

 nearly all the larvae, though hatching so early in 

 the autumn, go through the winter in a very small 

 state, and do most of their feeding afterwards. 

 Mr. Nicholson suggested the possibility of a 

 second brood of lodis lactiaiia. Mr. Quail referred 

 to the discovery of a pink variety of Metrocampa 

 margaritaria on the Continent. Mr. L. J. Tremayne 

 enquired as to the likelihood of the extermination 

 of Phorodesina smaragdaria in its present restricted 

 haunts, and if any special means had yet been 

 discovered of preserving the delicate colour of 

 these beautiful moths. Mr. Simes referred to the 

 discovery of Phorodesina smaragdaria by Mr. Tutt 



