SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



20 : 



Mr. Joseph F. Babor, has a note on Avion 

 citrinus, illustrated by a plate, in the "Journal of 

 Malacology'' for September. 



Mr. W. E. Collinge deals with a species of 

 Li max from Ireland, which may prove new to 

 science. As at present only a single specimen of 

 the slug has been secured, Mr. Collinge hesitates 

 to give it a specific name. 



Mr. Bertram G. Rye has recently commenced 

 business as entomologist and taxidermist at 281, 

 Fulham Road, and his catalogue is before us. He 

 is the son of the late C. E. Rye, whose work on 

 " British Beetles " is so well known. 



Dr. Selwyn, C.M.G., Director of the Canadian 

 Geological Survey, under whose direction a large 

 part of the remarkable work of the survey in out- 

 lying portions of the Dominion has been undertaken, 

 is paying a short visit to London. 



Mr. R. A. Phillips has reprinted from the 

 " Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological 

 Society" a list of the land and freshwater 

 mollusca of co. Cork. The catalogue includes 

 ninety species, or five-sixths of the number known 

 to inhabit Ireland. 



The London Geologists' Association has arranged 

 to hold an exhibition of lantern-slides of geological 

 interest, on Friday, November 2nd, at the Botanical 

 Theatre, University College, Gower Street, W.C., 

 to commence at eight o'clock. Mr. G. F. Harris, 

 F.G.S., has undertaken to organise the exhibition. 



Mr. John Cordeaux records a specimen of the 

 hump-backed whale, Megaptem longimana, on the 

 Lincolnshire coast, at Marsh Chapel, in the 

 "Naturalist" for October. This whale is an 

 arctic species, and has been recorded only three 

 times previously in the British seas. 



Mr. C. B. Moffat contributes a note to the 

 " Irish Naturalist " for October, on " The Crossbill 

 at Ballyhyland, co. Wexford," in which he says 

 that contrary to Mr. Ussher's recent report that 

 the large numbers observed in 1888-90 have 

 diminished, he finds them more plentiful than he 

 has ever known them before. 



The Cow Lane Young Men's Field Club has 

 been recently formed at Coventry, for the purpose 

 of promoting the study of natural history. The 

 first monthly meeting was held on October 9th, 

 when Mr. Stewart Taylor (President) gave an 

 interesting lecture on " Coleoptera." Several 

 specimens were exhibited. The Hon. Secretary 

 is Mr. C. E. Judd. 



The "Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists' 

 Society" (part iii, vol. 7) is to hand, and gives an 

 account of "Natural History in the West of England." 

 It includes " Phenological Records for 1893," by 

 various members ; " Notes on Meteorological 

 Observations at Clifton, for 1893," by D. Rintoul, 

 M.A. ; " The Rhaetic Rocks of Pylle Hill, Bristol/' 

 by E. Wilson, F.G.S , and several other interesting 

 articles. 



The Danish Government has decided upon a 

 deep-sea exploration of the waters of Greenland 

 and Iceland. The work will be carried on during 

 1895 and 1896. 



Mr Charles Druery, F.L.S., has an interesting 

 article in " Natural Science" for October, on "Hor- 

 ticultural Sports." He treats mainly of the triumph 

 of art over nature, as exemplified in the magnifi- 

 cent results obtained by so much patience and 

 perseverance by the horticulturist. To be able to 

 properly appreciate the article one should go to 

 such a display as that held each year by the Royal 

 Horticultural Society or at the Botanic Gardens, 

 Regent's Park. 



The Society for the Protection of Birds has just 

 issued a four-page leaflet by Mr. O. V. Aplin, 

 entitled, "The Birds as Labourers: Their Work 

 and Wages." The author finds only thirty-seven 

 species against which any charges have been 

 brought by the agriculturist, horticulturist, or fruit 

 farmer in England. After carefully weighing the 

 evidence, pro and con, he concludes that the wages 

 are very small, that the work they do must be done, 

 and only the birds can do it. 



Mr. E. Heron-Allen, F.R.M.S., has published, 

 through Messrs. Nichols and Co., a pamphlet 

 entitled " Prolegomena towards the study of the 

 Chalk Foraminifera." Its scope and character 

 can best be given by quoting the sub-title, which 

 runs, " An elementary paper on the collection, 

 preparation, examination, identification, and 

 mounting of Foraminifera from the chalk, 

 illustrated by a study of the chalk from the 

 Twy ford-Maidenhead railway cutting." 



The "Transactions of the Manchester Micro- 

 scopical Society " for 1893 is an interesting record of 

 what is being done in that city to further the study 

 of microscopy. " Recent researches and specula- 

 tions on the structure of protoplasm," by Professor 

 F. E. Weiss, B.Sc, F.R.M.S., being the presidential 

 address, is here reprinted ; also " Plans of growth 

 and form in the Foraminifera," by E. Halkyard, 

 with two plates. The late Professor A. Milnes 

 Marshall, M.A., was president of the Society up to 

 the time of his decease. 



Mr. Henry Burns, F.E.S., has a most interest- 

 ing and unique exhibition of working ants in the 

 Entertainment Court at the Crystal Palace that 

 every visitor ought to see. He has made ants his 

 especial study for fourteen years, and has an 

 inexhaustible fund of information on the subject. 

 The ants are inclosed in plate-glass nests, and can 

 be observed by an ingenious arrangement, through 

 magnifying glasses. Mr. Burns is besides a 

 busy lecturer, and secretaries of societies anil 

 others who desire to obtain something novel for the 

 winter session should communicate with him. 



The "Life of Dr. Buckland," sometime Dean 

 of Westminster, twice President of the Geological 

 Society and first President of the British Associa- 

 tion, written by his daughter, Mrs. Gordon, will 

 be issued in a few days by Mr. Murray. Dean 

 Buckland was, ic will be remembered, the father 

 of Frank Buckland the author of the popular 

 "Curiosities of Natural History." Mr. Murray is 

 also publishing very shortly " The Life of Sir 

 Richard Owen," which his grandson is preparing, 

 with the help of Mr. Sherborn. Professor Huxley's 

 essay on Owen's position in anatomical science is 

 looked forward to with a good deal of interest. 



