SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



Helix rotundata, monstrosity scalari- 

 forme. — Whilst searching under a large tree trunk 

 at North Eeston, near Louth, in Lincolnshire, I 

 found a fine specimen of scalarid form of Helix 

 rotundata. It was alive, and fairly active ; the shell 

 measures 6mm. in height. — C. 8. Carter, Louth. 



Abnormal Lime-tree Foliage.- — We have 

 received a spray from a lime-tree gathered at 

 Colwyn Bay, North Wales. The peculiarity lies 

 in its having, in addition to its ordinary leaves, a 

 large number of small and more or less malformed 

 leaves clothing the various sprays. Our corre- 

 spondent, Miss Florence Phillips, states that last 

 year a similar sport was exhibited on the same 

 tree, but to a less extent It appears to be a case 

 of proliferation ; but it is odd that it should be 

 found to so large an extent on one particular tree. 



High Temperature in July. — At this address, 

 which is in the London suburb of Hampstead, I 

 have a registering thermometer by recognised 

 makers, enclosed in a Stevenson's screen, raised 

 four feet above the ground, and about twenty 

 yards from the house. On July 16, at noon, the 

 mercury was observed at 93° Fah., and at 1 p.m. it 

 had registered 95°, but had fallen half a degree. 

 As I have not heard of any other observation in 

 these islands, under similar circumstances, exceed- 

 ing 93°, I feel doubtful of my own, although I 

 have had my thermometer correctly registering in 

 the same position for several years. — F. W. Watts, 

 49 Goldlmrst Terrace, N. W. 



Abnormal Equiseti. — On April 20th this year 

 a very rare thing happened in Manchester. We 

 had a fine bright day, so I set out with my camera 

 in search of Spring flowers. I met with a group 

 of fertile spikes of Eqmsetuvi telmatia standing 

 a few inches above the ground. These I 

 photographed in their natural habitat, which was 

 a damp patch on the railway slope at Eeddish 

 Vale. Amongst the group were several abnormal 

 forms, having their spikes divided into three, four, 

 .and six spikelets. I selected three of these- varia- 

 tions and photographed them along with a normal 

 form for contrast. I am not sure if it is a common 

 thing for the fertile heads of Fquisetuni to diverge 

 from the normal type in this way. Perhaps some 

 ■of your readers could enlighten me ? — Abraham 

 Flatters, 16 and 18 Church Road, Long sight, Man- 

 chester. 



We hear from Messrs. A. & C. Black that Professor 

 •Chrystal's " Introduction to Algebra," which is now 

 in a second edition, is being translated into 

 Japanese. 



NOTICES OF SOCIETIES. 



■Ordinary meetings are marked f, excursions * ; names of persons 

 following excursions are. of Conductors. § Lantern Illustra- 

 tions. 



North London Natural History Sochxit. 



August 2. — fSelborue Revisited. J. A. Simes. 

 „ 6.— *Chalfont St. Giles. A. V. Battley. 

 „ 16 — fNotes on Clearwings. E. W. Lane. 

 „ 27.— •Warley. R. W. Bobbins. 



■Geologists' Association of London. 



.August 11.— *Netley Heath and Gomshall. W. P. D. Stebbing, 

 F.G.S. 

 „ 20-25— -Lake District Excursion. J. B. Marr, F.R.S. 



Nottingham Natural Science Rambling Club. 

 August 11.— East Leake. Botanical Ramble. 



„ 25.— Charuwood Forest. Geological Ramble. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Exchangers.— Science-Gossip is 

 published on the 25th of each month. All notes or other com- 

 munications should reach us not later than the 18th of the mouth 

 for insertion in the following number. No communications can 

 be inserted or noticed without full name and address of writer. 

 Notices of changes of address admitted free. 



Editorial Communications, articles, books for review, instru- 

 ments for notice, specimens for identification, &c, to be addressed 

 to John T. Carrington, 110 Strand, London, W.C. 



Subscriptions.— The volumes of Science-Gossip begin with 

 the June numbers, but Subscriptions may commence with any 

 number, at the rate of 6s. 6d. for twelve months (including 

 postage), and should be remitted to the Office, 110 Strand, 

 London, W.C. 



Notice. — Contributors are requested to strictly observe the 

 following rules. All contributions must be clearly written on 

 one side of the paper only. Words intended to be printed in 

 italics should be marked under with a single line. Generic 

 names must be given in full, excepting where used immediately 

 before. Capitals may only be used for generic, and not specific 

 names. Scientific names and names of places to be written in 

 round hand. 



The Editor will be pleased to answer questions and name 

 specimens through the Correspondence column of the magazine. 

 Specimens, in good condition, of not more than three species to 

 be sent at one time, carriage paid. Duplicates only to be senc, 

 which will not be returned. The specimens must have identify- 

 ing numbers attached, together with locality, date and par- 

 ticulars of capture. 



The Editor is not responsible for unused MSS., neither can he 

 undertake to return them unless accompanied with stamps for 

 return postage. 



EXCHANGES. 



Notice. — Exchanges extending to thirty words (including 

 name and address) admitted free, but additional words must 

 be prepaid at the rate of threepence for every seven words or 

 less. 



Wanted. — Tooth of mastodon, or tooth of elephant, and a 

 footprint of the Labyrinthodon, for a liberal exchange of fossils 

 or minerals. — P. J. Roberts, 11 Back Ash Street, Bacup. 



Can offer North and South American diurnal Lepidoptera in 

 papers, fine condition, for diurnes from the Malayan Archi- 

 pelago. — Levi W. Mengel, Boys High School, Reading, Pa., U.S.A. 



Wanted. — British and foreign marine and land shells, echino- 

 derms, Crustacea, and other marine objects. Offered duplicates 

 of above, also fossils, micro-slides, photo-micrographs, etc. — 

 H. W. Parritt, 8 Whitehall Park, N. 



Wanted. — Eggs of Dartford warbler, woodlark, lesser spotted 

 woodpecker, hawfinch, Ray's wagtail, etc. Good exchange 

 offered. — W. Gyugell, 13 Gladstone Road, Scarborough. 



Desmids. — A few duplicate slides of desniids mounted last 

 year, in exchange for anything interesting, including stamps 

 new to collection, shells, set insects, or plants. — G. H. Bryan, 

 Plas Gwyn, Bangor. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



The Photography of Colour. By E. Sanger Shepherd. 



Illustrated .. .. .. .. .. ..65 



Palaeolithic Man in Valley of the Wandle. By 



J. P. Johnson . . 69 



Yorkshire Naturalists' Union 71 



Butterflies of the Palaearctic Region. By Henry 



Charles Lang, M.D. Illustrated 72 



On the Nature ofL ife. By F. J. Allen, M.A 74 



Notes on Spinning Animals. By H. Wallis Kew. 



Illustrated .. .. . . . . . . . . . . 75 



Desmtds. By G. H. Bryan, F.R.S. Illustrated . . . . 78 



Irish Plant Names. By John H. Barbour, M.B. .. 81 



Owens College New Physical Laboratory .. ..83 



British Freshwater Mites. By Charles D. Soar, 



F.R.M.S. Illustrated 84 



Instinct in Bees. By Lieut.-Col. H. J. 0. Walker .. 86 



The Greenwich Visitation 87 



Microscopy— Science Gossir 88, 91 



Astronomy— Chemistry 92, 93 



Physics— Notes and Queries 94, 95 



Notices — Exchanges 96 



