128 



SCIEXCE- GOSSIP. 



Tenacity of Life ix Argasidae. — "With refer- 

 ence to the remarkable tenacity of life shown by 

 some of the Argasidae. it may be of interest to note 

 that I have now in my possession a living specimen 

 of OrnitJwdorus savignyi which has certainly sur- 

 vived without visible means of subsis-tence for a 

 period of at least 19 months. It was sent to me by 

 post from Cape Colony in January last, the sender 

 informing me that it had not. to his knowledge, 

 had any opportunity of feeding during the previous 

 12 months, and it has since been kept in the 

 corked glass tube in which it travelled. When 

 undisturbed it remains in a quiescent and appa- 

 rently torpid condition, but resumes its normal 

 activity as soon as it feels the warmth communi- 

 cated to the tube when this is handled. — R. T. 

 Lewis, 4 Lyndhnrst Villas, Ealing. W. 



Teleso ipic Examination op Insects. — Every 

 student of natural history must have experienced 

 the difficulty which arises when attempting, to make 

 close observations of the movements and habits of 

 insects under natural conditions. Any approach 

 to them which is sufficiently near to be of much 

 service to the unassisted eye. and certainly the use 

 of a hand-lens, has the instant effect of causing 

 them to suspend their ordinary avocations and to 

 be upon the alert with all their instincts of self- 

 preservation fully armed. It is easy, of course, to 

 examine a captured insect under a lens, and in this 

 way to make out the details of its structure ; but 

 observations of this kind, though useful as far as 

 they go. convey but little information as to the 

 ways of " insects at home." I have, however, 

 myself derived so much instruction and enjoyment 

 from the use of a small telescope for this purpose 

 that I venture to recommend it to others of similar 

 tastes as the best means yet adopted. The instru- 

 ment I use is an achromatic of f-inch aperture, 

 giving perfect definition of objects at a distance 

 of 3 feet over a field of 6 inches in diameter, with 

 a magnifying power of 6£ times linear, or about 

 40 times superficial. It measures, when closed. 

 6§ inches, weighs only 3f oz.. and can Tbe car- 

 ried in the pocket without appreciable increase 

 of one's burden. "With such a glass it is possible 

 to watch, without disturbance, the busy proceedings 

 of the wood ants, the actions of butterflies and 

 bees upon flowers, the attacks of ichneumons upon 

 aphides, etc.. the mode of stridulation in grass- 

 hoppers, and the ways of numberless other insects. 

 which could not be observed if once the individuals 

 became aware of the presence of an intruder. At 

 the distance of a yard, an object appears magnified 

 considerably beyond its natural size, and is as 

 distinctly seen as if under a hand-lens of 6 inches 

 focus. If when in the country a higher masmifying 

 power is required for close examination, the draw- 

 tube of the telescope is readily available for the 

 purpose, being practically a compound microscope 

 of about 1 inch focus. — B. T. Lewis, 4 Lyndlnirkt 

 Villas, Ealing, W. 



NOTICES OF SOCIETIES. 



Ordinary meetings are marked f. excursion* * ; names ol 



following excursions are. of Conductors. Lantern Illustra- 

 tions i. 

 North London Natural History Society. 

 Sept. 6. — f ' Fraits and Seeds on their Trave's." H. W. S. 

 Worsley-Benison. F.U3. 

 ., 15. — *Epping Forest. S. Austin. 



- .— fThe Tree in it? Relation to Primitive Thought."' 

 Mrs. H. M. Halliday. 



NOTICES T< > ( < >RRESP< INDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Ex< bangers.— S ien. b-Gobsip is 



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

 munications should reach us not luter than the 18th of the month 

 fiT insertion in the following number. Xo communications can 

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

 Notices of changes of address admitted free. 



Edit, .rial Communications, articles, books for review, instru- 

 ments for notice, specimens for identification. &c. to be addre 

 to John T. Caruington, HO 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. 6dL 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 lie 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 t:me, carriage paid. Duplicates only to be s?nc, 

 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. 



CHANGE OF ADDRESS. 



■Wilfred Mark Webb. F.L.S.. from Hammersmith to 

 "Oastock,"' Campbell Road, Hanwell, W. 



EXCHANGES. 



ncE. — Exchanges extending to JMrty words (including 

 name and address) adnrtted free, but additional words must 

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

 less. 



Monsikur Rousseau, La Mazmie, par Aizenay, Vendee, 

 France, offers recent shells, fossils, minerals (including bert- 

 randite j, rocks and plants in exchange for similar objects. 



Fossils and Shells.— The Rev. John HaweU, M.A , F.G.S., 

 Ingleby Greenhow Vicarage, Middlesbrough, offers British and 

 foreign fossils and re«nt shells for other fossils. 



Buskin's " Mnne'a Pulveris," "Time and Tide,'" and " A Joy 

 :"or Ever." as new, exchanged for "Story of Onr Earth.'" or 

 offers. — W. D. Nelson, -22 Kirk-wynd. Kirkcaldy. 



British Dragos-flies. — Wanted, allspeciesof British dragon- 

 flies : state name if possible and condition. Name requirements. 

 — H. D (iower, 55 Benson Road, Croydon. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



On Colouring of Molluscs' Shells. By Reginald J. 



Hughes. Illustrated 97 



Mosses op Lvnmouth District. By Charles A. Briggs, 



F.E.S. .. 99 



The British Association .. .. 102 



Geological Xotes in the Orange River Colony. By 



Major B. M. Skinner, R.A.M.C. Illustrated .. .. 10a 



Spiders from Hasttngs. By Frank Percy Smith . . 106 

 The Photography op Colour. By E. Sanger Shep- 

 herd. Illustrated .. .. . . . . . . • • 108 



Butterflies of the Palaearctic Region. By Henry 



Charles Lang, M.D. Illustrated 112 



Two New Varieties of Butterflies Hi 



Books to Read 11& 



Microscopy— Science Gossip 118,122 



Physics— Geology 123, 124 



Astronomy— Chemistry 125,126 



Xotes and Queries = 12, 



Notice^ — Exchange- 12S 



