SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



■31 



-Thk new Museum of Oceanography at Monaco is 

 in process of building, the foundation stone having 

 been laid with ceremon)' on April 25th. There will 

 be laboratories for marine zoologists. 



The aluminium steerable balloon which is being 

 constructed at Marzell, in Germany, is expected to 

 make its first ascent in July next. The site chosen is 

 at Lake Constance, where a platform of pontoons has 

 been built on the lake, to facilitate the operations. 



At a meeting held recently of " The National Trust 

 for Places of Historic Interest and Natural Beauty," 

 the acquisition of a small portion of Wicken Fen was 

 announced. The matter is being arranged for the 

 Committee by Mr. Herbert Goss, F.L.S., whose 

 arlicle on the subject (S.G., vol. v., N.S., p. 291), 

 appears to have influenced the Executive Committee 

 of the National Trust. 



Among the last official duties performed by Sir 

 William Flowers before his retirement, was that of 

 passing for press the final volume of the " British 

 Museum Catalogue of Birds." This, issue of 

 , volume xxvi. completes the series as designed by 

 Dr. Gunther so long ago as 1S74. It was originally 

 intended that Dr. Bowdler Sharpe should undertake 

 the whole of the work, but owing to his increasing 

 curatorial duties, this was found impossible after the 

 publication of the first four volumes, and he received 

 the assistance of ten other gentlemen. Amongst 

 these were the late Mr. Seebohm, Mr. P. L. Sclater, 

 and Mr. E. Ilartert. The "Catalogue" aims at 

 being a complete list of every bird know-n at the tinie 

 of publication. Preparations are, now being made for 

 a catalogue of the vast collection of eggs in the British 

 Museum. The work has been placed in the hands of 

 the well-known ornithologist, Mr. E. W. Oales. 



A SMALL committee, consisting of Sir John Kirk, 

 Sir William TlTiselton-Dyer, Dr. Sclater, Dr. 

 Boulenger, and Professor Ray Lankester, have sent 

 Mr. J. E. S. Moore again to Lake Tanganyika to 

 thoroughly explore its depths, and the surrounding 

 countr}'. The Royal Geographical Society and the 

 Royal Society have both contiibuted funds towards 

 the cost of this expedition. The collections obtained 

 will be placed at the disposal of the Trustees of the 

 British Museum. 



On Saturday, April 15th, a party of about sixty 

 members of the Selborne Society Field Club and 

 friends, met at South Croydon for a ramble over 

 Croham Hurst. A halt was made on the top of the 

 Hurst, when the conductor, Mr. E. A. Martin, F.G.S., 

 addressed those present on the geological and other 

 characteristics of the spot, also dealing with the 

 agitation for preventing the sale of a great part of the 

 site for building purposes. On April 6th, under the 

 guidance of Mr. Harrison, members met at Gomshall 

 lor a walk in that ven.' interesting part of Surrey. 

 After an enjoyable ramble in the varied scenery 

 lying between the chalk hills on the north and the 

 sandstone hills on the south, the party took tea at 

 West Hackhurst, the residence of Miss Forster, the 

 local honorar)* secretary. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



.\t the sugrfjestion of several eorrespondents ue open with 

 this volume a dep.-xrtnient in which our readers iiiav .^ddrcss 

 the Editor in letter form. We have pleasure in inviting any 

 who desire to raise discussions on scientific suhjccts, to 

 address their letters to the Editor, at no. Strand, London, 

 W.C. Our only restriction will be, in case the correspondence 

 exceeds the bounds of courtesy ; which we trust is a matter 

 of grreat imp'-obability. These letters may be anonymous. 

 In that case they must be accompanied by the full name and 

 address oi the writer, not for publication, but .is an earnest 

 of good faith. The Editor does not hold himself responsible 

 for the opinions of the correspondents. — Ed. S.-G. 



Pearso.n's Hei>aticae. 

 ro the Editor of SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Sir, — The announcement of Pearson's Hepaticae 

 produces a feeling of profound disappointment among 

 a large number of botanists. Anyone not having seen 

 proofs cannot pronounce an opinion on the value of 

 the work, and, it may be reasonably assumed that it 

 will be worth the price charged ; but that price is 

 prohibitive. The increasing circle of moss lovers 

 embraces few, probably not any, who do not feel an 

 interest also in the allied hepatics. When it became 

 known that a work on the subject was in preparation 

 by a gentleman eminently capable of dealing with it, 

 hopes were raised ; but how many will be able to 

 aftbrd seven pounds for an account of a group of plants 

 numbering two hundred and odd species ? 

 ' It would be impertinent for an outsider to oflfer 

 suggestions, but one may venture respectfully to put 

 the matter with an example. There now exist 

 facilities for a fairly comprehensive study of the 

 mosses without the possession of Dr. Braithwaite's 

 " British Moss Flora ; " but supposing that splendid 

 monograph were being introduced at the present time, 

 or that the back numbers were to be obtained, it is 

 pnobable that all students of bryology, without 

 exception, who could afford the expense, would 

 purchase his work. In the same way, had the 

 hepatics been equally accessible, there is little doubt 

 the monograph in question would be obtained by 

 all whose means are commensurate with their 

 enthusiasm. I do not ignore Mr. M. C. Cooke's 

 useful little book, but the price is too small to admit 

 of more than it contains. 



The foregoing remarks must not be regarded as a 

 grumble, nothing could be further from the writer's 

 intention, but that they express the sentiments of 

 other botanists as well as himself is already an 

 ascertained fact. 



W. P. Hamilton. 



/, Underdalc Villas^ Shrewsbury. 

 May nth, rSgg. 



Science Excursion.?. 



To the Editor of SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Sir, — It has often occurred to me there are in this 

 country a number of persons interested in some branch 

 of natural science who have the reputation of 

 insularity, for the simple reason they have never had 

 an opportunity of studying Nature beyond their own 

 shores. Could not some arrangement be started for 

 occasional tours to well-known European collecting 

 grounds under the " Personally Conducted " System ? 

 I feel siire there are many entomologists, botanists, 

 and others, who are familiar with such places and 

 would gladly take charge of a party once a year. 

 These trips neetl not be expensive, if an honorary 

 secretary' and treasurer would volunteer to organise 

 them. 



Essex Naturalist. 



