2 24 



SCIENCE- G OSSIP. 



(iii) Variation in Shape, etc. — These are difficult to 

 describe, but the following points may be noted : — 

 (a) The mouth varies in shape and in the angle 

 which its greatest diameter makes with the axis of 

 the shell. (/8) The depth of suture and the appa- 

 rent or real tumidity of the whorls vary. (7) The 

 relative diameters of the apical and basal whorls 

 vary a good deal, producing (with similar varia- 

 tions about the peristome) specimens which may 

 roughly be contrasted as being cylindrical, conical, 

 or fusiform. (5) The texture of the shell seems to 

 differ to a certain extent in different individuals. 

 On the whole, the species seems to offer a good 

 field for anyone who cares to describe and name a 

 number of fresh varieties. — Arthur E. Boycott, 

 Hereford, October 6th, 1901. 



NOTICES OF SOCIETIES. 



Ordinary meetings are marked f, excursions 1 '' ; names of persons 

 following excursions are of Conductors. Lantern Illustra- 

 tions §. 



Geologists' Association. 



Dec. 6.— §" Notes on a Recent Visit to Egypt." C. W. 

 Andrews, D.Sc., F.G.S. 



North London Natural History Society. 

 Dec. 10. — t Annual Business Meeting. 



„ 17.— § Holiday Papers : 1. Mrs. Robbins ; 2. L. B. Hall. 



„ 17.— Special Exhibition of Members' Lantern Slides. 



Selborne Society. 



Dec. 6. — § " Palaeolithic and Neolithic Men and the Tools they 

 Used." N. F. Robarts, F.G.S. 



Hampstead Scientific Society. 



Dec. 6.— f General Meeting. " The Human Eye." Dr. A. 

 Hugh Thompson, M.A., M.D. 

 „ 11. — § Photograph c Section, Lecture on "Practical Land- 

 scape Photography." 

 „ 13.— § Natural History Section, " Parasites." A. W. Stokes, 



F.C.S., F.I.O. 

 ., 20. — f Photographic Section, " Hints to Beginners." 

 P. Joshua. 



Lambeth Field Club and Scientific Society. 



Dec. 2.— § Lecture, "Our Northern Constellations." F. P. 

 Perks. 

 „ 14. — * Visit to Science Galleries, South Kensington (Astro- 

 nomical Instruments). J. J. Hall, F.R.A.S. 



South London Entomological and Natural History 



Society. 

 Dec. 12. — f " A Few "Weeks in Central Spain." Dr. Chapman, 

 F.Z.S., F.E.S. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



A. H. (Rochdale). — " Text-book of Palaeontology," by Karl A. 

 von Littel, translated and edited by Charles R Eastman, Ph.D., 

 is one of the latest and most satisfactory books on the subject. 

 Published 1900 by Macmillan & Co., London. Get Vol. I. first, 

 with 1,476 woodcuts of Invertebrata, price 25s. net. It is better 

 to pay a good price for a first-class book than less for one that 

 may be misleading. See Science-Gossip, Vol. VI., page 340, for 

 full description. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Exchangers. — Science-Gossip is 

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

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

 for insertion in the following number. No communications can 

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 Notices of changes of address admitted free. 



Editorial Communications, articles, books for review, instru- 

 ments for notice, specimens for identification, etc., to be addressed 

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



Business Communications. — All business communications 

 relating to Science-Gossip must be addressed to the Manager, 

 Science-Gossip, 110 Strand, London. 



Subscriptions.— The volumes of Science-Gossip begin with 

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The Editor will be pleased to answer questions and name 

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

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

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Notice. — Contributors are requested to strictly observe the 

 following rules. All contributions must be clearly written on 

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JNOTICE. 



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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.— Mr. Allen's "Journal of Microscopy and Natural 

 Science" for 1897.-F. Shillington Scales, The Elms, Sunder- 

 land. 



Wanted to Exchange, Photographic View Lantern Slides for 

 Botanical or other Lantern Slides.— A. Nicholson, 67 Greenbank 

 Road, Darlingion. 



Wanted, Vols. 3 and 4 of "British Fungus-Flora," would 

 give in Exchange " Pringle's Practical Photo-Micrography" and 

 others. — John Chuter, Lion Green, Haslemere, Surrey. 



Wanted, Butterflies, British or Foreign ; British Moths and 

 Plants given in Exchange. Please send list of wants for 

 ensuing year. — J. W. Harrison, 1 Craig Street, Birtley, R.S.O., 

 Durham. 



Mons. P. Rousseau, Notre Dame de Monts, par La Barre de 

 Mont, Vendee, France, offers Plants, Fossils, Shells, Minerals, 

 etc., for similar objects. Sen 1 list of duplicates and desiderata. 



Wanted, good J-plate lens, camera body, or photographic 

 sundries of any kind. Exchange, well-mounted exhibition 

 microscopic slides, mounting materials, British land and fresh- 

 water shells, British lepidoptera, rare duplicates. — T. W. Brown, 

 Rockview, Wick Road, Brislington, Somerset. 



Science-Gossip.— Six years (18S2-1887) beautifully bound 

 half-calf ; unbound from Januar-y 19U0 to September 1901. 

 What offers ? Or exchange for Magic Lantern. — T. T. Ovens, 

 Warnock House, Ryedale, Dumfries. 



Science-Gossip (New Series). — Numbers from commencement 

 to present time (No. 65 m;ssing; offered for good Micro-Slides 

 of general interest. — Arthur Mayfield, School House, Mendlesham, 

 Stowmarket. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



A Garden Pond. By J. Leonard Monk. Illustrated.. 193 

 Nature Notes in South Africa. By Major H. A. 



Cummins, C.M.G., R.&.M.G ..194 



An Introduction to British Spiders. By Frank 



Percy Smth. Illustrated 196 



Courtship of Ghost-moths. By H. M' Arthur . . .. 198 

 The Structure of Plants : a Chapter, in Organic 



Evolution. By Rudolf Beer 199 



Butterflies of the Palaearctic Region. 'By Henry 



Charles Lang, M.D., F.E.S. .. .. ..202 



British Lepidopterology 203 



New British Ticks. By E. G. Whklkr. Illustrated . . 204 



Books to Read. Illustrated 204 



Science Gossip 207 



Microscopy 209 



Astronomy. Illustrated 213 



Photography. Illustrated .. 215 



Notes and Queries .. ..' . 218 



Chemistry 219 



Physics 220 



Botany 221 



Mollusca 223 



Notices— Exchanges 224 



