192 



SCIENCE- GOSSIF. 



A Novel Spider-hunt. — On the evening of 

 August 13th, having a few hours to spare, I 

 decided to celebrate sucli an unusual condition of 

 tilings by a spider foray. I therefore visited a 

 hotel in City Koad, E.G., and, accompanied by my 

 friend, Mr. P. Couch, the son of the proprietor, 

 descended into the vaults, with the intention of 

 investigating the araneidan fauna of that dismal 

 locality. The expedition was highly successful. 

 From ceiling and wall were festooned enormous 

 accumulations of webs formed by Tcgeiiaria 

 domc'Stica Clk., and in the corners funnel-shaped 

 tubes were formed, in which one could obser\e the' 

 forms of the watchful spiders. The specimens 

 taken were all plump, although it is a mystery 

 where the food supply could have been obtained. 

 Intermixed with the larger webs were the fragile 

 snares of Leptliijpkantes leprnsiis Ohl. The owners 

 were almost invariably beneath their webs, but 

 their agility was so great that capture was a 

 matter of some difficulty. Our attention was next 

 called to some tiny lenticular egg-sacs upon the 

 walls, and, after close search, the owners were 

 found, and turned out to be the rare Tapinoeyha 

 suhitanea Cb. The walls producing nothing further, 

 our attention was bestowed upon the boards which 

 were lying upon the ground. The first one we 

 turned produced startling results, for no less than 

 five specimens of AmaitrohUis ferox Wlk. were dis- 

 turbed, their large size being exaggerated by the 

 uncertain flicker of the candle-light. AmaurobiJis 

 siiiiiUii Bl. was also found in the same position. 

 Turning as a final resource to boards standing 

 against the wall, we were delighted to find a pretty 

 slender -legged creature carrying a globular egg- 

 sac, which was at once recognised as Nestious 

 celliilavHs Clk. ^Yith several spcteimens of this 

 prize, we again sought the upper world, a micro- 

 scopical examination of our captures terminating a 

 most enjoyable and profitable evening. — Frank P. 

 SmitJi, 13 Clarendon Place, Islington. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To OORRESrONDEN'J^ AND EXCHANGER.S.— SCIENCE-GOSSIP is 



pablished ou the 25th of each month. All notes or short com- 

 municatious should reach ns not later than the 18th of the month 

 for insertion in the following number, is'o communications can 

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

 Notices of changes of address admitted free. 



Editorial CoMMrxicATioxs, articles, books for review, instru- 

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

 to JoHK T. OAuniNGTON, 110 Straud, London, W.O. 



Business Commcnicatioxs.— All business communications 

 relating to SciENXE-GossiP must be addressed to the Manager, 

 SciEKCE-GossiP, 110 strand, London. 



Subscriptions.— Ttie volumes of Science-Gossip begin with 

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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 atone time, carriage paid. Duplicates only to be sent, 

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

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 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. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



0. H. M. (Stalybridge).— The four-winged flies' are males of 

 an homopterous insect of the family Aphidae or plaut-lice. 

 Tbey are abundant in most places during dry weather in 

 autumn, and fly in "swarms," probably on account of a sudden 

 change of temperatui e. 



NOTICES OF SOCIETIES. 



Ordinary meetings are marked f* excursions ^- ; names of persons 

 following excursions are of Conductors. Lantern Illustra- 

 tions^. 



BiRKEECK NaTLTBAL HlSTOllT SOCCETV. 



Kov. 9 — « Hampstead Heath. H. W, I^nthank, B.A,. B.Sc. 

 ,, „ — Annual General Meeting. 



North London Katcral History Society. 

 Nov. 1-2. -Pocket Box Exhibition. 



„ 16. — '^- Museum of Prnctical Geology. 



„ 26.-§ " More Pictures of Bird Life."" 0. G. Pike. 



Lambeth Field Club and Scientific Society. 

 Nov, 4 — t *■ Fruits and Seeds." E. J. Davies. 



5, 16. — ^ Natural History Museum — Botanical Gallery. E. J. 



Davies. 

 „ 18. — t " A Visit to Shakespeare's Birthplace." Miss A. 

 "Wall. 



Selborne Society. Croydon and Norwood Branch. 

 Nov. 1. — t " A Demonstration on Fungi." Dr. Franklin 

 Parsons. 



City of Londox Entojiological and Natl'ral History 



Society. 

 Nov. G. — t Discassion : ''The British Species of the Genus 

 Eurymus." 

 „ 20.— t Discussion : -'Sugaring." 



Hampstead Scientific Society. 

 Nov. 1.— Conversazione. 

 „ 4.— t Astronomical Section, '• Light," Lecture I. P. E. 



Vizard. 

 „ 11.— t Di'to ditto Lecture II, 



,, 13.— § Photographic Section, ""What can bs done with a 



Hand Camera." 

 „ IS.— f Astronomical Section, " Liglit," Lecture III. P, E. 



Vizard. 

 .. 25.— t Ditto ditto Lecture IV. 



„ 29. — Photographic Section. Annual Section, 



Geologists' Assocjatiox. 

 Nov. 1. — Couvei"sa7.ione. 



EXCHANGES. 



Notice. — Exchanges extending to thirty words (mcluding 

 name and address) admitted free ; but additional words must be 

 prepaid at the rate of threepence for every seven words or less. 



Offered : Hesperia lineola from Essex. AVanted : Local 

 butterflies. — W. R. Hayward, Sawbridgeworth, Herts. 



Rock Specimens and Coal Measure Fossils, also thin slices of 

 rocks for grinding for microscopic slides for geological speci- 

 mens. Lists exchanged.- W. Hemingway, 170 Old Mill Lane, 

 Barnsley. 



Micro Material. — Wanted, stirche?. diatoms, zoophytes, 

 Coleoptera (good British or foreign), also sponge spicules or 

 other interesting marine specimens. Must be correctly named. 

 Send list and quantity. Liberal exchange given in either other 

 material, mounted specimens, or microscopic appai'atus. — 

 K. Mason, 69 Park Road, Clapham, London, S-W. 



DiATO.MS. — Having a considerable quantity of superfluous 

 ma'crial, 1 should be pleased to hear from others studying the 

 Diatoraacea;.— G. H. Bryan, Plas Gwyn, Bangor, N. Wales. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



Meteorological Notes in South Africa. By Major 



H. A. Cummins, C.M.G., R.A.M.O. Illustrated .. 161 

 Vaccination, By H. H. Baker, B.A. (Oxou.) .. ..166 

 Butterflies of the Palaearctic Region. By Henry 



Charles Lang, M.D., F.E.S. Illustrated .. .. 1G8 



Recent Criticisms on the Zoological Society .. 170 



An Introduction to British Spiders. By Frank 



Peiicy Smith .. ..173 



Books to Read. Illustrated 175 



Science Gossip 178 



Photography 180 



Astronomy. Illustrated .. ' 181 



Chemistry 194 



Physics. Illustrated .. . . . . 185 



Microscopy. Illustrated . . .. .. , . . . 186 



Botany. Illustrated 188 



In Memoriam 191 



Notes AND Queries 191 



Notices— Exchanges 192 



