B^ort notes nnb C^iuries. 



Polia Jiavocincta, var. meridionalis in Britain. — From a description 

 of the variety 7mridio7ialis (Boisd.) of Polia flavocincta, recently sent to 

 me by Mr. W. F. Kirby for the purpose, I find that the form of the 

 insect taken in this district (and I should think in other parts of the West 

 Hiding) is that variety. I do not think the paler real type of the species 

 occurs here at all, but meridionalis is abundant enough ; whilst South of 

 England specimens seem to be all of the paler ordinary type. Meridio- 

 nalis is known in Corsica, but I believe has not previously been recorded 

 as occurring in Britain. Guenee describes Polia Jiavocincta var. meridio- 

 nalis from Corsica as follows :— " The black atoms are so numerous as to 

 make the ground colour dark ashy in male, and grey-black in female. 

 The orange colour is also more intense, and the patches of orange on the 

 subt. 1. are surrounded on both sides by ill-defined blackish marks, which 

 lose the sagittate form. Hind wing considerably darker, distinctly 

 bordered with black : the lunule in the cell is well marked, and nearly 

 touches the median line above ; while below, where it is still more sharply 

 defined, it is as far from it as in the type." — Geo. T. Porritt, Highroyd 

 House, Huddersfield, Feb. 9th. 



A Correction. — In the account of the meeting of the Bradford 

 Naturalists' Society, last month, the report is hardly worded to express 

 what I said. I referred to the " supposed animal nature of the Myxo- 

 mycetes," by Messrs. S. Kent, F. B. White and others ; I did not say 

 that I held them to be of an animal nature. Then again : with regard to 

 the lichens I said that most of the leading botanists — not mycologists — 

 classed them as fungi, neither did I subscribe to this opinion. The fact 

 is, that physiological and morphological botanists mostly swell the ranks 

 of those who hold the Schwendenerian doctrine, whilst practical botanists 

 (followers of Linne), who know most about species, still assert that the 

 lichens are a distinct class of plants. — W. West, Bradford, 17th Feb. 



REVIEW.—" A List of British Birds," and " The Graduated List," 

 H. W. Marsden, Regent-street, Gloucester : 6d. — Mr. Marsden has 

 compiled two more of his useful lists, under the above titles — this time for 

 the benefit of ornithologists and oologists. The first-named, indeed, 

 comprises both lists, the ''Graduated" being added as an appendix. 

 Separately, the "Graduated List" is gummed for labelling eggs, and 

 consequently printed on one side only. There are several advantages 

 over other lists we have seen ; for instance, the different sections of 

 British birds are clearly and accurately indicated ; the occasional visitors 

 of the European faunas ; the accidental visitors of exotic faunas ; the 

 African, American, Asiatic, and Australian visitors — are not only all 

 added, but the natural habitat of each species clearly shewn. Altogether 

 we consider the lists the most perfect we have seen, and, as such, 

 thoroughly recommend them to our readers. 



