NOTES AND NEWS. 



l6l 



which may be cordially commended to all who desire to become better acquainted 

 with this fascinating family of plants ; and when a third edition is called for, as we 

 hope will soon be the case, perhaps the author may adopt some of the hints we 

 have given for its improvement. — H.B. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



The Sheffield Naturalists' Club, at its annual meeting on the 9th of December, 

 chose our old friend Dr. H. Clifton Sorby, F.R.S., as their president for 1885. 

 The Rev. W. H. Dallinger, F.R.S., and Mr. Edward Birks are the new vice- 

 presidents, and Mr. Arnold T. Watson treasurer, while for the seventh year in 

 succession Mr. J. Charles Burrell is honorary secretary. Messrs. A. H. Allen, F.I.C. , 

 G. Hann, W. G. Roper, A. Scargill, W. H. Walker, jun., and W. H. Watson 

 complete the Committee. The report showed that the membership was stationary, 

 and the balance-sheet was satisfactory. 



>oX 



The Club had to deplore two serious losses in the sudden deaths of Amos Carr 

 and John A. Blaydes. The loss of the former we have already noted. The latter 

 was well acquainted with the geological features of the district, and had formed 

 a most extensive collection, which we are happy to note has been purchased for the 

 Sheffield Public Museum. >oo< 



The thirteenth annual report of the vSheffield Naturalists' Club gives a list of 

 .plants which the Club has presented to the Public Museum of that town, all of 

 which were preserved and mounted by the late Amos Carr. It is gratifying to find 

 that the collections of so able a botanist should be preserved by the town whose 

 scientific history they will so well serve to illustrate. 



>CCMf 



Mr. Algernon F. Gissing, of Agbrigg, near Wakefield, who has lately presented 

 to the library of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union a copy of his late father's 

 'Materials for a Flora of Wakefield and Neighbourhood,' reprinted from the 

 Naturalist for 1 867, would be glad to have additional notes, whether of species or 

 localities, to render it more complete. 



>00< 



The fifteenth annual meeting of the Leeds Naturalists' Club was held on the 

 nth of December. A satisfactory report and balance-sheet were presented, and 

 the officers for 1885 elected, Mr. H. B. Hewetson being chosen as president. 



>co< ■ 



At the annual meeting of the Huddersfield Naturalists' Society, the officers for 

 the ensuing year were elected as follows : — President, Mr. A. Clarke ; vice- 

 presidents, Messrs. A. God ward and T. W. Woodhead ; treasurer, Mr. A. J. 

 Whiteley ; corresponding secretary, Mr. S. L. Mosley ; financial secretary, Mr. C. 

 Wall; curator, Mr. F. Ellis; librarian, Mr. H, Howard; committee, Messrs. J. 

 Beaumont, J. Tindall, J. H. Bartlam, E. Fisher, S. Kaye, G. H. Crowther, A. 

 Midwood, and W. Balmforth : botanic gardens sub-committee, Messrs. Clarke, 

 Mosley, Bartlam, Woodhead, Fisher, Godward, Wall, and Beaumont. Recorders ; 

 Botany, Mr. Woodhead; mycology, Mr. Clarke; entomology, Mr. Mosley. 



>oo< 



Entomologists who take interest in the fascinating study of variation in 

 Lepidoptera, will be glad to learn that Mr. W. F. de V. Kane, of Sloperton Lodge, 

 Kingstown, Co. Dublin, the author of the paper on 'Variation in European Lepidop- 

 tera' in our November number, proposes to publish further papers on the samesubject, 

 dealing particularly with a small portion of the field traversed by that paper. To 

 help him in this task, he would be glad if Entomologists would furnish him 

 with notes or references bearing upon the following points : — [a) Instances of 

 variation among macro-lepidoptera tending to connect any one species with 

 another — e.g., the markings of Lycana icartis approximating to the character 

 marks of L. adonis {bellargus), or other LycEenidae. {b) Any suggestions concern- 

 ing the genesis of sexual differences, and as to whether it is the male or the female 

 which has deviated from the original type. {c) Notes on protective colouring 

 o r protect ive habits among the macro-lepidoptera, especially the butterflies. 

 Feb. 1885. 



