92 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



The numerous naturalists in Yorkshire who number Mr. Thomas Lister, of 

 Barnsley, amongst their friends or acquaintances, will probably be interested in 

 knowing that he was presented with his portrait by the members of the Barnsley 

 Naturalists' Society, at an influentially attended meeting held Feb. 1 5. The portrait, 

 which is a faithful representation of the veteran ornithologist, has been executed 

 in carbon by Mr. Gothard, of Barnsley. Dr. Lancaster, in making the presenta- 

 tion, spoke highly of the services rendered to the vSociety by Mr. Lister during the 

 past twenty years, for fourteen of which period he occupied the chair, and also of 

 his readiness at all times to give to young naturalists the benefit of his many years' 

 experience. Messrs. J. Hutchinson, S. Broadhead, and Wm. E. Brady followed 

 to the same effect. Mr, Lister, in returning thanks, expressed it as his wish that 

 the portrait should always be hung in the meeting-room of the Society, in whose 

 meetings he had taken a ^pleasurable and active part for so many years. 



-XXX 



At the February meeting of the Entomological Society of London, Mr. Francis 

 Galton, F. R.S., read a paper on ' Pedigree Moth-breeding as a means of verifying 

 certain important Constants in the General Theory of Heredity.' In this paper 

 Mr. Galton suggested the institution of a system of experimental breedings, to be 

 continued for several years, with the object of procuring evidence as to the precise 

 measure of the diminution of the rate at which a divergence from the average of 

 the race proceeds in successive generations of continually selected animals. Mr. 

 Frederic Merrifield read a paper (by way of an appendix to Mr.' Galton's paper) 

 entitled ' A proposed method of breeding Selenia ilhistraria, with the object of 

 obtaining data for Mr. Galton.' Mr. M'Lachlan said he considered the fact that 

 S. illustraria was dimorphic an objection to its selection for the experiments pro- 

 posed by Mr. Galton, and he suggested that the Common Silkworm Moth, or some 

 other large Bombyces, would be more suitable to Mr. Galton's purposes. Prof. 

 Meldola called Mr. Merrifield's attention to some observations on Selenia illus- 

 trai'ia by Dr. Knaggs, in vol. iii of the Ent. Mo. Mag., which had some bearing 

 on the projected experiments; and he remarked that although, for some reasons, 

 the species selected was well adapted for testing Mr. Galton's conclusions, he 

 believed that the fact of the moth being seasonally dimorphic was likely to intro- 

 duce disturbing elements into the experiments which might influence the results. 



We notice in a Southport newspaper lately sent us that our valued contributor, 

 Dr. J. W. Ellis, who is Recorder of Economic Entomology for the counties of 

 Lancashire and Cheshire, wishful to be of use to the agriculturists of those 

 counties, is prepared to advise as to the best or the least expensive methods of 

 counteracting insect-attacks on agricultural produce, and we would take this 

 opportunity of suggesting to our readers how easily they could forward the work 

 by calling attention to it in their local newspapers. 



>ocX 



The Yorkshire Boulder Committee has commenced its work by sending to each 

 Society affiliated with the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union a schedule of inquiries 

 relative to boulders, whether they occur isolated or in groups. The desire of the 

 Committee is to have the character of its work widely known and practically 

 done throughout the county, and therefore any reader of the Naturalist^ being 

 aware of the existence of any boulder or groups of the same in Yorkshire, should 

 report this to the Secretary, who will at once supply a schedule upon which to 

 record particulars. The Committee consists at present of Professor Green, M.A., 

 F.R.S. (Leeds), Chairman; Mr. C. D. Hardcastle (Leeds), Vice-Chairman ; Rev. 

 E. Maule Cole, M.A. (Wetwang) ; Professor Miall, F.G.S. (Leeds); Messrs. 

 J. E. Bedford (Headingley); C. Brownridge, F.G.S. (Horsforth); S. Chad wick 

 (iMalton); W. Cheetham (Horsforth); J. W. Davis, F.G.S. (Halifax); john Hill 

 (Morley); B. Holgate, F.G.S. (Hunslet) ; W. Home (Leyburn) ; J. R. Mortimer 

 (Driffield); T. Tate, F.G.S. (Leeds); J. W. Woodall, F.G.S. (Scarborough); and 

 S. A. Adamson, F.G.S. (52, Wellclose Terrace, Leeds), Secretary. 



Naturalist, 



