196 



NORTHERN NEWS. 



Under the name ' Agriolimax I avis var. nov. nigra Rbk,' Mr, W. Dcni- 

 son Roebuck describes a melanic form of the Marsh Slug, from the Orkneys- 



' The occupies among nature lovers,' we read in a weekly paper, 



' somewhat the position Truth does among other people.' — Somewhat, and 

 Truth are good ! 



The Secretary of the Victoria Institute is circularising likely people 

 to become members of the Institute. We notice that 'it is to be under- 

 stood that only such as are professedly Christians sre entitled to become 

 members.' 



We understand from the ' Manchester Evening News ' that ' by means 

 of geological specimens and shells, elementary botany is taught.' Respect- 

 ing this, ' Punch ' adds ' and, vice versa, a primrose by the river's brim was 

 just'geology to him, and it was nothing more.' 



Mr. E. A. Newbery record- ' Meligethes vidu-'tus, Sturm, var. csstima- 

 hilis, Reitt., an addition to the British list of Coleoptera,' in the April 

 ' Entomologist's Monthly Magazine.' The specimens were found by 

 Mr. F, H. Day, in Cumberland. From the same county, Mr. Day describes 

 an unrecorded form of Laccohius nigriceps, Th. 



The Chester Town Council have adopted a scheme for the munici- 

 palisation of the well-known Grosvenor Museum, which should now prove 

 even more useful than has been possible in the past. Similarly, at Ilkley, 

 we are glad to learn from the ' Museums' Journal,' that specimens in the 

 old museum are to be taken care of by the town, and will be better housed 

 and displayed. 



We understand that the late Henr}'^ Clifton Sorby has made provision 

 for the endowment of a Chair of Geology at the University of Sheffield. 

 In addition he has bequeathed to the citizens of Sheffield his large series 

 of animals and the marine algae' mounted as lantern slides illustrative of 

 the natural history of Kent, Essex, and Suffolk, and such of his gold medals, 

 pictures, prints, drawings, framed photographs, works of art, china, silver 

 plate, natural history specimens, and preparations as the Corporation of 

 Sheffield may consider suitable for a public art gallery'and museum. 



The Dublin meeting of the British Association will be held on September 

 2-9, under the presidency of Mr. Francis Darwin, F.R.S. The sectional 

 presidents are as follows : — A, Dr. W. N. Shaw, F.R.S, ; B, Prof. F, S. 

 Kippling, F.R.S. ; C, Prof. J. Jolv, F.R.S. ; D, Dr. S. F. Harmer, F.R.S. ; 

 E, Major E. H. Hills, C.M.G. ; F, Lord Brassey, K.C.B. ; G, Mr. Dugald 

 Clerk ; H, Prof. W. Ridgeway ; 7, Dr. J. S. Haldane ; K, Dr. F. F. Black- 

 man, F.R.S. : L, Prof. L. C. Miall, F.R.S. There will also be a sub- 

 section of Section F, to be concerned with agriculture, and the Chairman 

 will be Sir Horace Plunkett, K.C.V.O., F.R.S. 



The members of the Yorkshire Geological Society had a pleasant excur- 

 sion in the Oswestry district during the Easter holidays. The first day 

 the excursion, according to the official programme, was to Gl}^ Ceiriog, 

 Selattyn, and Cae Deicws, and they examined the igneous rocks about 

 Llanarmon. On the second day they went to Llanrhaiadr, Pistyll Rhaiadr, 

 Llyn-llyn Caws, Cader Berwyn, and Craig-y-Glyn. On the following day 

 they saw Carreg-y-big, and examined the Cefn-y-fedw sandstone, and 

 also visited Maes-y-Craig, Llawnt, Glascoed, Pant hir, Treflach Wood, and 

 Nant Mawr. They next went to Llanymynech, Llanyblodwell and Porth- 

 y-Waen, and on the last day saw the Eglwyseg rocks in the Bronheulog 

 Quarry, and walked over the Cefn-y-fedw series. After that they returned 

 home, and cooled their swollen tongues in ice, etc. One geologist was 

 noticed to have labelled his luggage for ' Rhaiandr Rhwd, Llwds ' ; and 

 another was for ' Burkynhwdd, Llywrpwll ' ! 



Naturalist, 



