493 
NOTES AND QUEEIES. 
" Sir, — Would tlieie not be some considerable advantage in bringing the works of 
the PalajontogViiphical Society before the notice of your readers ? Many persons, 
I am sure, are not aware of the existence of that excellent society, and would 
become subscribers if they knew the titles of the monographs now completed, and 
in progress. Many, too, would be willing to purchase particular volumes, if they 
wei-e informed that they were at liberty to do so. I leave, however, the subject in 
your hands, and reitiaiu, your obedient servant, Thomas Wilt.siiiiib Rectory 
Kread-strcet Hill." — We think a notice of the Paljcontographical Society a legiti- 
mate object, and we shall shortly act upon the suggestion of our correspondent, as 
too much publicity cannot be given to the many excellent memoirs alreuly published. 
To Extract Molluscous Animals fhom their Shells. — " The only trouble is 
with spiral shells, such as in Gasteropods. Slide them gently from a piece of paper 
into hot water, so as not to crack the shells ; let them boil a few seconds, then 
take them out and di\aw them by the method described below. If the shells are 
rare, or tliick, or delicate, you will eliminate the risk of crack or fracture thus: 
Put the shells into cold water, bolt it, then take the vessel off the fire, and allow 
it to cool gradually, so as to anneal the substance of the shells, before you com- 
mence operations. To draw out the animal : Take half-a- dozen inches of the 
finest piano-forte wive, give it two or three helical turns round a cylinder — round 
a black-lead-pencil does as well as anything; you then have a corkscrew-looking 
instrument, and with a knife and file you can give it a few barbed notches toward 
the point. Thus armed, with a little tact and delicacy of grasp, acquired by 
practice, you gently introduce the spiral wire into the body of the shell, being 
careful not to send the point through it, and upon withdrawing the wire with a 
spiral motion, you will extract the animal impaled upon it most satisfactorily. If 
you find the wire slippery to hold, get a grip upon it with a small hand-vice, such 
as watchmakers use.— Chakles Martel." 
Kent Natueal History Society. — "Deae Sie — I see in the Geologist 
this month an account of a meeting of the East Kent Natural History Society. 
I do not know to whom you are indebted for that report, but as it contains several 
inaccuracies, and as your Geologist is largely circulated among our members, I 
take this opportunity of correcting them. Firstly, it is stated that the associa- 
tion has been in obscure existence some years ; this society was only inaugurated 
in April last, and now numbers over 150 members. The meeting at Dover was 
not one of the annual meetings, but only one of four local meetings which have 
taken place this year. I enclose a prospectus of the society, and shall be happy to 
send you any reports of future meetings.— Yours faithfully, George Dowkee, 
Hon. Secretary, Stourmouth, Oct., 1858." — We regret the occurrence of the in- 
accuracies noticed, but we were lead into them both by the language of the 
communications we received and by the reports in the local newspapers. We 
know of the existence some years since of a Kent Natural History Society, the 
collection belonging to which was formerly at Maidstone, and part is still, we 
believe, in the Museum of that town, and part in the Museum at Dover. It is 
easily perceived how we were lead into the idea that it was a resuscitation of this 
society which had taken place. As a man of Kent, the Editor can but feel the 
warmest interest in this society, and will be obliged to the Secretary for the 
promised notices of its proceedings. 
" Dear Sir, — A short time since the tusk of an elephant was taken out of our 
clifi'. It has mouldered awa3' considerably since its discovery. Many bones and 
molar teeth of elephants have been taken out of our clitfs at different periods. 
There have been found, also, remains of Irish elk (Cervm Megaceros), and I have 
obtained a ear-bone of a whale, out of a large mound of gravel and sand, near 
Skipsea Brough. I am, dear Sir, &c , Edward Tindale, Bridlington." 
Geology of South Devon. — ■" Sib, — Can you inform me of any work on the 
geology of the district around Plymouth, South Devon, besides the Geological 
l;ci)<)rt of Sir H. Dc la licchc on Devon and Cornu mU ? — Yours &c., E. S. A." 
