:

This is what R. N. Worth does in his "Guide to S. Devon," same series as "Kent," published by Stanford & Co.; they are very good practical guides. I do not know whether the London Flora would include Kent; I should think it would embrace the borderland. You may find the following useful :Bentham's "Flora," revised by J. D. Hooker, last edition, 1887, 10s. 6d. ; Crespigny (C. de E.), “A New London Flora," 1877, 5s. I do not know of a later edition of this, nor do I know publishers' names. Any bookseller would order them, or you could get them cheaper by writing to Mr. W. Collins, Scientific Bookseller, 157, Great Portland Street, London, W., or to Mr. W. Wesley, Scientific Bookseller, 28, Essex Street, Strand, London, W.C., both of whom I can recommend; Hooker (J. D.), "Student's Flora of British Isles," Macmillan & Co., London, 10s. 6d. A revised edition of the above was, I believe, published about 1887.—F. Leigh.

THE VARIATIONS OF COLOURS IN PLANTS.-It may be interesting to readers of SCIENCE-GOSSIP to give a few instances of variation in colour of the same species of plants which have come under my notice. Some flowers are more various in colour than others. For instance, the common wild geranium may be found of a dark red, and light red of various shades, and is sometimes so pale as to appear almost white. The purple orchis of our meadows are of a very dark purple, others of a lighter hue, and some of a very pale red colour, while others may be found of a pure white colour. The flowers amongst which we find most examples are those of a blue, red, and purple colour. Among blue flowers I have noticed the following variations in colour. The selfheal is generally of a dark blue colour, but many flowers are lilac, though some may very often be found of a pure white; and the sweet violet and milkwort may often be seen of a blue, red, and white colour, and now and again a white specimen of the pretty little harebell may be gathered, but the colour is not a common one among them. We have more instances of variation in red and purple flowers than in any other colour, and I think I shall not be far wrong in stating that there are more examples in the two mentioned colours than in all others put together. The red campion, which is dark red, may be found of a very pale red colour, or almost white. The common knapweed changes in colour, and may sometimes be found white, while red clover may be seen of similar colours. Rest harrow is as various in the red colour as those just named, and is frequently white. The scarlet poppy and scarlet pimpernel, two flowers of our cornfields, though of so dark a colour, are often light red or even pink. The little field madder and field knautia may be found of various red colours, while white specimens of the purple foxglove and heather are of common Occurrence. The lesser convolvulus is white and

rose colour, the wood anemone is sometimes rosecoloured, and the common yarrow is occasionally red, while the common daisy of our meadows is often. fringed with red. The pretty yellow flowers of the bird's-foot trefoil have often a mixture of red, and some are entirely red, while the wild pansy of our cornfields may be found of various colours.-H. G. Ward.

CHLOROPHYLL AND LIGHT.-At least a brace of topics have been recently discussed in SCIENCE-GOSSIP that challenge a more than passing comment. One is the formation of chlorophyll in plants. It seems to be allowed by all the big botanical authorities that there are exceptions to the law that light is an indispensable condition for its formation. The germinating seeds of many coniferæ, and the fronds of ferns, for example, become green even in absolute darkness when the temperature is sufficiently high, and a bright green moss has been fished up out of the Lake of Geneva from a depth of two hundred feet. But let us take care that there be no mistake here. Are we quite sure that in every instance where a suit of green is worn by a plant fabric that the colour is due to chlorophyll? If we have got any decent sort of eye for colour at all, and endeavour to match the tint of a green gooseberry, for instance, with that of a beech leaf, shall we be satisfied? I fancy not; and wherefore? Simply because the colouring matter in the one case is not the same as that in the other. By personal experiment, I have become convinced that green elderberries and even the seed cases of the sycamore contain no chlorophyll; and I suspect that the green cotyledons found inside the melons and likewise that of the lemon, recorded in this journal, contain none either. But how can you tell that? what do you know about it? Well, I must appeal to the evidence of that most scientific of all instruments, viz., the spectroscope. An alcoholic solution of the substance in question, a small spectro, the use of an eye and a little brains, and the trick is done, the matter is decided. By reference to a back number of SCIENCE-GOSSIP we learn that a very thin layer of chlorophyll is sufficient to absorb all the orange, blue, and violet rays contained in the incident light; hence the spectrum ought to show very decided dark absorption bands in the portions thereof occupied by these rays respectively when white light is transmitted through a prism. When, therefore, an alcoholic tincture of, say, grass leaves is presented to the slit of the spectroscope, a very dark, broad, clearly outlined band is seen in the orange next the red, and the whole of the blue-violet portion is blotted out; sometimes two or three other fainter bands are also seen in the yellow and the green, but these are not characteristic as the former are. So far as I am aware, there is no distinctive chemical test for chlorophyll; as it is highly probable that it is not invariably of the same chemical composition, nor is

it in every case evolved from precisely the same organic constituents in the plant. The physical test now indicated is the only reliable means of detecting its presence; and therefore any solution not yielding the absorption spectrum aforesaid cannot be said to contain chlorophyll. This comment raises a further suggestion as follows. On reading the illustrations of vegetable teratology, so tastefully exhibited by the editor in last year's volume, many examples may be noted where sepals, petals, and other floral parts have been converted into green leaves or green foliar organs, or vice versa. The quandary here is to definitely settle the highly interesting and important problem whether these verdant appearances are really due to chlorophyll or not. It is obvious that a decisive solution either one way or the other would tend to eminently fortify or to seriously undermine the famous "Gothic" conception that floral organs (sepals, petals, stamens, &c.) are developed, or are modifications of foliar organs. Any vegetable out. growth whatever, though it be as green as the emerald, and present a foliar aspect and structure, cannot, if destitute of chlorophyll, be regarded as a leaf in any functional sense of the term.-P. Q. Keegan.

NOTE ON SCOLOPENDRIUM VULGARE, VAR. Lobatum, and ITS ALLIES.-During a recent walk (5th March) from Aust, Gloucester to Bristol, I found the roadsides, owing to the absence of other vegetation, very favourable to the observation of ferns. In sheltered places, notwithstanding the severity of the past winter, I noticed some fine specimens, chiefly of the common hart's-tongue, as green as at midsummier. The majority showed, by their semi-withered state, the advanced time of year; but, as a whole, I should be inclined to think that the excessive and long-continued cold has not unfavourably affected them. I was fortunate in finding two or three good, and, I hope, constant varieties, which I have yet to name or get named, and a very large number of specimens of the variety above mentioned. In looking at Swayne's old work on the Botany of the neighbourhood, I find but a single variety recorded, and that from the neighbourhood of Ashton ; but, of course, very much more must be known since the date of the publication of that book; but I regret that I am unable to refer your readers to these sources of information. The Botanical Secretary of the Bristol Naturalists' Society is editing in its Proceedings a very valuable record of the local flora; but I expect that the cryptograms have not as yet been dealt with. The variety Lobatum may be looked upon as occupy. ing a middle place between the simply bifurcated fronds and those which are much dissected and tasselled; all of them are undoubtedly related, and very inconstant, especially when transplanted, reverting almost invariably to the specific form. This fact has always been known to collectors and growers of British ferns. Ferns gathered with dormant fronds

in spring burst during the same season. In the natural state the amount of variation on the same plant is very great, extending from a simple tendency to bifurcate at the growing point of the midrib, and hardly visible on the margin, to a distinct separation of the fronds on a common stipe, a simple form of pinnation. This is the most notable case that has come under my own observation; but I have not as yet observed a sufficient number of plants to be able to say much as to the amount of variation in fronds growing from a single crown. Varieties, when they occur in nature, I find often occur together, and sometimes it requires a careful examination, by digging up the roots, before the fronds can be relegated to the crowns that support them. Although this variety, Lobatum, and its bifurcated and tasselled allies is generally distributed over the neighbourhood of Bristol, it can hardly be said to be common, except in a few favoured localities. Indeed, I have travelled long distances along our Somersetshire and Gloucestershire lanes without observing a single specimen. Speaking generally, I fancy they are rather more frequent in sheltered situations near the coast; but in returning from Aust to Bristol on the date mentioned, I observed so many that I thought the fact deserving of mention. In a lane running east and west on Keuper soil, near Aust, 90 yards long, with high banks, well shaded by hedges and elms, I counted no fewer than 117 separate plants, varying from simple bifurcation to strong cresting at the opposite extreme, the majority belonging to the intermediate variety Lobatum. These were nearly all strong, growing, handsome plant clusters, which, if divided, would double or treble the above mentioned number. Of the total number of Scolopendrium' plants, normal and abnormal, I should think, at a rough estimate, that the bifurcate and crested kinds must number probably a third. Both sides of the lane are sheltered and shaded by trees, but naturally the south side more than the other. Of the 117, 40 grew on the side facing the sun, and 77 on the other, a difference of nearly a half, and this difference would be true for the normal forms also. In the close vicinity, but on the sides of the main road, I observed several plants of the same variety. Proportionally, however, they were much scarcer. Both localities have a southern exposure.-T. Stock.

essentially of eruptive origin, though no trace has yet been found of the original discharge of any portion of them at the surface. Passing to the younger crystalline schists, which he classes under the term "Dalradian," he pointed to the evidence of included volcanic products in them throughout the Central Highlands of Scotland and the North of Ireland. The Uriconian series of Dr. Callaway he regarded as a volcanic group, probably much older than the recognised fossiliferous Cambrian rocks of this country. The Cambrian system he showed to be eminently marked by contemporaneous volcanic materials; and he discussed, at sonie length, the socalled pre-Cambrian rocks of North Wales. He reviewed the successive phases of eruptivity during the Arenig and Bala periods, and described the extraordinary group of volcanoes in northern Anglesey during the latter time. The volcanoes of the Lake District were next treated of, and reference was made to the recent discovery by the Geological Survey that an important volcanic group underlies most of the visible Lower Silurian rocks in the South of Scotland. The last portion of the address was devoted to an account of the volcanoes of Silurian time in Ireland, and it was shown that during the Bala period a chain of submarine volcanic vents existed along the east of Ireland from county Down to beyond the shores of Waterford; while in UpperSilurian time there were at least two active centres of eruption in the extreme west of Kerry and in Mayo.

FOSSIL FISH IN LOWER SILURIAN ROCKS.—A remarkable discovery is announced from America. The enormous number of fishes which so suddenly make their appearance in the Old Red Sandstone or Devonian, have always staggered evolutionists. The only reply was "the imperfection of the geological record"—the failure to come upon the rocks containing those experiments of nature which would supply the missing links. These, however, have now been discovered in western America. In the Lower Silurian sandstones near Cañon City, Colorado, there have been found hosts of fishes of a lower type than those in the Upper Silurian or Devonian. They are also the oldest backboned animals as yet known, and indicate that when the still more ancient Cambrian is fully investigated transition between the vertebrate and the invertebrate groups may be unearthed.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

FUNGUS GROWTH ON EGGS.-Can any reader of SCIENCE-GOSSIP suggest a remedy for a fungus that has got into my collection of eggs. It can be rubbed easily off coloured eggs, but leaves a dark mark on white eggs. The collection is kept in a thoroughly dry room, in drawers, covered with glass. All the specimens of my own collecting were well washed out. What can have caused the fungus? I intend putting carbolic acid in each drawer to keep off moths.

Will that have any effect in checking the fungus? I am told that carbolic acid is preferable to camphor, as the latter tends to produce dampness. Will the common brown acid do, or must it be the refined kind that is used?-T. Brown.

LOCAL CONCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY.-Being anxious to discover if there are any Conchologists in Exeter and neighbourhood who would join myself and friends here in establishing a local society, I should feel grateful if you would kindly allow me a few lines in your much read and widely circulated magazine for that purpose. Collectors in this part of England labour under disadvantages unknown to those living in the more favoured north. Every little piece of knowledge has to be painfully acquired. There are no well-known specialists to apply to; no museums with good local collections to which we can refer when difficulties arise. A walk through the Exeter Museum quickly shows how little general interest is taken in Conchology and Entomology in this county. There is certainly an attempt at a local collection of land and fresh-water shells, but to my knowledge it has not been added to, or re-arranged for years, and several of even the commoner local forms are misrepresented. A few persons interested in the science, who would co-operate and meet together from time to time for mutual encouragement and instruction, would undoubtedly very soon succeed in rendering this a less "dark" district, and if thoroughly worked I am very sure it would soon prove itself a very rich one, as with but few opportunities for collecting I have already found several species not in the county list.-L. J. S., Topsham, S. Devon.

THE GREAT YARMOUTH NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY held their annual meeting at the Free Library on Tuesday evening, January 27th. The Secretary read the annual report which showed the Society was financially better than last year. Notes were read on the black-headed gull, and long-eared bat, a living specimen of which was exhibited. Letters from the President, Sir James Paget, Rev. M. C. H. Bird, and Rev. E. N. Bloomfield, with which the latter gentleman enclosed a copy of his "Lepidoptera of Suffolk," and "Moss Flora, and Hepaticæ," of the same county. The papers read at the ordinary meetings were as follows: "Bird Mortality," "The Little Gull," "The Sole," "The Great Sirex," "Skulls of Birds," "Microscopic Fungi," "The Black Rat," "Bees and Bee-keeping, "Fivebearded Rockling," "" Fifteen-spined Stickleback," "The great Water Beetle," &c.

CUCKOO'S EGG IN A GREENFINCH'S NEST.-It is not, I think, a very frequent occurrence to find a cuckoo's egg in the nest of a hard-billed bird, being mostly found in the nest of the hedge-sparrow, and in the nest of other warblers. It may be interesting to some to know that a cuckoo's egg was discovered here in the spring of 1887 in a greenfinch's nest, which contained four.eggs of the greenfinch.-H. G. Ward, North Marston.

In a

THE following interesting occurrence, which was told to my cousin, who related it to me, may perhaps be interesting to readers of SCIENCE-GOSSIP. hedgerow around this village a blackbird built its nest last winter and laid five eggs, which were eventually hatched, and the young ones flew away. The young man who knew the nest, used, it seems, to visit it occasionally to see how the young ones were getting on. In one of his visits he found that the young ones had flown, and was greatly surprised to

find three more eggs laid in the old nest. I should be pleased if readers would record any similar instance which might have come under their notice. -H. G. Ward, North Marston.

THE TWO SIDES OF THE MEDAL.-Mrs. Bodington, in a not altogether novel parable, urges us to look on both sides of the medal, but gives little evidence of viewing more than one side of it herself. She is apparently more a follower of Spencer than of Darwin, but while she twits Wallace for not being abreast of the march of science, she herself clings to some of the most doubtful of Darwin's assumptions. Of Wallace, she writes: "He believes in natural selection pure and simple, with its odd theory of constant variations occurring without any reason, and owing their origin to nothing in particular." Well, to what do these variations owe their origin in Mrs. Bodington's opinion? They are due to the "law of the action of the environment upon irritable protoplasms "an explanation highly abstract and more metaphysical than biological. True, probably, as far as it goes, but not going very closely to the point. Now, Wallace, without thinking it worth while to give this account of the origin of variations, has placed the theory of natural selection on a much stronger basis than that on which Darwin built it. Wallace has shown that variations are, as a matter of fact, numerous in all directions. While every organism has a normal or average form and size for all its parts, both internal and external, yet no individual exactly hits this average, but all vary, in all their parts more or less, from the average form and size. For instance, suppose a bird has a wing of a certain length, and it would be to its advantage to have a somewhat longer wing... Now about half the individuals of the species must always have a little more than the average length of wing, while the other half have a little less than the average. The former will tend to prosper and propagate their kind, while the latter will decrease. The process begins at once. There is no waiting for fortuitous variation, as Darwin thought. Now, as for the transmission of acquired characters, when we find two men so widely apart in their general views as Wallace and Weissman unite in repudiating that doctrine, we must at least believe that a great deal can be said against it, and that the question cannot be settled so simply as Mrs. Bodington imagines. From the off-hand way in which she settles the matter, it is evident indeed that she does not clearly understand the question at all. She confounds the doctrine of inheritance of acquired characters with heredity in general. She strangely quotes the transmission of the peculiarity of supernumerary fingers as the transmission of an acquired character. She also refers to the transmission to offspring of phthisis and insanity; but the whole question hinges upon whether these disorders were acquired or congenital. As a great authority stated recently, the actual evidence in favour of the transmission of characters really acquired in the individual's lifetime amounts only to a few scattered anecdotes. I will only say in conclusion that Professor Weissman's theory of the continuity of the germ plasma is far from being as baseless in fact as Mrs. Bodington supposes. In numerous cases it is demonstrable that the reproductive cells or the rudiments of sexual organs are set apart at an early stage, in the development of the embryo. "They thus include some of the original capital of the fertilised parent ovum intact, they continue the protoplasmic tradition unaltered, and when liberated in turn they naturally enough develop as the parent ovum did." Preconceived

theories may sometimes blind men to facts; but a scientist of the calibre of Professor Weissman does not adopt his theories without some foundation in fact. The transmission of acquired characters is by no means essential to Darwinism. The essence of Darwinism is the principle of natural selection, and this must stand as a vera causa, and as one prime factor in the process of evolution, whatever the other factors may ultimately be proved to be.-7. W. Baylis, 56, Vine Street, Liverpool.

COLOURS OF EGGS.-It is a curious fact that, while we have more or less plausible reasons by which we account for the varied colours of birds, beasts, insects, and flowers, we seem to have no clue whatever to the reason for the equally beautiful and wonderfully-varied tints of birds' eggs. It is true, certain generalisations have been attempted. The basis of many of these is that the colours bear some relation to the environment, a protective function being assigned to them. M. Glöger, a German naturalist, many years ago followed this fancy to a considerable extent, and it is frequently still propounded in popular articles in various journals. According to these theorists, eggs are divisible into two classes: self-coloured, and spotted. Simple whites, blues, greens, and yellows, are considered to be most conspicuous, and therefore most dangerous, and these are said to be therefore hidden in hollows or covered nests; the colours of speckled eggs are supposed to blend with the shades of surrounding objects, or with the lining material of the nest. Of course these theories have no foundation in fact, and in every case the exceptions are as numerous as the examples adduced. Any schoolboy who has gone bird-nesting could produce abundant evidence to refute these notions of cabinet theorists. Dr.. Darwin ascribed the colours of eggs to the objects amongst which the mother-bird lives, acting upon the shell through the medium of the eye. Others. have surmised that there may be some relation between the colour of the plumage and that of the eggs. Perhaps the plumage of our domestic fowls. varies more than that of any other birds, yet they lay simple white or yellowish eggs, singularly unliable to vary. Chemists have recently brought their science to bear on the subject, and their investigations have led, I believe, to the discovery of two new compounds in the pigment of the egg of the emu, these were detected by means of the spectroscope. Abnormal varieties of eggs are worth recording; and I notice, with pleasure, that several of your readers are acting in accord with Mr. Nunn's suggestion, and forwarding to you reports of such variations as they have met with. As in botany, so in this department, what were once called monstrosities may act as guides to the past history of the species, and some clue may be found which will enable us to unravel. what is at present an inscrutable mystery in zoology. In my own experience I have met with some interesting varieties. White forms of normally deeper-tinted or spotted eggs are by no means rare. The robin often lays a pure white egg in a clutch of normal ones, and in two instances I have met with the entire clutch pure white; the guillemot very frequently lays eggs almost devoid of spots, but absolutely spotless specimens, although they do occur, are rare. Other white varieties I have met are those of the sparrow-hawk, greenfinch, canary, jackdaw, linnet, house-sparrow, and wren. most interesting case in this direction was a clutch of eggs of the red grouse, these were all pure white except one, which was slightly clouded with the faintest approach to coloration. Normally-spotted

But the

eggs frequently occur without markings, as in the song-thrush and many others (including in one case the rook). On the other hand, self-coloured eggs but rarely become accidentally maculated. I have seen eggs of the domestic fowl slightly spotted, and one particular hen during the whole of her laying career, produced somewhat heavily-dappled eggs, approaching in colour to those of the turkey. Eggs of the stonechat and whinchat seem to have dotted and undotted eggs with almost equal frequency, so that neither can be called decidedly the normal state. A pair of dark chestnut-mottled eggs of the green woodpecker were taken near Kipling, in Yorkshire, in 1881. These were exceedingly richly-coloured. Variations in the ground colours of eggs are less frequent than those of the markings. White jackdaw eggs with black markings are frequent in Cleveland, and are very handsome when heavilyspotted. The partridge-egg, with the small end green, described by Mr. Hewitt, and which I have seen, is a very remarkable freak. The markings themselves of eggs perhaps afford the most examples of aberration from the normal, but of these I cannot now treat, but will try to describe a few I have met with in a future note.-3. A. Wheldon, 32, Langham Street, Ashton-under-Lyne.

BATRACHOMYOMACHIA.-So far as I know, before the days of Homer, no battle between frogs and mice and rats has been recorded. The blind bard gives us the origin of the famous contest he describes; but those which I am about to relate appear to have been brought about in a different manner. Some little time ago a friend living at Comptom, Sussex, witnessed a singular spectacle ; in this case toads instead of frogs had fallen victims in an engagement. A legion of rats had assailed a small army of toads and rent them limb from limb, as their mutilated carcases testified. They did not appear to have devoured many of the toads. Perhaps, having tasted them, they did not like them. Last week a strange combat took place at Chichester, of which I extract the following account from the "West Sussex Gazette": A rat and a frog were found near the stables of Dr. Buckell, East Pallant, having met their death in mortal duel. The rat had seized the frog's head, and its teeth protruded through the eye; the frog had also taken a firm grip of its opponent. Both declining to release their hold, or perhaps being unable to do so: they had probably died of starvation. This strange couple are to be preserved for the Chichester Museum. What could have caused this quarrel? The rat was of Hanoverian or German extraction, and the frog possibly of French origin, which would at once account for it; but, as there is no evidence as to the latter, perhaps a different reason may be assigned. Does any correspondent know of similar battles recently?— F. H. Arnold.

MOUNTING SHELLS.-I have collected shells for some years, and have used gelatine (that sold at the confectioners in pellets) to fasten them on card tablets, melting it like glue in a vapour bath, but on floating some of the shells off I find a mark where the gelatine has been, and am afraid it injures the shells. Can any reader advise me on the matter?— Mary Priest.

HEREDITY. In the great discussion now going on as to whether any modifications acquired during the life of the parent are transmitted to the offspring, can any one give any information as to the size of feet of Chinese babies, after fashion for centuries has crushed in the feet of the mothers? Darwin, I think,

mentions the peculiar canter of Shetland ponies as being due to the boggy nature of the ground across which they run wild so long. At a loan exhibition held here, I was amazed at the small size of a pair of Chinese women's shoes exhibited. They were more like shoes for a six-months'-old baby in this country, or for a doll, than for any adult.-J. Shaw.

RAT STORIES.-The following stories of rats were communicated to me by a person living at Cushendall, co. Antrim. A farmer living near the village had a cask full of pickle for curing meat. This cask was placed near a shelf on which was a dish where three large crabs had been placed; one of them was boiled, the other two were alive. A rat prowling for food smelt the cooked fish, and had just commenced his meal when one of the crabs seized him by one of the forelegs and held such a grip that both tumbled over into the pickle. The farmer coming next day to get the crabs, wondered extremely what had become of one of them, and thought it was stolen, and after searching about discovered it and the rat at the bottom of the cask, the crab still holding on firmly. Both were drowned. Another rat was observed by a farmer in the month of April, when rats leave the rick-yards for the fields, to be assisted on his journey by two rats, one on each side, supporting him by a stick which the maimed rat held in his mouth. This rat had evidently been caught in a trap, as both his forelegs were broken. This, I think, shows reasoning.-S. A. Brenan.

CLASSIFICATORY POSITION OF THE MOLLUSca.— Can anybody state, as succinctly as possible, the precise reasons why the Mollusca have been placed in a higher position in the scheme of animal classification than the Annulosa ?—P, Q. K.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

now

TO CORRESPONDENTS AND EXCHANGERS.-As we publish SCIENCE-GOSSIP earlier than formerly, we cannot undertake to insert in the following number any communications which reach us later than the 8th of the previous month.

TO ANONYMOUS QUERISTS.-We must adhere to our rule of not noticing queries which do not bear the writers' names. TO DEALERS AND OTHERS.-We are always glad to treat dealers in natural history objects on the same fair and general ground as amateurs, in so far as the "exchanges" offered are fair exchanges. But it is evident that, when their offers are simply DISGUISED ADVERTISEMENTS, for the purpose of evading the cost of advertising, an advantage is taken of our gratuitous insertion of "exchanges," which cannot be tolerated.

WE request that all exchanges may be signed with name (or initials) and full address at the end.

SPECIAL NOTE.-There is a tendency on the part of some exchangers to send more than one per month. We only allow this in the case of writers of papers.

TO OUR RECENT Exchangers.-We are willing and helpful to our genuine naturalists, but we cannot further allow disguised Exchanges like those which frequently come to us to appear unless as advertisements.

UVA URSI.-Write to the secretaries of the Chemical Society, and also to the secretary of the Institute of Chemistry, for rules of admission.

W. F.-You will find "The Journal of Microscopy and Natural Science," published at 6d. monthly (London: Baillière, Tyndall & Co.), very useful. "The Microscope" (an American Journal), may be had of Mr. W. P. Collins, 157 Great Portland Street, London, W.

S. J. BEBAC.-Write to Mr. W. J. Cain, Hon. Sec. Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Woodburn Square, Douglas, for information respecting the lepidoptera of the island.

W. D. R.-We hope to print your list of Aberdeen shells shortly.