YEW-TREE POISONING CATTLE (p. 44).—I am old enough to remember an unsettled controversy on this point in "Gardener's Chronicle," 1848. It came up again in 1854 and was then closed in two letters, the conclusion being that we must admit the leaves of the yew to be "poisonous," but they are not fatal unless taken in quantity in a fasting stomach. It would be desirable for your recent correspondent tell the public whether the horses of which he wrote were all fasting or not. I am not able to search the G. C. later than 1854.-W. Gee, Freshford, Bath.

GEOLOGY, &c.

THE DICYNODON IN THE ELGIN SANDSTONES. -For many years past this formation has been a much-debated ground to geologists. Some affirmed it was the new red sandstone-others, that it must be the old red. Geology is expected to throw light on the modern doctrine of evolution. The latter theory maintains, above all things, the gradual development of life on our earth. The debated formation above alluded to looked like the old red sandstone; but there had been a little fossil terrestrial reptile, of high organisation, called Telerpeton, found in it many years ago. Now, according to the law of succession of life upon the earth, this reptile had no business to be found in the old red sandstone formation. Its proper place of appearance was much later on. Other incidental fossil remains were found associated with the Telerpeton, all of which suggested them to be of much later date than the old red. When the British Association met at Aberdeen in 1885, there was an excursion to the quarry in the Elgin sandstone where the reptilian remains had been found, and a geological discussion took place. Within the last few weeks there has been a new find of fossils in the same quarry. These will not only settle the debate, geologically and evolutionistically, but they are full of novelty besides. In South Africa there is a wellknown formation, which has been fully regarded all round as equivalent in age to the new red sandstone of Cheshire and Warwickshire, that has produced a variety of fossil extinct reptiles, which have not hitherto turned up anywhere else. Among the recent "finds" in the Elgin sandstone of Scotland are the remains of the chief fossil reptile hitherto found only in South Africa a creature called Dicynodon. So a few extra fossil bones have practically settled two generations of geological discussion, and Evolution is again justified of her children.

POST-GLACIAL TIME.-A paper on this subject by T. Mellard Reade, C. E., F.G.S., has just been read at the Geological Society. The author showed that there exists on the coast of Lancashire and Cheshire an important series of post-glacial deposits which he

has studied for several years. The whole country to which his notes refer was formerly covered with a mantle of low-level marine Boulder-clay and sands, and the valleys of the Dee, Mersey, and Ribble were at one time filled with these glacial deposits. These glacial beds have been much denuded, especially in the valleys, where the rivers have cleared them out, in some cases, to the bed rock. Most of this denudation occurred during a period of elevation succeeding the deposition of the low-level Boulderclay. On this eroded surface and in the eroded channels lay a series of post-glacial beds of a most interesting and extensive nature. They consist of estuarine silt and Scrobicularia-clay covered by extensive peat-deposits, containing the stools of trees rooted into them. Upon these lie, in some places, recent tidal silts, and on the coast margin blown sand and sand dunes. The series of events represented by the denudation of the low-level Boulderclay and the laying down of these deposits is as follows:-Ist, elevation succeeding the glacial period, during which time the Boulder-clay was deeply denuded in the valleys. 2nd, subsidence to about the 25-feet contour, when the estuarine silts and clays were laid down. 3rd, re-elevation, representing most probably a continental connection with the British Isles, during which time the climate was milder than at present, and big trees flourished where now they will not grow. 4th, subsidence to the present level, the submersion of the peat and forest-beds, the laying down of tidal silt upon them, and the accumulation of blown sand along the seamargin extending to a considerable distance in an inland direction. It was estimated, from a variety of considerations, that these events, all posterior to the glacial period, represent a lapse of time of not less than 57,500 years allotted as follows::-40,000 years for the elevation succeeding the glacial period measured by the denudation of the Boulder-clay in the valleys, 15,000 years for the accumulation of the estuarine silts, clays, peat, and forest beds, and 2500 years for the blown sand.

THE GEOLOGISTS' ASSOCIATION.-The last part of the " Proceedings" contains papers on "The Formation of Agates," by W. J. Lewis Abbott ; on "The Geology of Cornwall," by T. H. Collins, and "Notes on the London Clay and its Deposition," by J. Starkie Gardner, etc.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

ECCENTRICITIES OF INSECT LIFE.-The following notes may interest your correspondent, Peter Kirk, and others :-The past season has been a fairly good one for entomologists. One peculiar feature in the abundance of lepidopterous insects has been the recurrence of the yellow underwing moth (Tryphana pronuba) in fairly large numbers. This moth was

very plentiful some five or six years ago, since which time it has not occurred in anything like full force of numbers. At the time we mention we have seen as many as sixty at a time feasting at one patch of "treacles;" in fact it was quite a nuisance, shouldering off every other insect which came to the sweets, for it is a large, strong insect, and not to be despisel as far as beauty goes; but when occurring in such vast numbers as it does occasionally one is apt to vote it a nuisance. At the time we speak of we were compelled to kill them by hundreds; it was of no use to drive them off, they were there again directly, so slaughter was our only defence against them. The toads did not mind, though. We found several sitting at the foot of each tree greedily gobbling up such insects as fell down from under our thumb. It is surprising what remarkable instinct these creatures display in this matter; they will assuredly discover trees that have been "treacled," and there they sit at the foot. Woe is it to any intoxicated insect happening to fall to the ground; it is snapped up in an instant. We should, perhaps, explain to such of our readers as do not understand "treacling," that it is a method of capturing certain kinds of moths by alluring them within reach by means of a sweet bait composed of rum and treacle. This is brushed on the trunks of trees, and is quickly scented out by the insects, who congregate to sip the sweets, and thus are easily captured. The toads, however, are not the only purloiners of our treasures; the bats soon find out the game, and will pick off the insects from the trunks of the trees as they pass to and fro in flight. We have seen the cross-rail of a fence under a "treacled" tree literally covered with the wings of moths; the bat only devours the soft, juicy bodies, clipping off the wings neatly and quickly. It is a peculiar characteristic of insect life, that certain species will occur at times in great profusion (as above), then disappear for years altogether, or only be seen in meagre numbers, again appearing, as at first, in vast numbers. This peculiar trait in insect life cannot be satisfactorily accounted for; many hypotheses have been put forward, but in no instance have they been substantiated by actual facts.-W. Finch, jun., Nottingham.

**The above from my own pen appeared in the "Nottinghamshire Guardian" quite recently.

Fox EGGARS.-For the benefit of the writer of the query respecting "Fox Eggars," in SCIENCEGOSSIP for February, I append the following cutting from my article on Lepidopterist's Work in the August issue of SCIENCE-GOSSIP, 1886."Many larvæ taken this month will be noticed to feed slowly and in a very deliberate manner. If kept, these will prove to be hybernating larvæ. It is often difficult so to preserve the conditions of nature throughout the winter as to keep these larvæ in health. They frequently die, refusing all food in a most obstinate manner. Of these larvæ I will merely mention those of the fox-moth (B. rubi), which are exceedingly handsome and well worth preserving. have found them in great numbers on the Lincolnshire coast, close to the sea, feeding on brambles, etc. Yet, strange to say, I have never yet seen the cocoon or perfect insect there. If any of my readers possess a refrigerator they will be able to keep these larvæ throughout the winter by placing them therein; they hybernate full fed,' and spin up almost immediately upon emergence from the lethargic state. Judging from those I have kept, however, I should say that they are the favourite victims of the various Ichneumons." From the above it will readily be seen that the larvæ are

hybernating, but I very much doubt whether they will be successfully reared.-W. Finch, jun., Nottingham.

This

"NEST OF AUSTRALIAN FLY" AND THE NEW ZEALAND SPIDER WASP, OR MASON FLY.-The insect described by Mr. George Browne (see SCIENCE-GOSSIP for October, p. 239), is probably Pompilus fugax, which is, I believe, found in South Australia. However that may be, it is evidently closely allied to the New Zealand spider wasp (also erroneously called Mason Bee), and I therefore give a few particulars concerning our species, which may possibly possess some interest for your correspondent. The New Zealand spider wasp is, I believe, a species of Pompilus (P. monachus?), is black and shining with smokyhyaline wings. It may be seen in abundance in many parts of the Colony. The nests which are frequently found in sheds, corners of verandahs, or any convenient crevice, sometimes even the living rooms, behind pictures, etc., are truly wonderful structures. As I have in my possession a number of nests, and have frequently had opportunities of watching the operation, I will give a short description of the mode of building. I one day watched several wasps on a preliminary tour of inspection, and observed them busily examining a number of chinks about the corners of a building; at last an angle formed by a stud and the weather-board was selected, the insects, for they sometimes work in pairs, flew away, but in a very few minutes returned, each carrying a pellet of soft clay of considerable size. This clay they at once proceeded to attach to the wall, working it well with their feet, and as soon as it was properly fixed they flew off for more. proceeded till a small mud shelf had been made. On looking again about an hour later I found that a cell measuring half-an-inch had been nearly finished, and later in the day three such cells had been completed. I broke open the bottom one, and found it to contain a spider, not dead, but evidently paralysed by a sting from the wasp. On another occasion I was fortunate enough to witness the capture of spiders. As each cell is completed, a spider is placed in it and the egg must be immediately laid either on or in its body, for the wasp at once seals up the cell and proceeds to build another and so on. About ten weeks after the nest was finished I broke open the second cell and found a tiny whitish grub feeding on the body of the spider. It is seldom that more than one spider is found in a single cell, probably one is usually considered sufficient for the future grub, still in three instances I have found two comatose spiders in one cell, but they were small, and evidently the parent wasp was well able to calculate the amount of food likely to be required by each of her voracious children, and thus where only small arachnids could be secured, she doubled the number. During the whole time that building is proceeding, the wasps emit a steady buzzing noise, somewhat like that made by a blue-bottle, but shriller. The nests sometimes contain as many as twenty cells placed either in a single, double, or triple line, according to the convenience of the place selected. The whole of the nest including the partitions is of clay, usually when dry a pale yellow colour. The outside is well finished, and is corrugated and made to look somewhat like the sculpturing on a crayfish—each corrugation is covered with very fine striations caused by the builder's feet as she works the clay and cements the whole structure together. I do not wish to trespass on your space, and therefore will not now give a minute description of the cells, but send a photograph showing a nest built on the side and

shoulder of an empty medicine bottle as it stood on a shelf in the tool-house. The larvæ, as will be seen, have eaten the spiders, and reached the cocoon stage. In each cell were found portions of the legs and head of the spider, but every other particle had been devoured by the grub for whose sustenance he had been placed there. If spiders are capable of thought, what must be the state of mind of these unfortunate victims, paralysed and shut up in a dark room, awaiting the birth of their devourers, and what their sensations when the greedy larva starts feeding on their still living bodies?-T. W. Kirk, Museum, Wellington, N.Ž.

TAILED MEN.-A correspondent alludes to the os coccyx in man, which recalls to recollection that our ancestors have had a constant predilection for men with tails. His Satanic majesty in pictorial exposition used to take the disguise of hoofs and tail; and certain fanatics in the days of Thomas à Becket had grim jokes about the tailed men of Stroud; but this appears as of yesterday, for I have before me a sketch of a Culdee tombstone, from "an auld kirkyard," at Keills, in Argyleshire, where the "Noroway lion" has a twin supporter in a tailed potentate, of ample brow, sitting on his buttocks, and sleeking with his left hand a tail that curls beneath his legs. This tomb of jarl or king is not so ancient, but one of its associates is very archaic, having concentric rings and scores; and considered as a group, in addition to defaced inscriptions, they all present picture-writing identical with that on the tomb-boards of North American chieftains, leading one insensibly back to the infancy of the human race when picture-writing was the fashion, and all the world was kith and kin. One might indeed on these grounds surmise these tailed men to be identical with some of those old Assyrian gods, who in the Cuneiform Inscription descriptive of the Deluge, as translated by Mr. George Smith, are thus graphically described as seeking refuge from such a calamity : "They ascended to the heaven of Anu. The gods with tails hidden, crouched down;' while the presence of sphinx-like creatures and elements of the Asiatic-European mythology in conjunction on the tombs would colour the conjecture. The cuneiform description of the Deluge is held to be more ancient than the days of Abraham, and consequently of Moses, to whom are accredited the opening chapters of Genesis, the first of which written with a certain cadence and in some sort of rhythm, would I suppose be correctly termed a psalm. Provided these statements be accurate, for I am no adept at the cuneiform, it would seem as if there has always existed a hazy idea concerning tailed men, among our fellow creatures; and we might easily imagine such to have had its origin among the picture-writers of remote antiquity in some actual tradition, although we are only able to reason from affinity and analogy. On the Culdee monuments, hunting the elephant is also now and again depicted, but I question if the said elephants could be proved mammoths or mastodons, as I do not think that they are "hairy" beasts; though at the same time they certainly harmonise well with the tailed men, and their huntsmen have Celtic targets, and the character of the monuments themselves is very evidently not Christian, but in harmony with those previously noticed; and the whole is vividly suggestive of the age of Saturn, "Pan's blameless reign, and patriarchal days."A. H. Swinton.

DEPRAVED APPETITES.-No doubt the cat mentioned by A. Verinder (p. 45) is suffering from

worms; when such is the case these animals (and dogs also) acquire a depraved appetite, seemingly to assuage the constant sense of gnawing at the stomach caused by the presence of the parasites. I have seen dogs eat chrysanthemum leaves, cinders, and other equally absurd delicacies (?). A few doses of areca nut would soon solve the question, however,. as much as will lie on a sixpence would be the dose for a full-grown cat. I would advise A. Verinder to give it a trial.-W. Finch, jun., Nottingham.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

TO CORRESPONDENTS AND EXCHANGERS.-As we now 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.

A. R. BANKARTE.-Apply to Mr. Geo. Morton, F.G.S.,. Geological Society, Liverpool, who a few years ago published a handy little manual of the carboniferous limestone of North Wales, with maps, photographs, lists and localities for fossils, &c.. G. W.-You might apply to any of the dealers in microscopic materials who advertise in the pages of SCIence-Gossip.

C. G.-You had better make Havre your head-quarters. If you can, get Quatrefages' "Rambles of a Naturalist" on the coasts of Normandy (2 vols.) translated.

C. C.-See McAlpine's "Zoological Atlas."

E. A. HUTTON.-A General Index to the first twelve vols. of SCIENCE-GOSSIP was published at the close of 1876, price 8d. Apply to our publishers, Messrs. Chatto & Windus. Perhaps another Index will be published at the end of the second twelve years.

F. STANLEY.-Mantell's "Geology of Sussex" has some excellent figures of the chalk fossils of that region, with descriptions, &c.

GEO. ALANT.-Huxley's "Physiology" (price 4s. 6d., Macmilan & Co.) is the best elementary work you can get. Flower's "Osteology" (price 65., Macmillan & Co.) on bones. You could order a student's microscope (from £3 10r. to £7) from any of the microscope makers who advertise in our

columns.

C. T. W. N. (Sheffield).-We shall be very pleased to receive short notices of the meetings of your society.

EXCHANGES.

WANTED, plants for herbarium from all parts of the world. Correspondence and exchange invited.-Rev. Hilderic Friend, F.L.S., 19 Burlington Place, Carlisle.

DUPLICATES, Planorbis glaber, Helix hispida, Helix arbus torum, Valvata piscinalis, &c. Desiderata, Planorbis nitidus, Spharium ovale, Pisidium roseum, Succinea oblonga, or any slugs' shells.-John Clegg, 5 Derby Street, Millwood, Todmorden.

I SHOULD be glad to correspond with a collector in the north of Scotland with a view to exchanging the eggs of our midland birds for those of the birds of his neighbourhood.-K. D., Cofton Parsonage, Redditch.

WANTED, good 5 X 4 or 4-plate portable camera, swing back, changing slide; lens must be good. Exchange, S. Kent's Infusoria" (cost £3 35.), or other works.-H., 73 Clarence Road, Clapton, N.E.

EXCHANGE, land and freshwater shells for fossils of any formation.-F. Hodgson, Laywood, Cornholme, near Todmorden.

WHAT offers for vols. 12 and 2 of "Industries," unbound? Wanted, Newman's "British Moths," or Darwin's "Formation of Vegetable Mould by Worms," and "Fertilization of Orchids by Insects," or books on pond life.-John E. Nowers, 71 Branstone Road, Burton-on-Trent.

EATON'S monograph of "Recent Ephemerida," parts 3 and 4, with 18 plates; also Day's "Breeding of Salmon"-Linnean Society-in exchange for good micro slides, chiefly botanical. -Beta, Castle House, Malvern.

WANTED, SCIENCE-GOSSIP, vol. ii. (Nos. 13-24, inclusive), either bound or in parts, latter preferred. Offered, mounted slides for polariscope. W. Wise, Chemist, Launceston.

DUPLICATE fossils from various formations, localities guaranteed, own collecting. Micro object slides (diatoms, zoophytes, &c.) wanted in exchange.-P. Thompson, 19 Guerin Street, Bow, London.

P. glaber in exchange for any other land and freshwater shells.-T. Ingham, 3 Railway Street, Blackpool.

WANTED, foreign or English shells, star-fish, echini, birds' eggs, corals, &c.-Fredk. Stanley, Cliftonville, Margate.

GESENIUS'S "Hebrew Grammar," by Conant (new); Ollivant's "Hebrew History of Joseph," with analysis; Franck's "Méth. de la langue Hébraïque," with vocabularies, and the "Tauchnitz Pocket Hebrew-German Dictionary," in exchange for a good text-book of botany.-R. McCully, Winchester Road, Romsey, Hants.

"OBSERVATIONS on the Uraniidæ," a family of Lepidopterous insects, with a synopsis of the family, and a monograph of Coronidia, one of the genera of which it is composed. Coloured plates. By J. O. Westwood, M.A., F.L.S.; Part 12 of "Transactions of the Zoological Society of London," quite clean. What offers?-Joseph Anderson, jun., Alre Villa, Chichester.

WANTED, a few leaves of berberis infested with Ecidium berberidis (stage of Puccinia graminis); will give good micro slide or other micro material.-J. C., 23 Roland Road, Lozells, Birmingham.

MURPHY'S "Tacitus," Murphy's "Sallust," Hume's "Essays," Byron's "Life and Journals," Smith's "Thucydides," D'Aubigné's "History of the Reformation," Guizot's "English Revolution," and Kirke White's "Remains," in exchange for fossils from any strata, but chiefly from carboniferous.-Dr. Tooner, Clifton Avenue, Levenshulme, Manchester.

WANTED, Howitt's "Flora of Nottinghamshire;" will give good value.-H. Fisher, Newark, Notts.

WANTED, to exchange British for North or South American plants. I have about 700 species which are not native in North America. Printed list sent on receipt of address.-H. Fisher, 26 Stodman Street, Newark, Notts.

WANTED, boxes for slides-not rack-work-in exchange for SCIENCE-GOSSIP for three years.-Miss Jelly, Hatchlands, Redhill, Surrey.

WANTED, live spawn of frogs and newts; good exchange given in micro slides, &c.-H. P., 103 Camden Street, London, N.W.

WANTED, pocket microscope lamp; also best quality 4-inch objective. Good exchange given in micro slides, &c.-H. P., 103, Camden Street, London, N.W.

ENGRAVINGS of varieties of British Unios and Anodons, in exchange for Continental, land or freshwater shells, or varieties of British Helices.-Geo. Roberts, Lofthouse, Wakefield.

DUPLICATES:-Venus verrucosa, Trochus halinosa, Sulcosa, Picturata, Cantharus subruginosa, Nassa variabilis, Columbella rustica, Desiderata, other marine species new to collection.-W. J. Jones, jun., 27 Mayton Street, Holloway, London, N.

FINE foreign specimens of Helix, Clausilia, Patella, Mitrella, Cerithium, Trochus, Zizyphinus, Unio, Planorbis physa, and many others, offered for specimens not in collection. Correspondence invited from all parts of the world. -J. T. T. Reed, Ryhope, Sunderland.

Clausilia Rolphii and Plan. glaber, in exchange for any of the vertigos or slug shells.-Sam Clough, 20 Abingdon Street, Blackpool.

A COLLECTION of British land and freshwater shells-over 70 different sorts. Particulars sent on application. -Miss M. P. Fitzgerald, North Hall, Preston, Candover, Basingstoke. WANTED, fossils and minerals in exchange for general curiosities (natural history specimens, &c.). List sent.-A. S. Richardson, 39 Edithna Street, Stockwell, London, S. W.

Planorbis glaber in exchange for other British or foreign 'land and freshwater shells, or marine and butterflies.-W. Dean, 50 Canning Street, Stoneyholme, Burnley, Lancs.

P. glaber (from the only Lancashire locality), V. piscinalis, H. arbustorum, H. nemoralis, and others, in exchange for books or shells.-Joe Bates, 20 Lord Street, Burnley.

WANTED, books on Practical Biology (Huxley's excepted). 'Offered, Lyell's "Students' Elements of Geology" (1885, new), and Newsholme's "Hygiene." Wanted, also, land and freshwater shells in exchange for H. cantiana and H. virgata (fine specimens.)-Chas. A. Whatmore, Ranelagh Road, Wolverhampton.

WANTED, clay from a fossiliferous bed of the gault; ditto

from fossiliferous marine bed of the London clay. Chalk marl from the Kentish beds, and material from any marine strata also wanted. Good exchange.-A. Earland, 3 Eton Grove, Dacre Park, Lee, S. E.

WANTED, foraminiferous material of any description, except sponge sand. Good exchange in like material, or in named specimens or micro slides.-A. Earland, 3 Eton Grove, Dacre Park, Lee, S. E.

SIX species of foraminifera, chiefly foreign, selected and ready for mounting, in return for one good mounted slide. All specimens named and localised. Mutual approval necessary. Write first, giving name of slide offered, to-A. Earland, 3 Eton Grove, Dacre Park, Lee, S.E.

WANTED, Limnæa stagnalis from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Continent, in exchange for either of the following:Helix pisana, Bulimus montanus, B. acutus, Cochlicopa tridens, and Pupa secale.-J. Madison, 167 Bradford Street, Birmingham.

WANTED, properly named Liassic fossils, in exchange for fossils, shells, &c.-John Hawell, M.A., Ingleby Vicarage, Northallerton.

Planorbis glaber and others in exchange for land and freshwater shells or fossils.-A. Walton, 44 Canning Street, Burnley. WANTED, uncleaned marine diatomaceous deposits, particularly Cambridge Estate, Barbadoes, Hungarian (various), Limbirsk, London clay, Monterey, &c. Will give good exchange. -E. B. L. Brayley, F.R.M.S., Rockdeane, Hughenden Road, Clifton, Bristol.

WHAT offers for a collection of about 100 British inosses, well mounted and named?-C. H. Waddell, Kendal.

OFFERED, back numbers of "Grevillea," "Scottish Naturalist," "Journal of Botany," and "Popular Science Review." -C. H. Waddell, Kendal.

WANTED, seeds and capsules of British plants, in exchange for land and freshwater shells, books, &c.-P., 80 Leathwaite Road, Clapham Common, S.W.

WHAT offers for Muspratt's "Chemistry as Applied and Relating to the Arts and Manufactures," 7-11, 14-21, 23-44thirty-five parts in all?-A. E. Fasnacht, Clayton, Manchester.

WANTED, dragonflies, echinoderms, crustaceans, and marine shells; lepidoptera and natural history books given in exchange.-W. Harcourt Bath, Ladywood, Birmingham.

OFFERED, "Entomologist," vol. 19, also several odd numbers of vols. 18 and 20, and "Entomologists' Monthly Magazine." Wanted, dragonflies.-W. Harcourt Bath, Ladywood, Birming

ham.

MICRO slides (over 300), in exchange for diatom slides, polar. crystals, or offers.-A. Downes, 5 Royal Park Road, Clifton, Bristol.

WANTED, British bird skins. Offered, other British and foreign bird skins, or bird books.-J. H. K., 18 Church Street, Commercial Street, London, E.

WANTED, to form party of six to take in and circulate "The Zoologist."-J. H. K., 18 Church Street, Commercial Street, London, E.

A LARGE number of American birds' eggs in exchange for British.-W. Wells-Bladen, Stone, Staffordshire.

BOOKS, ETC., RECEIVED.

"Old and New Astronomy," by R. A. Proctor, Part I. (Longmans').-"The Flora of West Yorkshire," by F. Arnold Lees (London: Lovell Reeve). -"Medical Annual, 1888" (Bristol: Wright).-"Birds of Herefordshire," by Dr. Bull (London: Hamilton, Adams & Co.). -"Shell Collectors' Handbook for the Field," by Dr. J. W. Williams (London: Roper & Drowley).-"The Microscope."-" Journal of Conchology."-" Book Chat."-" Scribner's Monthly."-" The Amateur Photographer."-" The Garner."-"The Naturalist." -"The Botanical Gazette."-" Journal of the New York Microscopical Society." '-"Belgravia."-"The Gentleman's Magazine." "-"American Monthly Microscopical Journal.""The Essex Naturalist."-"The Midland Naturalist.""Feuilles des Jeunes Naturalistes."-"The American Naturalist."-"Journal of Microscopy and Nat. Science.""Scientific News."-"Wesley Naturalist.". - "Naturalists' Monthly."-" La Science Illustrée."

COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED UP TO THE 14TH ULT. FROM: W. R. N.-C. C.-G. L.-P. S. T.-W. H. J.-A. J. H. C.J. E. N.-K. A. D.-J. D. H.-T. D. A. C.-C. E. S.F. W. W.-F. H.-B. T.-F. L.-G. T.-G. F., jun.-B. B. W. -J. W. W.-J. S.-G. W. B.-J. A., jun.-F. B. C.-J. H. J. -R. McC.-J. A. T.-J. C.—F. S.-A. S.-G. E. E., jun.S. P. P.-C. L.-C. P.-P. T.-W. W.-E. C. J.-H. F.T. D. A. C.-W. G.-F. W. A.-J. C.-Rev. H. F.-H. W. P. -A. J. H. C.-G. R.-J. T. T. R.-G. W.-S. M. P.— W. J. J., jun.-S. C.-T. J.-F. H. A.-W. D.-A. S. R.M. P. F. G.-J. B.-A. G. T.-S. G. McI.-S. B.-W. J.S. H.-J. C.-N. F. L.-C. A. W.-J. E. K.-A. E. F.-A. S. -A. E.-J. M.-J. H.-A. W.-G. B.-A. R. B.-E. B. L. B. —J. D. Í.—A. Ď.—B. T.—C. H. W.-W. J. H.-W. H. B. -J. H. K.-W. W. B.-W. A. C.-J. S. H.-S. P. B.-&c.

VERY one has heard of the land subsidences in the salt districts of Cheshire, where lakes form and houses threaten to fall in

a manner that rather shakes the nerves of the timid. But every one is not aware that Droitwich, in Worcestershire, is more slowly but not the less surely sinking into the ground, or rather I ought to say, that parallel to certain lines the land is sinking, and in this way much destruction of property is taking place. Wherever for many years large quantities of minerals are removed from beneath the surface of the ground, there must in time be a settling of the superficial strata, and this settling is slower when the quantities of material removed are small and from a great depth, while, when the amount removed is large and near the surface, the subsidence is far more rapid and destructive. Near Dudley, the educated eye sees on every side signs of land subsidence, and in many other parts of the Black Country houses are shored up, walls are cracked, and a general though unequal sinking is obviously taking place. There is, however, nothing unusual in the settling at Droitwich, nor is the sinking on a very alarming scale, and, so far, it has not been marked by terrible catastrophes, only one house having totally collapsed and in that instance no lives were lost.

Droitwich is not a prepossessing place: it is not tastefully built, and is somewhat dingy; the houses are mostly shabby, and the shops small, and there No. 281.-MAY 1888.

is little to distinguish it from a host of other fourthrate manufacturing towns which chiefly strike the visitor by their dulness, smoke, and dirt. The country round the town is, however, extremely pretty and very fertile, and there is no difficulty in getting away for a few hours to many of the prettiest and most delightful spots in England. But the fame of Droitwich, such as it is, is connected with its brine, and were it not for inexhaustible supplies of the purest and strongest brine in the world-the residents say the purest and the best found anywhere no one twenty miles off would have heard of the grimy little town, through which the Midland expresses tear without stopping on their way from Cheltenham to Birmingham.

To the Romans the town was well known, or rather it is to the Romans that it owes its foundation: that great, wise, and enlightened people discovered the properties of its brine springs, and with characteristic energy set to work to extract salt from the water that at that time welled up to the surface in inexhaustible streams. As the brine is nearly saturated and contains two-fifths of its weight of salt, and only requires to be evaporated to yield a pure residuum of salt, the process of salt extraction (for it is not fair to call it salt manufacture) is easy and simple.

At present over 115,000 tons of salt are extracted every year, and allowing that four times as much brine is pumped up in the course of the year, half a million tons are removed from a depth of 200 feet or thereabouts. Whether the brine comes from deep reservoirs or from salt beds traversed by subterranean streams-the explanation locally hazardedis immaterial: the fact remains, that the removal of such vast quantities must in time lead to decided sinking of the surface; and as this sinking or rather these areas of subsidence are of irregular size and do not include the whole town, although they in some directions extend far beyond its boundaries, the visitor is prepared to learn that, in twenty years, the sinking has reached 19 feet. I do not vouch for the accuracy of this calculation.

On leaving the station and making our way into

F