SELBORNIANA, &c. STOATS AND WEASLES (Sic.) 6s 6d. each will be given for STOATS and 5s. each for WEASLES, and Carriage will be paid from any part of the Country.* A PLAGUE OF RATS. The A plague of rats is raging in the east of England. farmers cannot keep their wheat in consequence of the numbers in the stacks, and have to thresh and sell out. 31 MR. H. G. O. KENDALL, of The Hyde, Hatfield, Herts, also writes, calling attention to the fact that the preservation of " game " often causes the destruction under the name of "vermin" of many natural checks to rat plagues, and thus tends to produce a bread famine. BOOKS RECEIVED. WE have received from various authors and publishers books of special interest to Selbornians. Reviews of several of these works have been written for NATURE NOTES, but the demands upon our space are such that we are unable in the present number to do more than give the names and publishers of the following: About Robins: Songs, Facts and Legends, collected and illustrated by Lady Lindsay, R.I.: George Routledge and Sons. Ancient Cures, Charms and Usages of Ireland: Contributions to Irish Lore, by Lady Wilde: Ward and Downey. Sylvanus Redivivus (Memoirs of the Rev. John Mitford and Edward Jesse), by Mrs. Houston: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington. Science and Scientists, by the Rev. John Gerard, S.J.: Catholic Truth Society. Idylls of the Field, by F. A. Knight: Elliot Stock. Haunts of Nature, by Worsley-Benison: Elliot Stock. The Butterfly, by John Stuttard: Fisher Unwin. In Tennyson-land, by J. C. Walters: Redway. OFFICIAL NOTICES, MEETINGS, &C. THE Hon. Treasurer begs to acknowledge the following surplus funds received from branch Secretaries for the general purposes of the Society: AT the Annual Meeting of the Lower Thames Valley Branch of the Society, an important report was submitted showing the large amount of work which had been done by the Branch during the year, in the way of defending the beauties of * Presumably for New Zealand or Australia.-EDS. the Thames against the various agencies which threaten their destruction. We should have been glad to quote largely from this valuable report, but can only give the following extract dealing with the preservation of Sudbrook Park. "The last item of news bearing on this important subject is that on January 30th Her Majesty's Commissioners of Woods and Forests received an important deputation, asking them not to take any action in respect to the sale of Sudbrook Park, or the letting of any portion of it for building purposes, until the whole matter had been laid before the House of Commons for their decision. The deputation included the Right Hon. Shaw Lefevre, M.P.; Mr. Bruce, M.P.; Sir J. Whittaker Ellis, M.P.; Mr. Burt (Chairman of the Richmond Vestry), and leading members of the Open Spaces Association, the Metropolitan Playing Grounds Association, the Preservation of Commons Association, the Kyrle Society, &c., &c. Mr. Edward King specially represented the Selborne Society. The interests of landscape and other artists were represented by Mr. M. H. Spielmann (Editor of the Magazine of Art). Mr. Skewes-Cox, the Chairman of the Joint Executive Committee for the Preservation of Sudbrook Park, was also present. Without prophesying, your committee venture to express the hope that the result of that interview may influence the future of Sudbrook Park, so far as that it is associated with the permanent preservation of open spaces round London. We regret that a long list of names of new members is unavoidably crowded out, as the space at our disposal is, as explained below, quite inadequate to the demands upon it. SUBSCRIPTIONS to the Selborne Society for 1890 were due on January 1st, and if not already paid should be forwarded to the Hon. Treasurer (9, Adam Street, Adelphi, W.C.), or in the case of branch members, to the treasurers of their respective branches. LETTERS on the general business of the Society should not be forwarded to the Editors of Nature Notes; but to the Secretary of the Selborne Society, 9, Adam Street, Adelphi, W.C., to whom, or to the Secretary of the nearest Branch, those who are desirous of becoming members should apply. EDITORIAL NOTE. WE are happy to be able to report most favourably as to the success of the first number of NATURE NOTES, the Selborne Society's Magazine. A much larger number of copies have had to be printed than we anticipated, and the third edition is now almost exhausted. NATURE NOTES has been the subject of many appreciative notices in important papers, expressing in warm terms sympathy with the objects of the Society and approval of its magazine. The members of the Selborne Society have responded with enthusiasm to our request for support in the matter of letters, contributions and cuttings. One result of this is that we are unable to insert a large number of interesting articles and letters, many of which, however, we hope to utilise in future numbers. It is hoped that it may be possible hereafter to enlarge the magazine; in no other manner can justice be done to the large number of communications we have received. Meanwhile we trust that our kind correspondents, whether their contributions have been inserted or not, will accept this expression of gratitude for their assistance, and will continue to supply us with short original articles and items of information on matters Selbornian. It is particularly requested that subscriptions and letters bearing on the general business of the Society should not be sent to the Editors. Editorial communications should be forwarded (not later than the 4th of each month, if insertion is desired in the current number) to the Rev. PERCY MYLES, I, Argyle Road, Ealing, W. WILLIAM WESLEY & SON, Scientific Booksellers & Publishers, 28, Essex Street, Strand, LONDON. Just Published: Parts 1 & 2, 4to, 6 coloured plates, 5s. each part, post free. NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS, by H. Nehrling. To be completed in 12 parts, containing 36 coloured plates, after Water-colour Drawings by Robert Ridgway, A. Goering, and Gustav Muetzel. 1889. "Your work is far more satisfactory than other works which have come before me professing more than they performed. Your pages bear evidence of careful and enthusiastic observation and study of our birds, and, while containing much having that value to science which always attaches to records of original observation, is, at the same time, by no means too technical for bird lovers who are not ornithologists. There is an out-of-doors' atmosphere to your pen-pictures, a flavour of the woods and fields, which cannot fail to be appreciated by all who appreciate Nature."-E. P. BICKNELL of the American Ornithologists' Union. Crown 8vo, with one Plate, Cloth (published 3s. 6d.), 2s. 6d. THE HOUSE SPARROW, by J. H. Gurney, jun., Col. C. Russell, and Dr. Elliott Coues. 1885. CONTENTS:-The House Sparrow, by an Ornithologist,-J. H. Gurney, jun. The House Sparrow, by a Friend of the Farmers,-Colonel C. Russell. The House Sparrow in Yarrell's British Birds. The Sparrow in our Bill of Fare. The English Sparrow in America, by Dr. Elliott Coues. A Ruffian in Feathers, by Olive Thorne Miller. Recently published, each post free on receipt of the price. NATURAL HISTORY & SCIENTIFIC BOOK CIRCULAR: Containing a priced list of W. WESLEY & SON's stock of Scientific Works. No. 98. Ornithology, Mammalia, Faunas and Geography. (Over 1,000 works), price 4d. W. WESLEY AND SON, 28, ESSEX STREET, STRAND, LONDON. MONOGRAPH OF THE BRITISH CICADE OR TETTIGIIDA. (FROGHOPPERS AND GRASSFLIES.) By GEORGE BOWDLER BUCKTON, F.R.S., Corr. Memb. Acad. Nat. Hist. of Philadelphia, Memb. de la Soc. Ent. de France. Illustrated by more than 400 Coloured Drawings. In Eight Parts. Demy 8vo. Part I. 8s. (Ready.) No coloured monograph of the British Cicada exists, and it is even believed that no adequately illustrated monograph exists of European species. Partly to meet this want, it is proposed to publish eight quarterly parts, each containing on an average ten litho-chromo plates and letterpress, illustrating the forms, metamorphoses, general anatomy, and the chief details connected with the life-history of this family of insects. The work will contain also short diagnoses of all the British species, about 230 in number, most of which have come under the author's notice, each species being illustrated by one or more coloured drawings. Some account will be given of the curious myths and tales told by ancient Greek and Latin poets, and descriptions will be appended relating to the curious sound-organs possessed by some species, and other subjects connected with the economy of this interesting but difficult group of Rhynchotous insects. Mr. Buckton's name is well known to entomologists, and this book represents the labour and observation of many years. MACMILLAN & CO., LONDON. SEELEY & Co., Limited, Essex St., Strand. THE PORTFOLIO. An Artistic Periodical. Edited by P. G. HAMERTON. Published Monthly, price Half-a-Crown. HE PORTFOLIO having now nearly completed the twentieth year of its existence, the Editor and Publishers have decided to take the beginning of the year 1890 as a convenient opportunity for the introduction of several important improvements. The text will be printed in a larger and handsomer type. The double columns will be abolished, except in the case of the ART CHRONICLE, which will be so paged that when the volume is bound it can be placed consecutively at the end. The new page will afford opportunities for the introduction of ornamental initial letters (which the narrow The wrapper will bear a new device, and the cloth binding will be improved in colour and design. These THE PORTFOLIO VOLUME FOR edges; or 42s., half morocco. 1889 Price 35s., cloth, gilt LONDON: SEELEY & CO., LIMITED, ESSEX STREET, STRAND. The Clergy List for 1890 (FORTY-NINTH YEAR), Containing a Complete List of the Clergy of England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and the Colonies. Fully Corrected and Revised up to the time of going to press. Price 10s. 6d. PUBLISHED FOR THE PROPRIETORS BY KELLY & CO., 51, Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C. Mature Notes; the Selborne Society's Magazine. All Advertisements for the above Magazine should be sent to F. TALLIS & SON, 22, Wellington Street, Strand, W.C. ADVERTISEMENTS inserted on the most favourable terms in all Newspapers, Periodicals, and Magazines. |