myself, who would he glad of a little help in this portion of their studies; a help which there are many well qualified to give, who would, I doubt not, be glad to give it, when they know that the desire for it exists.—Neo-Microscopious.
Conchology.— During a geological excursion of the Natural Science Section of the Nottingham Literary and Philosophical Society, I found Helix cantiana, together with Helix ericetorum, on the sides of a railway cutting, in the Great Oolite Limestone, at Kingscliffe, Northamptonshire. The cutting is on the new line being made between Melton Mowbray and Kettering. I do not know whether it has been noticed in that neighbourhood before.—At Easter, 1876, I found (during a walk from North Rode, Cheshire, across the hills to Buxton) some dozen or more specimens of Limnæa truncatula, in a pond. They were, as far as I could see, it only living occupants. The sides and bottom of the pond were coated with a yellowish rusty matter, which looked like oxide of iron, I thought the fact rather remarkable. During the early part of 1877 I found just the same thing occurring in a pond by the road side, about a mile out of Mansfield on the way to Edwinstowe. But in this case, there was no rusty deposit. Again, close to Nottingham, this same mollusk occurs in a ditch, along with Physa hypnorum (plentiful) and a small Pisidium, and very rarely indeed Limnæa peregra (the spire of the latter being much elongated, and finely tapered, and the body whorl of the shell smaller than is usual.) Is it customary to find this mollusk (Limnæa truncatula) unassociated with any other species? Perhaps some of your readers could inform me. In none of the cases was it plentiful.—C. T. M., Nottingham.
Volvox Globator.—On a hill, near Redditch, are two ponds, some 200 yards apart, the overflow of the upper of which runs into the lower. On Christmas-day, 1875, Volvox globator was found in extraordinary profusion in the lower pond, where it continued in abundance during the following January, but soon after disappeared. In the upper pond, though at no time so numerous, specimens wore found as late as March. Search was made for them frequently during the remainder of the year without success. As it appeared to the writer remarkable that they should occur in such numbers in the winter, he was induced to examine both ponds on Christmas-day, 1876, and on several occasions during January and February, 1877, but not a Volvox was visible. Nor did any put in an appearance till July, when they were observed in the upper pond only, though subsequently they were sparingly met with in the lower. Incessant rain during the winter months had made the water very turbid, and possibly this state of things did not favour their development. On the 6th January, 1878, Volvox was again found in considerable numbers, though not in profusion, in the upper pond, nearly all the specimens being young. They continue to flourish, and with them occur abundance of that beautiful rotifer Conochilus volvox, which has been constant in that pond throughout the year.—S. S. R., Redditch.
London Notes by an Occasional Correspondent.—Such of us, and we were a larger audience than usual, as attended the meeting of the Linnean Society, on January 17th, had a great treat in hearing and seeing Professor Owen and Dr. Darwin, both, in consequence of feeble health and advancing years, being very rare visitors on one evening to the learned societies. The Professor's paper on a missing link (just found) between the existing Marsupials and some early forms of (new) fossil life, was of great importance, but too technical for its scope to be indicated in a paragraph. Mr. Francis Darwin, a most worthy follower in the steps of his great father, read a paper on the results of feeding Drosera rotundifolia, which sets at rest the question of digestion and absorption in plants. After
