Length, 4; breadth, 15% line.

Habitat, Parua (Whangarei Harbour).

PYTHIDA.

1407. Salpingus hirtus, n. sp.-Glossy, light coppery brown, head and thorax reddish, legs testaceous, antennæ reddish, with their terminal joints infuscate; rather thickly covered with erect, elongate, grayish hairs; convex.

Head elongate, distinctly and closely punctured except on a transverse, inter-ocular spot. Prothorax longer than broad, cordiform, its punctation nearly similar to that of the head but finer, without superficial irregularities. Scutellum smooth. Elytra oblong, rounded laterally, slightly depressed along the suture near the posterior slope, not striated, punctured in rows, the sculpture becoming obsolete behind.

Very much like S. angusticollis, but with shorter antennæ than it, with the thorax more finely punctured, and the elytra without the least trace of striæ. It differs from all the previously described New Zealand species by the absence of the more or less evident post-basal depression of the elytra, and the possession of numerous erect hairs; all the others, except S, lautus, being nearly or entirely nude.

Length, 14; breadth, nearly 1⁄2 line.

I found my unique specimen at Parua (Whangarei Harbour). 1408. Salpingus simplex, n. sp.-Convex, nearly bare, shining, æneous-black, legs fulvous, dilated antennal joints fuscous, the others reddish.

Head punctate, a spot on the vertex and one near each antenna smooth or nearly so. Prothorax cordiform, quite free from rugosities, moderately closely punctured, with a more or less distinct fovea near each hind angle. Scutellum smooth, short. Elytra oblong, a little rounded laterally, with slightly elevated and porrected humeral angles, not distinctly impressed near the base, striate-punctate, smooth behind.

This species may be distinguished from S. angusticollis and S. lautus by the almost total absence of elytral striæ, and from S hirtus, decidedly its nearest congener, by the more densely punctured and bi-foveate thorax, shorter and broader elytra, &c. Length, 1%; breadth, quite 3% line.

Hab. Parua. One example in my own collection.

1409. Salpingus quisquilius, n.sp.-Elongate, sub-parallel, subdepressed, almost nude, shining, of a dark fuscous colour, elytra slightly rufescent, head and thorax somewhat æneous, legs, palpi, and narrow joints of the antennæ infuscate-red.

Head moderate, rather finely punctured. Thorax rather small, not much longer than broad, sub-cordate, moderately finely punctated, least so on the dorsal space. Scutellum punctulated. Elytra elongate-oblong, nearly parallel-sided, bi-impressed before the middle, but little narrowed apically, striate-punctate. Antenna moderate, joints 2-6 obconical and decreasing in length, 7-11 gradually dilated and laxly articulated.

Not at all like any other New Zealand species; its almost parallel outline is characteristic. In all our species the tarsal

claws are thickened at the base, but not quite dentate.

Length I; breadth, quite 4 line.

My three specimens were mixed with other species taken some years ago at Tairua (near Mercury Bay).

MELANDRYIDE.

Allopterus, n. gen.-This new name is made for two species which do not exactly accord with Redtenbacher's Ctenoplectron; the type is A. reticulatus, which differs from Ctenoplectron fasciatum in the elytral suture and margins being simple instead of coarsely ciliated; the joints of the maxillary palpi are less acute, and the tibial spurs more slender. It would have been preferable to eliminate all allusion to the elytral margins in the original diagnosis, but as the author is dead, and his generic name has special reference to that peculiarity of the elytra, no other course seems feasible.

No. 707 must be added to this genus, so that it may be known as Allopterus ornatus in place of Ctenoplectron ornatum.

1410. Allopterus reticulatus, n. sp.-Variegate, dull brownishblack, the apex, and sometimes most of the thorax, as well as the apices of the elytra more or less rufescent; each elytron with two large ill-defined testaceous spots, one near the base, the other behind; legs and two first joints of antennæ infuscate; body lanceolate.

Head rather narrow, with linear impressions often intersecting one another. Prothorax conical, convex, widely rounded laterally, base a little sinuous, obliquely depressed near each hind angle and before the scutellum; so clothed and sculptured as to appear finely reticulate, with numerous small punctures on the intervals between the linear marks; the hairs near the base yellowish, the others cinereous. Elytra elongate, attenuated posteriorly, without distinct costæ, their clothing and sculpture similar to those of the thorax. Anten te slightly longer than head and thorax, filiform, 2nd joint short. Legs normal, tibial spurs slender, pectinate. Maxillary palpi stout, intermediate joints not acumi

nate.

Length, 334-4%; breadth, 34-7% line.

I found these specimens at Northcote, Waitemata Harbour.

CEDEMERIDÆ.

1411. Thelyphassa conspicua, n. sp.-Elongate, depressed, pale testaceous, pubescent; head and thorax nearly nude and glossy, elytra opaque.

Head covered with distinct linear impressions in front, the occiput punctate, epistome smooth, labrum punctulate. Prothorax about as long as broad, narrowed posteriorly, densely but not oarsely punctated. Scutellum small. Elytra sub-parallel, widest

behind, obsoletely (each) bi-costate, closely punctulated, covered with depressed pallid hairs. Male :-Maxillary palpi elongate, terminal joint securiform, just perceptibly incised at the outer edge near the apex; the apical segment of the abdomen deeply notched, the only portion uncovered by the elytra. Length, 5%; breadth, 11⁄2 line. Female-maxillary palpi entire, pygidium not exposed. Length, 6; breadth, 134 line.

The eyes are somewhat truncated anteriorly, but exactly correspond in structure with those of T. diaphana; the latter is narrower than this species, with its thorax decidedly longer than broad; T. obscura is darker and duller, with different sculpture on the head.

Habitat, Nelson District. Brought by T. F. Cheeseman, Esq., F.L.S.

GENERAL NOTES.

PRESERVATION OF BOTANICAL AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC COLLECTIONS.-Those who possess a herbarium of any size, or a collection of entomological specimens, are frequently greatly troubled by the presence of mites and similar small pests. These may be got rid of in a most effectual manner by the use of Bisulphide of Carbon (Carbon disulphide). In each compartment of the herbarium a small fragment of sponge is placed, and a few drops of the liquid poured on it. The whole must be closed up as quickly as possible, in order to permit the poisonous vapour to act most effectually. Every form of life, animal or vegetable, is quickly destroyed, and, in the case of insects, even the eggs are all killed. The objections to the use of this substance are that its vapour is both deleterious and of a most offensive odour, so that it cannot be used in a living-room. If, however, the room containing the specimens can be shut up for two or three days, this process will be found to be the most perfect yet devised.

NEW SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL.-"Science" is the name of a new illustrated periodical which is being published by "the Science Company," of Cambridge, Massachusetts, U. S. A., and the first number of which was to be brought out on January of this year. The president of this company is Dr. Alex. Graham Bell, and, to judge from the prospectus, it is the intention of the promoters to make the journal a first-class publication.

THE LATE PROFESSOR BALFOUR.-From a circular now before us we learn that a public meeting was held in Cambridge on 21st October, to consider the most appropriate form of memorial to the late Professor Francis Maitland Balfour. The following resolutions, among others, were unanimously agreed to:

"That the memorial take the form of a fund, to be called the

Balfour Fund, for the promotion of research in Biology, especially Animal Morphology."

"That the proceeds of the fund be applied :-(1) To establish a studentship, the holder of which shall devote himself to original research in Biology, especially Animal Morphology. (2) To further, by occasional grants of money, original research in the same subject."

"That the committee " (appointed to collect subscriptions and to draw up conditions) "be instructed :-(1) That the value of the studentship be not less than £200 a year. (2) That while it is desirable that the studentship should be in some way closely connected with this university, persons other than members of this university shall be eligible to it. (3) That it be not given away by competitive examination."

Professor T. J. Parker, of Otago University, has expressed his willingness to forward any subscriptions from those in New Zealand interested in this scheme. The subscriptions received by 24th October amounted to over £6000.

SHEEP EATING THISTLE HEADS.-While driving from Lawrence to Beaumont the other day, I observed half-a-dozen sheep in a paddock eating thistle heads. They approached them in a very careful way, bit off the head, and then chewed it. I noticed that they took several heads from the same plant. It is well known that horses bite off and eat the heads of the thistle. I have never heard that sheep acted in the same manner, and I record what I saw them do, partly to note an interesting fact, and partly to see whether such a habit has been noticed by any of the readers of this magazine. D. PETRIE.

A NEW ZEALAND FRESH-WATER SPONGE.-During the Christmas holidays I found some specimens of a fresh-water sponge in the River Kakahu, about six miles from Temuka. These, I believe, are the first that have been examined in New Zealand. Some years ago Professor Hutton found a sponge in one of the lakes in the North Island, but he was riding at the time, and his specimens were lost before he reached a place where they could be examined. Mine were found in a shallow running stream, adhering to submerged stones and sticks. On the stones they formed irregular circular incrustations of a distinct green colour, with the surface tolerably smooth. On the sticks, which were all small, they formed similar masses, sometimes circling right round the stick. The skeleton spicules, which alone I have examined, are very small, the largest only about '008 of an inch in length. Smaller ones similar in shape are present. In shape they are similar to those of Spongilla fluviatilis, of England, as drawn by Bowerbank (On the anatomy and physiology of the Spongiada. Trans. Royal Soc. 1858, p. 279; plate xxiii., fig. 96), being what he calls "acerate," viz:"Of the same diameter for the greater part of the length of the shaft, but decreasing equally near each termination and ending

acutely at both." They are slightly curved like those of S. fluviatilis, and appear quite smooth when viewed with a 1-in. objective; the only difference I can detect is that they are slightly more slender than the one drawn by Bowerbank. I have not been able to consult any work giving full descriptions of the British and European fresh-water sponges, and as I have only observed the skeleton spicules, it would be absurd to try to identify my specimens with any sponge already described. Mr. Haswell has lately described some Australian fresh-water sponges (Proc. Linnean Soc. N. S. W., Vol. vii. p. 208), but they all seem to differ from my specimens. CHAS. CHILTON.

BLOW-PIPE TESTS.-While experimenting several months ago with Major Ross's Hydriodic acid tests for antimony, lead, cadmium, and bismuth, and finding them generally unsatisfactory, I accidentally hit on a very characteristic reaction for antimony and lead, giving in fact the results which Major Ross asserted would follow from his tests. Antimony :-The supposed antimony salt is mixed with sulphur and iodide of potassium (equal parts of test and each of the re-agents). The mixture is heated before the blow-pipe on charcoal, and a volatile white incrustation will appear. If now the hot slag be touched with a drop of H.Cl., the charcoal being held so that the resultant fumes flash over the incrustation, the white incrustation at once changes to a light red. The hydriodic acid test should give the same result, but does not or does so feebly. Lead: The supposed lead salt being treated as above, the characteristic dark yellow incrustation of lead changes at once to a light canary yellow.

ALEX. STUART.

SCIENCE-TEACHING

IN SCHOOLS.

BY PROFESSOR T. JEFFERY PARKER.

Mr. G. M. Thomson's able article in the January number of this Journal brings before us with renewed force the urgent necessity of some sort of graduated system of instruction in Natural Knowledge, adapted for use in primary and secondary schools. In languages and in mathematics such a system is in universal use, and the pupil is carried by easy gradations from simple addition to the binomial theorem, from the ever-edifying Balbus to Virgil and Horace. But in the natural sciences how few seem to recognise the necessity for anything of the kind! To learn "science" often means to attend detached classes on divers subjects, one term perhaps being devoted to some branch of physics, another to physiology, another to botany, and so on, each class being wholly independent of all the rest, and all of them being taught without attempting to make the pupil verify,