consisting of myriads of confluent white specks, of a waxy rather than a powdery appearance, and in an early stage of growth covered with the cuticle which is loose, and more or less ruptured, showing the subjacent organisms through the fissures." Closer examination shows that the stratum is composed of naked cylindrical asci, standing erect side by side, each containing eight ovate uncoloured spores. The only course open to be adopted with this fungus is to pick off the diseased leaves as soon as they appear, and burn them. Up to now no external application has been successful.

There are some other fungi, of less note or importance, which attack the apple and pear, but we have enumerated the most important. Our present object is to excite interest, on the part of orchard cultivators, in the diseases to which their plants are subject, with a view to their remedy. Surely they are pecuniarily interested in such a subject, and the orchardist may rest assured that the more intimately he knows the insidious foes he has to contend against, the greater the chance of success.

We have avoided reference to the diseases of other fruit trees, deeming those of the apple and pear as of the greatest importance in the county of Hereford.

The following review of British Fungus Flora; a classified text-book of Mycology, by George Massee, in 3 vols., Vol. I. (Bell & Sons), appeared in the Gardener's Chronicle, October 22nd, 1892 :-We are pleased to announce the commencement of the publication of a new work on British fungi, which proposes to do for these peculiar plants what Cooke's Handbook of British Fungi did for them twenty-one years ago; that is, consolidate all the species in one work, and give description of all the known British genera and species up to date, with illustrations of the several genera. The Handbook has been so long out of print, and the number of recorded species has so much increased, that the need of such a book has long made itself felt, apart from all the modifications and limitations of genera, and other improvements suggested by the advancement of science, and better methods of study. The work in question is proposed to occupy three volumes, of which the first is published. We fear the author is far too sanguine in his hopes of comprising all the species within the limits of three such volumes. The first includes a portion only of the Basidiomycetes, commencing with the Gastromycetes, and working backwards through the latter position of the Hymenomycetes, of the Handbook, to the commencement of the Agaricini. We confess our inability to appreciate the grave reasons which induced our author to depart from the orthodox sequence, and invert the order of succession. Without some good reason, which does not appear upon the surface, we submit that such a departure is an error of judgment, inasmuch as it tends to the confusion of students, and increases the difficulty of referring back to, and comparison with, previous authors, without any corresponding advantage.

The book is neatly and clearly printed, and the cuts sufficient for the purpose, whilst the characters of genera and species seem to be all that could be desired, not prolix, but ample and "up to date;" including spore measurements,

which is a somewhat recent innovation, liable to abuse in practice, if applied too inflexibly.

The best test of a work of this nature lies in its practical use, and we doubt not that experience will confirm our impression that it is workmanlike in character, and careful in execution, although we had rather not have had occasion to express dissent from the method of arrangement, or taken exception to the elevation of the subgenera of Agaricus to the rank of genera. We cannot conclude this brief notice without a special commendation of the fulness of the descriptions and illustrative notes under each species. It is clearly manifest throughout that our author is in sympathy with the student, and is doing his best to give him all the help he can in the discrimination of species. The study of fungi has somewhat declined of late in this country, and British mycologists, ever few in number, have sensibly diminished; but we hope that these volumes, when completed, will inaugurate a new era of activity, and revive once more a useful and interesting study. M. C. COOKE.

THE TURRET SPIDER, THE MOUSE-EATING SPIDER, AND THE TRAP-DOOR SPIDER,

By the Rev. J. E. VIZE, F.R.M.S.

The following remarks may be considered as supplementary to my paper on "Spiders British and Foreign" which has already appeared in the Woolhope Transactions for 1888, p. 291 to p. 310.

"THE Tarantula arenicola (Turret spider) is a very interesting creature. I have never been fortunate enough to see one alive or dead. But its life history is ascertainable, and I purpose to give it from the period of its youngest state. The parent produces a number of eggs, which she carries at the extremity of her body for a considerable time. They are enclosed in a light case, as frequently happens amongst the spider tribe. This case is attached to the parent by means of a few threads spun by her, and it can be detached, if necessary. But sooner than lose the contents of it, the mother will undergo any amount of anxiety, and she will rather forfeit her life in defence of her progeny therein than abandon it. In due process of time, the eggs become hatched, and as they increase in size a very busy scene they present. Parasites stick to many of our insects, such as the dor-beetle, bees, &c., and they adhere very tenaciously, because if they become detached there is death before them, unless they migrate direct to another host. Not so this minute Tarantula. Its general position is on the body of the parent, but not always. It can take a short journey on its own account to some near distance, or even precede the mother into the nest for safety during the night, or on a signal. Of course it keeps on growing, and becomes more and more troublesome. Still the infested parent does not allow herself to be excessively incommoded. Nature tells them and her what is to be done in the emergency. The time is near when a separation is to take place. By degrees the little ones may be tossed off by her, or, as is generally the case, they start life on their own account perhaps on grass which may be near, or by taking a flight like some spiders do, as was mentioned in a previous paper.* At all events, in about a month's time from birth, the mother and her brood have relaxed all care for each other, and have separate existences independent of one another. It is not long before the little creatures take to building turrets for themselves, counterparts of what their parents built, only much smaller, as they do not at first need such large residences. As they become older, they increase the size of their homes.

Let me now tell you how their dwellings are made, and it will then be seen why they are called turret' spiders. Here I quote Dr. MacCook's words, as given to him by a friend, who says :-"They make a burrow about two inches deep in the ground when the spider begins her tower. A stick is placed at the edge of the tube, and lashed down with a strong thread. Another is laid in similar position until the margin is surrounded by a four or five-sided foundation.

* Transactions, 1888, page 303.

The builder then descends to the bottom of her tube and brings up pellets of earth, which she places atop, and on the inside, of the sticks, pressing them down with her body as she passes around the circle. Then follow other layers of sticks alternated with pellets of earth, until the tower is raised sometimes as high as two and a half inches above the ground. The inner surface is smoothed and lined with silk, and the turret is complete. While excavating the burrow, the bits of clay as they are bitten loose are compressed within the mandibles into small balls, carried to the top and shot off from the walls with sufficient force to carry them a foot distant.' Such are the words of an eye-witness of these singular spiders. They were kept in confinement so that their habits might be watched and correctly ascertained. The singular part to my mind consists in the tower and its position above the level of the earth. It has its advantages unquestionably for the spider, which can take a survey of all that occurs within a moderate distance, and which would consequently be well able to get extra food. She sits in the nest a great part of her time. Her body is an inch long, bence she is no mean creature. Possibly, also, she may find her turret of service in keeping off the effects of more rain than usual, but she certainly is not so free from floods as her distant relative the 'trap-door' spider. Nor is she so prudent, one would think, because she is nothing like so guarded in securing safety for herself, inasmuch as she gives a mark, even the turret, to show where she is.

The Mygale avicularia, or Mouse-eating spider, is a spider of very formidable size, and is noted far and wide as a destructive creature. Its specific name avicularia implies its connection in some]way or other with birds. The way in which the relationship is obtained arises from the certainty that the creature attacks and preys upon birds as a part of its food. Of course it cannot kill the larger winged animals-only those of a size sufficient for it to master and conquer. Amongst these would be the humming birds. It is by no means unusual for one of these spiders to take the life of one of these little beauties. They frequent trees. Trees are common to both. The birds settle therein and lay their eggs in the nests. The Mygale haunts the cavities of hollow stumps, or watches an opportunity of darting upon its victims from beneath a large branch or even leaf. Hence, if perchance a bird happened to settle for rest on a spot near the spider, the latter could very easily sting, and so paralyse by means of its poison fangs anything that would be food for it. Many spiders jump great distances compared to the springs which we give them credit for making. I mentioned particularly in a former contribution* to the Woolhope Club the astonishing agility of some of these creatures and the distances they will take in their aerial voyages. If we notice the legs of some of our British species they are well adapted for bounding. For a tropical spider to cover a considerable space in getting his food is therefore readily imagined by us. It is all very well to go to the Zoological Gardens and see the bird-eating spiders there since their importation in the summer of 1880, but the sight gives a very puny idea of what the creatures are in a state of nature amongst their own haunts and feeding grounds. The motions and actions of a horse bridled and curbed and put between shafts are very poor compared to the

* Transactions, 1888, page 304.

elegance of the same creature in his sports when turned out loose on the grass. The sloth is called a sloth because he looks the most arrantly incapable lump of flesh for quick march as he hangs head downwards on an isolated dead tree. See him at home in the forest. Fun, frolic, activity, noise, happiness accompany all he does. A more incorrect title than sloth could scarcely be. So with the spiders. Our Zoological Garden spider must not be the standard for the Mygale of the tropics. Besides, the food given to this creature in our country is not always the right thing at the right time. Sometimes it may get the same or nearly the same as abroad. Mice, for instance, supposing that the Brazil mice are the same as ours. All mice are not the same. When in France last year, I stayed for a month at a chaplain's house, where the tails of those that infested the parsonage were quite double the length of those of our English species. We had good opportunities of detecting their differences, for by day and night they felt much more at home with us in our rooms than we liked.

At night they did not hesitate to want to look at our features as we lay in bed. Perhaps English people were recognized by them as foreigners. At all events, so frequent were they, that not satisfied with a little water to drink, they took too much in our washing basins, and committed suicide there. No inquest was held on them, but we did observe their tails, which in proportion to the length of their bodies were long enough for prehensile monkeys.

As to the size of the Mouse-eating spider, which is the name given to the Mygale avicularia of which we are speaking, it is about three inches long in the body itself. Hence we can form an estimate of its dimensions when we take its proportions, gathered from the addition of its legs. It would very nicely go into a dinner plate. Indeed the bottom of a soup plate would be an admirable lair from which it could make a bound upon its prey. These creatures, it need hardly be said, may be seen in our museums inflated to the natural size, and are quite as well examined dead as alive. It is not necessary to go to the Brazils to inspect these hairy, unpleasant looking things, although notwithstanding the repugnance felt by many people in seeing them, they have as much right to live as we have.

The Trap-door spider (Mygale cœmentaria), is a very compact creature to look at. He is sturdy, and business-like, quite prepared to take flight from danger, imaginary or real, at a moment's notice. His legs are short, so is his body, although the latter is more sturdy than the former. In our country, in which by-the-bye he is not indigenous, he is more reverenced and given greater privilege in our minds than perhaps any other spider on earth. His sudden disappearance on any alarm makes him a sort of acrobat or conjurer. To be gone, utterly and hopelessly, whereas he was assuredly seen just now, creates a sort of inquisitiveness to ascertain more about him and his movements, where he is gone to, whether he will return again, and what he is doing with himself during his absence. If we look at the identical spot where we saw him we get no nearer the solution of our puzzle than before. He was there, he may return, but will he? What can he be doing? We are amazed, and intensely interested. Let us notice first the place of his retreat. He is underground, in one of the dryest homes possible. No need of plasterers and plumbers for him. Leakages of wet do not affect him in the least. Man's houses may have them to any extent, not so the