investigation of the living forms. The foraminifers should be captured alive, and put into and bred in household vivaria. I see no difficulty in any one doing this who has leisure sufficient. The tanks, if constructed something on the plan of Mr. Ward's ingenious fern-cases, with the addition of a heating or refrigerating chamber for the regulation of the temperature of the water and air, might be made suitable for the condition of any species, tropical or arctic; and indeed as some particular forms are known to exist in great abundance in many of the estuaries of our own coast, it would seem that such species must be sufficiently hardy to withstand any of the ordinary conditions of indoor reservoirs, and certainly any one residing on the borders of such estuarine districts could have ample means for the observation of such foraminifers under their proper natural conditions. The most important points to be settled are: 1. Whether the shell of the fora minifer is formed piecemeal or lobe after lobe; or whether the whole mass of sarcode exists in an unprotected condition, and exhibits segmentation before the formation of the enveloping shell. 2. Whether spontaneous fission does or does not take place. 3. How generation is effected, and whether by one or more than one means. 4. What are the characters of the germs or ova, and what the differences in the young stages between the fry of various species?

The little that is known, added to what we have reason to believe, amounts to this conviction, that the sarcode exudes freely as it increases in mass by nourishment from every pore and orifice of the foraminifer's enveloping case, the whole shell being covered with a film of sarcodous flesh; at a suitable period the exuded sarcode gathers itself up into an additional fleshy lobe, and assumes a characteristic and definite shape. On the obtention of permanency of form, shell-secretion goes rapidly on, and the new animal is encased in a contiguous lobe to the previous shell. This view acquires confirmation from the fact that the older lobes have more layers of shell-matter than the more recent ones. For example, the primary lobe of a four-lobed shell will have four layers, the second three, the third two, and the last one layer of shell-matter shown in its transverse section. Moreover, as a general rule old shells are thicker than merely adult ones, and largeness of individual dimensions and conditions of ample food-supply, and their reverses, induce such modifications of the stoutness of the shell-structure as are in further harmony with this view.

That some foraminifera are viviparous we also know, because the larger chambers of some individuals have been seen full of the shelled young in considerable stages of advance. But how these young are liberated has never been witnessed, so far as I know, by human eyes. Most probably their

growth increases until disrupture of the parent shell is effected; but it is on such points that actual observation is so much required. The young forms in a free state are also found commingled in the same samples of sand and mud with the adults of the same species, and we think it may be pretty safely asserted that the second youngest stage of all the compound forms is that of one lobe joined on to the primary animal, and which condition would not occur if the foraminifer were perfected in its mere sarcodous growth, and segmented before the formation of its shell.

Of the special habitats of the various species, much knowledge has been obtained, and although there are some seeming discrepancies in the conflicting statements of naturalists, the reconciliation of many of them is assured. For example, Dr. Wallich views certain forms as inhabiting the depths of the ocean, and says he has netted through seven hundred fathoms of sea-depth from the surface without the capture of a single individual; whilst Major Owen, coming over the same sea, bags in abundance by net-sweeping the surface. It appears, however, when the subject is closely looked into, that the same species abound in the same regions, and that the kinds found living at the top of the sea are also found living at the bottom. Moreover, the Doctor swept in the daytime, and the Major at night. This much is certain, that some forms of foraminifers are not free, but are firmly attached to foreign bodies, and such parasitic forms adherent to otolithes and stones having been dredged up from the greatest depths, are decisive proof of the residence and vitality of those organisms under those abyssmal bathymetrical conditions. As other forms have essentially creeping habits, being found travelling over the stems and leaves of seaweeds-along the tidal and laminarian zones, we may fairly infer that in accordance with their state of development, their attained size, the thickness or thinness of their shells, and the relative energy of their particular vitality, individuals of even the same species may be met with exemplifying all the intermediate conditions between absolute fixity, crawling, and free swimming.

Here we must leave this most interesting subject, with the hope that these few pages will have encouraged higher motives than a desire for the mere possession of so many slides of these exquisite pelagic life-grains, and that future pages of SCIENCE-GOSSIP may show the fruits of good work done. S. J. MACKIE, F.G.S.

SUSPENDED JUDGMENT.-A truly wise man is so fully sensible how little he knows, and what things he once was ignorant of which he is now acquainted with, that he is far enough from supposing his own judgment a standard of the reality of things.— Baker "On the Polype."

THE

MONMOUTH DEPOSIT.

THE Editor of this journal having received from the Rev. E. C. Bolles, President of the Portland Institute, a quantity of a rich diatomaceous deposit from Monmouth, Maine, U.S., for distribution under the conditions named in the exchange list, I have acceded to his request to furnish an account of the forms which this deposit contains.

It resembles the majority of the American fossil fresh-water deposits, namely, those of New York; Wellington, Connecticut; New Hampshire; Blue Hills, Maine; Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, &c., in being very rich in the genus Pinnularia. It also resembles the Bergmehl found in Lapland, in containing many species of Eunotia.

This deposit is perhaps the most purely diatomaceous of all that I have been fortunate enough to obtain. No action takes place on the addition of acids, showing the absence of any calcareous matter, thus indicating that the water in which the diatoms lived was free from lime. The diatoms are unusually perfect, and the striæ upon the more delicate species are as easily resolved as those upon recent forms.

The following are some of those which I have found in this material. Pinnularia gigas of Ehrenburgh, and Pinnularia major of Kutzing, the latter figured in SCIENCE-GOSSIP for 1866, and repeated here (fig. 140). These species, together with Pinnu. laria nobilis and Pinnularia mesogongyla, might with propriety be made one species, as their specific differences are not sufficient to warrant their separation. Ehrenberg gave a figure of Pinnularia gigas in the Mikrogeologie (plate 2, 3, fig. 1).

Pinnularia dactylus of Ehrenberg resembles the

Navicula Trochus of Ehrenberg was first observed in a fossil deposit from Sweden, and has since been detected in several of the American deposits, and by G. Norman, Esq., of Hull, in a recent gathering from Norway, and by myself in the washings of some moss gathered in Heigham, Norfolk. This, although a small form (the largest specimen I have seen did not exceed 1400 of an inch in length), is readily detected by its peculiar form. It has a strongly inflated centre, with rostrate and obtuse apices.

curiously looking at them, the ensconced fleas proved they were on the alert, for first one and then another of these single tenements opened like a mussel-shell, and away went the startled occupants in quick succession, the whole making their escape in magical celerity. The piece of dimity looked as if it was nibbled. How do the fleas work up these snuggeries-the little abodes with only room for one, and a close fit too? And does each occupier know his own house? I once saw thousands of these insects, bound on some expedition, crossing a road closely adjacent to a beach, skipping, jumping, and scrambling, in such close order that the space of road, about a yard in diameter, was darkened by their migration, their direction being inland.-W. B.

A CANARY'S ANTIPATHY.-It may interest some of your readers to note the extraordinary antipathy for certain colours of a pet canary-bird of ours. Any shade of violet or blue appears to drive him nearly mad. He not only flutters, but beats himself against the cage wires or the bottom of the cage, and I really believe would kill himself if the objection

able colour was not removed. The least bit of either of these colours is detected by him in a moment. One day, while my wife was feeding her pets, the cook came to speak to her, and had some ribbon of a violet shade to her cap. Poor little Dickey was off in a moment, violently beating and fluttering till the cap-strings disappeared. We have tried him with almost every other colour, and he takes no notice. I may add that he was brought up by hand, and is so tame that he is constantly hopping about us as we get up in the morning; any stranger can take him on their finger. In a moment, however, at sight of a dress or ribbon of the colours named he immediately commences trying to knock his brains out, or to do himself some other "grievous bodily harm." Can any one account for the strange fear of these particular colours ?—J. N. W.

A "NEW RIVER" HORSE.-At the brickfields close to the Finchley-road, where the Midland Extension Railway crosses, are some very simple siphons for supplying the works with water. They are merely bent pipes, with a lever tap inserted below the bend. One of these is close to a field fence. My daughter, who pays considerable attention to animals, saw a common cart-horse walk up to the spot, put his head over the fence, and, with his teeth, turn the lever tap full on. He then craned his neck further over, so as to get his mouth below the stream, and caught the water as it fell. A gentleman standing near saw the ingenious creature refreshing himself, and to try whether it were accident or design, drove him away and turned off the tap. On his retreating, the horse renewed the experiment, and obtained a fresh supply. And it is worth note that to do this the animal had to push

the tap from him a quarter of a circle, the mouth of the spout being turned away from the fence. We have all seen the elephant at the Zoological Gardens fill his pail at the driver's bidding, but I conceive this is rather a new branch of industry for horses. No doubt they make progress in the useful arts as well as their masters. But though my Welsh pony used to open gates for me, by lifting the wooden latch with his nose and then thrusting with his shoulder, I could never get him to turn round and close the gate for me. Nor in this experiment did the horse turn off the tap when he had drank enough. I believe his masters sometimes exhibit a like forgetfulness at the neighbouring tavern, so both horses and men have something to learn. As an instance of observation, reflection, and experiment, followed by deduction, I think the action of our four-footed philosopher worth notice.-J. W. Salter.

LEPIDOPTERA WANTED.-For many years I have paid a sort of desultory attention to subjects connected with those branches of natural history, the study of which it is the special business of your excellent little work to promote, and the attention has been only desultory because my every-day avocacations have rendered a close study impossible. I should, however, much like to exchange specimens with any one who would like to open a correspondence with me for that purpose, premising that I am more likely to possess spare specimens of the Lepidoptera than those of other orders. If it be not too late, I should be obliged to any one who would send me a few eggs of any new silk moth, particularly those of the Ailanthus (Bombyx Cynthia). We have here, somewhat common, a moth which seems very closely allied to the above, judging from drawings I have seen of the Ailanthus, and which feeds on the apple and pear trees, but I should like to rear a few of the Ailanthus for the purpose of making a comparison. I hope the person favouring me with any eggs will accompany them with such instructions as may be necessary to the proper treatment of the caterpillar. Please make such use of this note as may most efficiently conduce to bringing about the object to be attained.-W.V. Andrews, Post Office, Box 2905, New York City, U.S.

CHEATING A SPIDER.-Professor Rennie writes: "We have tried numerous experiments by moving and vibrating the lines of many species, so as to imitate as nearly as possible the entrapment of a fly; but in no case have we succeeded in bringing the spider to the spot, because, as we inferred, her eyes always detected our attempted deception." We once were so clever as to cheat a spider. Gently shaking a very small hook, called the midge-fly, in the lowest line of her web, our barometrical friend -whose pre-sensation gave warning of wet-was

fairly taken in: rushing on the hook, and grasping it, great was her astonishment. Finding that she should not believe her eyes, she precipitately fled; and no subsequent temptation, though renewed weeks afterwards, enabled us again to boast that we excelled Professor Rennie in angling for spiders. -Contributions to Natural History by a Rural D.D. CATCHING A DIVER.-On the 8th of April last, a Speckled Diver (I believe it to be a young Colymbus septentrionalis) was caught in Bridlington Bay, on a line shot for cod and haddock, at a depth of four or five fathoms. It had not swallowed the hook, but was caught by a bight (or a twist) of the snood. I forward this note to show at what distance these birds dive in search of food, in case it may interest any of your ornithological readers.-H. H. Knocker.

HOUSE-DOGS. Several articles on rural natural history having appeared lately, it may perhaps more amuse than instruct some of your juvenile readers to be informed that within a month or two a lady friend residing in Corfu asked a countryman to procure a small dog for the children. This he did, but the animal's ears were cropped close off, and on being asked why, he replied that it was to make it a good house-dog. The lady, astonished, wished to be informed in what manner such effect was produced, when the peasant said, "It is a known fact that if a puppy's ears are cut off, then cut up and mixed with oil, and made to eat it, that it makes them the best house-dogs." I leave your readers to judge of the merits of the case, and mention it simply to show superstition in the nineteenth century.-H. H. Knocker.

On

STRIPED HAWK Mотп.—I see by "the books" that the Striped Hawk Moth (Deilephila Livornica) is so great a rarity that is has been a question whether it is really a native of these islands. the 8th of May I was fortunate enough to capture an undoubtedly genuine and beautiful specimen of this moth in a garden in Ennis. It was resting on a piece of lily of the valley when I found it, in the middle of the day. Thinking it likely there might be more "where it came from," I have searched diligently all round, and burned decoy-lamps at night; but have failed to find any more.-S. Leslie Brakey, Ennis.

A BASELESS SEA ANEMONE.-In cleaning out one of my tanks, I accidentally tore in two a fine specimen of Sagartia sphyrodeta, leaving the base on the slate of the tank; the Anemone was rather out of sorts, having no base, and his inside tumbling out. I put it in a spare tank, and in a few weeks the rupture healed, with a puckered appearance. The Anemone has no sticking base, and keeps its mooring by attaching the warts of its body to large pebbles.-Alfred Hawes.

BOTANY.

MAY MUSHROOMS.-Will Professor Buckman allow me to correct a slight inaccuracy in his article on" May Mushrooms," in last number of SCIENCEGOSSIP? The agaric to which he refers is not A. prunulus, which is an autumn species, but A. gambosus, which belongs to the sub-genus "Tricholoma," and is one of the white-spored Agarics. A. prunulus is one of the "Hyporhodii," or those Agarics in which the spores are pale-rose, or salmoncoloured, and belongs to the sub-genus "Clitopilus." No doubt Professor Buckman's mistake arises from a perusal of Dr. Badham's Esculent Fungi of Great Britain," in which 4. gambosus is called A. prunulus, and the latter species is described 'under the name of A. Orcella. The true A. Orcella has not, as far as I am aware, been found in this country; but 4. prunulus is not uncommon in grassy woods, in the months of August and September, and is also a very good fungus for the table. Its gills are at first quite white, but afterwards become decidedly rose-coloured.-Archd. Jerdon.

THAN-HMO. Your correspondent "W. T. H." (whom I regret to say I cannot bring to my recollection by the slender aid of initials), has referred to me (SCIENCE-GOSSIP, November, 1866) as a likely person to give you information on the subject of our native anthelmintic, the fungus called by the Burmese Than-gya-hmo or Wa-hmo, i.e., Worm-passing-fungus, or Bamboo-fungus. I am sorry to say I have nothing to add to what appears to be already known of this plant. In the Gardeners' Chronicle for August 11, 1866, it is described by the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, our highest authority in mycology, under the name of Polyporus anthelminticus, and some account of it is also given. Its virtue as a vermifuge appears to be thought great by the Burmese. But (as the article in the Gardeners' Chronicle says) since we possess so excellent a remedy in Santonine (which has found its way out here, and is eagerly sought after by the natives as soon as they become acquainted with it), there is no advantage in introducing what in all likelihood is, at least, an inferior remedy. I believe it is tolerably abundant in the rainy season, though, I am told, only on one kind of bamboo. The Burmese have a superstition that if one who has taken this medicine touch iron, its effect will be neutralized. — C. S. P. Parish, Moulmein.

THE PRIMROSE.-In answer to "B.'s" inquiry as to the varieties of Primula in which the calyx is so strangely altered, I do not remember to have seen any other than the three kinds mentioned by him, but I think I have seen the one in which the calyx is partly green and partly red, varying to green and white. This particular variety (with the red