BOTANY.

WALKING FERN.-I send a specimen of the curious plant Asplenium rhizophyllum or Walking Fern, rare in our neighbourhood. I gathered it at Flat Rock, on the Schuylkill River, about eight miles above Philadelphia. It possesses the curious property of rooting from the end of the leaf, and would soon cover a large space with its matted foliage. Its favourite habitat is rocky woods, or lichen-covered rocks under shady trees. I should be pleased to collect and forward any species of plants growing around here to such of your readers as may think them worth the postage.-G. W., Philadelphia, U.S.

LATTICE STINKHORN (Clathrus cancellatus).· On the 14th of June, one of the above-named rare fungi, was brought to me by Mrs. Browne of Ashfield Tor. The species has, I believe, never been found in England, excepting in two localities, in Torquay, and one or two specimens in the Isle of Wight. The first that was found in Torquay was in the grounds of Mrs. Tracey, who gathered it in the egg, or nidus state, and as she carried it into the house, the beautiful lattice-like top suddenly broke through the white upper skin of the cap, and rose into its latticed form. The bars of the lattice work were so like coral, both in colour, and apparent substance, that you might believe them carved out of that substance. The pileus is of the purest snow-white, somewhat reticulated, white veinings. The hollow part at the bottom cap is full of a green slime of the most detestable odour. The late Mrs. Griffiths, the well-known algologist, figured the specimens found by Mrs. Tracey; Miss Griffiths also brought me several specimens in different stages. It was ten or twelve years ago that I had these specimens from Miss Griffiths, and about two years afterwards, some little girls brought me two or three fine ones from Ashfield, the only place, excepting those in Mrs. Tracey's grounds, where I have heard of their being found. Since that time I have not seen a Clathrus cancellatus, until this one was brought me this month. If any of the readers of SCIENCE-GOSSIP has seen or heard of this fungus at any other place in England than those I have named, I shall feel obliged by information on the subject. The smell of all that I have had has been so offensive that I could not bear them even on a passage table and under a bell glass, and was obliged to keep them out of doors.-M. D. P.

THE OROBANCHE PICRIDIS.-Picris Broom-rape occurs in Dorset in such quantity that, on my farm between Yeovil and Sherborne, I have estimated that in a field of clover are 11,073 plants to the acre; and as the parasite when compared with the

clover, presents the same difference in size, as the cuckoo and the water wagtail, it may be guessed what mischief it does to the crop. I find this species here on several kinds of clovers and their allies, in the fields, Picris heracioides in the hedgerows, and I found a specimen on a pelargonium in my greenhouse; and to-day I have taken up a parsley root with this species of broom-rape attached. It is the only species I have found here, and an examination of it inclines me to think that there is some confusion in the nomenclature of our broom-rapes, as I find specimens varying in size from two or three inches to twenty inches in height. Occasionally too, but very rarely, they are branched, but in all the examples I have examined the fold at the upper lip simulating a notch (see Syme's description, "English Flora," vol .vi.) is very significant. I confess to having doubts about the difference in species, from our present plant and Orobanche minor.-J. B.

VARIETIES OF FERNS.-I have found wild in the woods here, Lastræa filix-mas, var. cristata, for which Moore, in "Nature-printed Ferns," only gives fœmina, var. polydactylum, and Scolopendrium vultwo places in Devonshire. Also, Athyrium filixgare, var. multiforme. — W. D. R., Lonsdale, Westmoreland.

A STICK WITHOUT AN END.-There may be seen in the churchyard at Shaftesbury, a somewhat remarkable freak of nature. In the language of the foreman at the gas-works, it is "a stick without an end." A branch of a goodly elm has grown into, and become part of another branch of the same tree, in such wise that it has become really "a stick without an end."-H. Pocklington.

THE OXLIP.-It appears to me that a great deal of the uncertainty with regard to this plant, arises from its being so often confused with the variety caulescens, of P. vulgaris, which it somewhat closely resembles. This is very common in many parts of the country, and will be often found to have single primroses on the same plant, P. veris, may have claims to hybridity, but after examining great numbers of individuals, the specific distinctions always remain well-defined and clear. The only point upon which I feel misgivings, is that it occurs at wide intervals, and has a very limited distribution in those localities, whereas, it ought to be as abundant, cæteris paribus, as the primrose or cowslip. If your correspondents will consult Professor Babington's Manual of Botany, they will find the characters well given. The leaves abruptly contracted below; the lanceolate-toothed calyx, the points of which are reflected when the plant is in fruit; the concave corolla-limb; and open mouth; abundantly serve to distinguish P. veris from all others.-L.

MICROSCOPY.

DIATOMACEE. It will be interesting to the readers of SCIENCE-GOSSIP to know that Herr Eulenstein of Wurtemberg is at present engaged on a complete synopsis of British and Foreign Diatomaceæ. It is to consist of five sections, and each section has to be accompanied by 100 slides of mounted diatoms, each slide being as far as practicable pure, that is free from intermixture of diatoms, other than those it is intended to illustrate. I believe Herr Eulenstein will be glad to receive communications from any English diatomists, of pure gatherings of either fresh-water or marine diatomacea, but specially of the latter.-T. P. Barkas, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

MOUNTING DESMIDS.-The great want which has marred all efforts (to mount desmids successfully) has been a fitting medium; a fluid of such a nature that the plant, when immersed in it shall not become distorted, or indeed receive any appreciable change for a long lapse of years, provided the cement inclosing it retains its air-tight properties. The want of success, it must be allowed, has not arisen from the positive evaporation of the liquids employed, but from the method of employing them. Following a natural law, the frustule, immediately upon being inclosed in its cell, begins to part with the water contained within itself. And what is the consequence? The surrounding medium cannot take the place of the water, the primordial utricle contracts, the contents of the cell collapse, and the plant is left as much changed 'and disfigured as though it had been originally dried. The botanical world is, therefore, greatly indebted to Herr Hantzsch, of Dresden, for his researches in this direction, which have resulted in discovering an arrangement which completely supersedes the various unsatisfactory plans hitherto adopted.

[This plan is fully detailed in "Nave's Handybook to Collection, &c.," just published, from which the above remarks are quoted. The old process would occupy too much space to quote entire ; we must therefore refer our readers to the book itself, in which they will find many other useful hints.—ED.]

MICROSCOPIC MEASUREMENT.-At the meeting of the Dublin Microscopical Club (21st of March), Mr. Stoney submitted to the club reasons which appeared to him, in the present state of science, to require the general adoption by scientific men, of the subdivisions of the metre in estimating micrometrical magnitudes. He observed, too, that all confusion and inconvenience arising from the use of fractions may be avoided by a very simple extension of the nomenclature of the metrical system, which

he thought himself justified in recommending to the club, from the assistance he had himself received from it.

CILIARY MUSCLE OF THE EYE.-At the Quekett Microscopical Club (May 24th), Ernest Hart, Esq., President, submitted his reasons for doubting the existence of sphinctral muscles, or circular fibres of ciliary muscle, which could influence the accommodative action of the eye, and in a very interesting and lucid communication expounded the theories which have been 'propounded, to account for the accommodation of the eye, with the result of his own investigations on the subject.

THE STUDY OF MOSSES.-Dr. R. Braithwaite, F.L.S., at the Quekett Microscopical Club (June 26), read a paper on the structure and classification of mosses, during which he gave a succinct account of the structure, growth, and development of these plants, with hints for their collection, preservation, and examination, adding thereto some remarks on the principles adopted in their classification. A large number of mounted preparations, illustrative of the subject, were exhibited under a series of microscopes provided for the purpose. Later in the evening, it was proposed that classes for the study of mosses and microscopic fungi should be organized in the autumn, Dr. Braithwaite and Mr. M. C. Cooke offering to take charge of such classes respectively.

OTOLITES.-Mr. Higgins complains of the report of his communication on this subject, published at p. 151-that he did not read a paper, but communicated his observations vivá voce, hence our report, taken from shorthand notes made for the committee, was not literally correct-that "Otolites" was spelt incorrectly throughout the report. And, finally, he sends us a corrected account, which we fear that we cannot avail ourselves of, in a manner so as to make the errata wholly intelligible to our readers, except by reprinting the entire communication. In line 23, read “ though in some members of the Ray family and the Sharks, there is a tubular prolongation of the lining membrane, reaching from the otocrane to the external surface of the skull. In almost all other fish, the whole of the auditory organs are contained in the otocrane, which are two deep depressions in the interior of the skull, situated on either side of the brain." And at p. 152, line 6, "The sacculus consists of one large sac, containing the central otolite. The ordinary position of the superior otolite is at the junction of the anterior and posterior semicircular canals, but in two specimens, &c." And at line 16, "From the lower sac, two tubes pass through the base of the skull, communicating by a chain of ossicles with the tube of the anterior airbladder. These ossicula are the only true, &c."

NOTES AND QUERIES.

LOCUSTS WITH TAILS.-There is a species of locust, one of the genus Acridium, with a projecting spine between the fore legs. Is it possible that the writer to the Clerical Journal, not being a naturalist, made the mistake of imagining this spine to be a tail ?-N. G. W.

CHEATING A SPIDER.-Some time ago I amused myself by watching a very large spider at work in a fine large web. After observing him complete his task, and post himself on the look-out, I tried him with some flies, which he soon settled. One day I tempted him by touching the web, and evidently deceived him more than once. On one occasion I presented him with a small piece of raw beef about the of an inch long, which I held to him on the point of a pencil. The first time he seized it fiercely with his strong jaws, but almost immediately afterwards threw it away in disgust, nor would he again venture, though I tried him several times. Once, after much fine weather, it threatened rain, and I saw him carefully passing over his web along the spiral threads, detaching them as he passed each intersection with the radial lines, and forming the whole into a roll or ball beneath his abdomen, which, when he had reached the centre of the web he carefully let drop to the ground, and then retired to a snug corner on the gate, to which his principal ties were attached. There he remained during several days, until I no longer had the opportunity to continue my observations. All the radial lines of the web were left intact, as though he intended making future use of them.-J. B. Keene.

NUT BORERS.-For the benefit of your subscribers in general, and of Mr. S. A. Stewart in particular, I beg to state that the author of the nut-boring, mentioned in your last number of SCIENCE-GOSSIP, is the Myoxus avellanarius, class Sciurida, so called from their principal food being hazel-nuts. It is gregarious, building principally in dense thickets near the ground, where it lays up a considerable winter stock of nuts, wild apples, corn, haws, &c. It has all the habits of the common squirrel, holding its food between its two fore paws, and sitting upon its haunches whilst feeding. Towards winter it becomes exceedingly corpulent, and when winter fairly sets in it retires to its nest, and remains dormant nearly the whole winter, clement weather only rousing it at times to feed. Towards spring it awakes, and follows its usual avocations, conjugal and paternal-the young being born blind, of which there are generally two litters. It is very easily tamed, and has no offensive smell. It is known all over Europe. In England, Kent and Essex most abound in the dormouse, where they are very commonly seen, and are easily caught with the hand. But, lastly, let me warn those of your readers who rejoice in the hope of catching, and expecting to catch one, in trying the experiment, not to hold them by the tail, as they very commonly leave the epidermis and fur between the fingers, and "skedaddle," and thus the expectant captor of the fair prize is thwarted.— Cleland Lammiman.

THE PETRIFIED FOREST.-It may interest our readers to know that fine specimens of the silicified wood from the "petrified forest" near Cairo may be seen in the Technological Museum at the Crystal Palace. They were sent by His Excellency Heke

kyan Bey, with the interesting collection illustrating the manners and customs of modern Egypt exhibited in the above-named museum.-P.

LARVA OF HYDROPHILUS.-Could any of your correspondents (especially the lady who signs Helen Watney,' and gave so interesting an account of an insect vivarium in the SCIENCEGOSSIP for April, 1866,) inform me how these little creatures should be fed? The eggs in the Hydrophilus nest which I described in last month's number, were hatched on the eighth day. About sixty fine, healthy, lively larva came out. We supplied them plentifully with water plants, and finding they did not eat them, with small red worms-all in vain they grew languid, and all died within a fortnight-I fear of hunger. Should we succeed in obtaining a nest another year, we should feel very grateful to any one who would advise us as to how to avoid a similar catastrophe.-L. H. F.

:

GUACO. In answer to Henry Cooke, in the last number of SCIENCE-GOSSIP. I lived for some time in South America, and mixed a good deal with the natives, and I know for certain that they inoculate themselves with the juice of the "Guaco" in their feet, and always carry some of the leaves about them, to eat in case of a bite from a snake. I cannot say from experience that Guaco is a cure for a snake bite; but unless it is so, I cannot imagine why these Indians think so highly of it. That the snake-bird does as mentioned by your correspondent, I can confidently affirm. Rev. William Goss.

NEW LEGS.-In S. G. for June, Mr. William Dodson calls attention to a note on a thrush that had been kept in a cage acquiring a new pair of legs. Surely no person in this age believes in such a phenomenon. I will, however, give Mr. Dodson what I consider to be the real foundation for such an absurd supposition. Having had a number of such deformities brought_under my notice, I can speak not only from what I have heard, but from what I have really seen. I have found that it is not an unusual occurrence to see thrushes, blackbirds, larks, and many others, after being confined some years in a cage, with their legs deformed in the manner I am about to describe. From some cause-want of the necessary food or exercise-the scales of the legs increase to a prodigious size, often being five or six times as large as the ordinary legs, and taking a downward growth, frequently overhang the feet, and in some instances prevent the bird from standing upon a level surface. These scales becoming extremely dry, they are by the slightest accident detached from the leg as far as the knee joint; the scales at that part being smaller, and the skins more flexible, allow the mass of scales, still retaining the shape of the original legs, to remain suspended. The legs after being divested of their old scales, appear extremely thin, and quite pale; and to any person that does not make such an examination as they should, but arrive at a hasty conclusion that the bird has four legs, and that the cast-off scales, which are so much the largest, must be the old legs, are very likely to be deceived themselves, and misguide others. I have seen several instances of hawks that have evidently been trapped, and made their escape with the loss of one foot, and several other birds-a lark amongst the rest, that had been deprived of both feet; and this bird had lived for some considerable time after, as the legs had quite healed, and

become covered with a hard, horny substance, which enabled it to get about in some way, or other. Now, surely, if such as your correspondent states be correct, these poor cripples would be fit subjects for nature's handiwork. But even in such cases where birds are sometimes hatched with four legs, they only make use of two, and were they deprived of these, the remaining ones would prove useless.-J. B. Waters.

SNAKE CHARMING. The remarks relative to snake charming in SCIENCE-GOSSIP for February, remind me of a commonism that I used to hear long years ago, at least half a century, in a countryplace, bearing upon the same subject, it was this: Get on your own side, speckle-back," and the origin of the saying was given as this-a little girl used to sit upon the doorstep to eat her bread and milk, a snake used to come every morning for his share, and if by chance he got on the wrong side, she would give him a rap on the head with her spoon, exclaiming, "Get on your own side, speckle-back." Eventually the snake was destroyed by the child's friends fearing it might injure her, but, unfortunately, she took her loss so to heart, that she pined away and died broken-hearted.-G. B.

DOG IN TROUBLE.-An acquaintance of mine had a rather valuable breed of poodles: amongst the number was one that was the most active, lively, and the finest; suddenly he seemed to lose the power of leaping up, and when stroked on the back shrunk from the hand. It went on thus for about six months, growing gradually weaker as if from consumption, and then died. A post mortem showed a skewer partially embedded in the lungs, thus causing a painful, lingering death. I have no doubt that these (see p. 63) are by no means solitary cases, and it seems a great pity they cannot be generally known, as a means of inducing care to be taken to prevent like occurences.-G. B.

CATS AT THE FIRE. In country places you will hear this commonism

When the cat sleeps on her brain,

'Tis a sure sign of rain.

And I have repeatedly noticed that when the weather is heavy the cat lies with the back of her head on the ground. There is one thing relative to the cat that I cannot at all understand, I have hundreds of times produced electric sparks from the cat's back by rubbing the hair the wrong way; that was in the country some years ago; but here in London all my efforts to do so have proved abortive, although the weather has been cold enough for such purpose one would imagine, neither do I find any one but my wife who ever witnessed it. Can you tell me why?-G. B.

GOLD FISH.-We have a pond of circular form, some eighteen or twenty feet in diameter, having water-lilies, two kinds of pondweed, water crowfoot, &c.; and had in the dry summer of 1865, not less than eighteen inches of water in it. Into this were placed, two years ago, when it was dug (early in 1865), a few gold fish, which, in consequence of the supply of food which the pond contains, through having so many plants in it, have increased to an enormous extent, and some of the young ones of 1865 are already assuming the beautiful metallic colours which make these fish such an ornament to a piece of water, and which does not generally take

place, out of doors, in water of the same temperature as the atmosphere, until the third year. If "G. A. W." prepared a pond with a natural bottom and without a jet of water, he would most likely succeed better, as gold fish are said, in common with others of the carp family, not to breed in running water.-Y. D.

TAIL OF LOCUST.-The female Locusta viridissima has a straight sword-shaped ovipositor, which may possibly be the tail, like that of a scorpion," I. M. P." speaks of. This is not the species which does so much mischief in the East; that being scientifically known as Acrydium migratorium, or as it was named by Linnæus Gryllus migratorius, but possibly the one may have been mistaken for the other.-Y. D.

ARE ANEMONES OVIPAROUS.-On the 14th of July, I observed what I had not before seen, during my eight years' experience as a keeper of marine aquaria. I have frequently seen anemones of various kinds multiply by fission, by budding, and viviparously, but until to-day, I had not seen anemones give off ova. I observed a mass of greyish-looking matter near the orifice of a very fine strawberry mesembryanthemum which I have had in my aquarium for four years, and on attempting to remove it by means of a brush, which I generally use for brushing the anemones, and for removing impurities, I discovered that the mass was feebly gelatinous, and that every attempt to remove it, only removed a portion, the mass being broken by the brush passing through it. While engaged in the removal, I observed another and a larger mass of similar substance, being ejected from the mouth of the anemone, and on this occasion, I removed it by means of a glass dipping-tube. On examining the contents of the tube, I discovered it consisted of a mass of ova about th part of an inch in diameter, and entirely covered with radii or ciliary processes. When examined under a microscope, the globules did not present any appearance of motion, were very uniform in size, were very symmetrical, and perfectly spherical. The quantity of ovarian matter emitted on the two occasions above referred to would have filled a small thimble, and correctly to estimate the number of the ova, exceeds my powers of calculation: I roughly estimate them upwards of a million. Can any of the readers of SCIENCE-GOSSIP inform me if ova so voided ever become anemones, or are they merely unprolific germs?-T. P. Barkas.

HAIR-WORMS.-A large quantity of these worms were found after the thunder-storm of June the 3rd, at Epsom and its vicinity, but all disappeared in the afternoon. They were at first supposed to be Gordius aquaticus, but turned out to be Mermis nigrescens. During the dahlia season they are here parasitic, in the bodies of the earwigs, in the proportion of five to ten per cent.-W. T. Iliff, Epsom.

DEATH'S-HEAD MOTH.-In "British Moths," by Edward Newman, authority is brought forward to verify his statement that the chrysalis and caterpillar of the death's-head moth (Acherontia atropos) have power to emit sounds. I have kept a great many of the former, and have three now, but I have failed to hear the slightest noise made by them. I know that the moth can (when touched) make a noise similar to a mouse, but more plaintive.Frederick Stanley.

IMPRESSIONS OF LEAVES. To obtain exact nature-printed copies of the leaves and impressions of leaves found in the Lower Bagshot Pipe-clays, let "R. C." mix well with cold drawn linseed oil, indigo and chrome yellow to a very smooth consistence with a palette-knife, till it assumes a good vegetable green; then, with a small camel's hair pencil let him paint the impression very carefully, and before it gets too dry, he may obtain on thin paper, by gentle pressure with a piece of clean flannel, a very good impression.-Wokingham.

MIRAGE.-One hot day in the summer of 1865, a mirage was seen off the coast of Hants: the image of a large war-ship appeared upside-down, just above the horizon.-K.

NUT-BORERS.-In vol. ii., "Insect Architecture," by James Rennie, pp. 102, Ravages of Insects, Mr. Murray will find a short article upon the nut weevil (Balaninus nucum, Germar). As the entire article might be too long for S.G., I send a condensed account for Mr. M.'s information, as he may not have the work at hand. This weevil drills the hole with its long horny beak (rostrum) while the nuts are in their young and soft state, about the beginning of August; the female lays one egg which is thrust into the nut: it is of a brown colour, and is hatched in about a fortnight, the grub feeding on the interior of the shell as well as the soft pulp. It is remarkable that during this period! care is taken not to injure the kernel, which is permitted to ripen before it is attacked, for had this been prematurely done it would have been starved, as it had not the power of perforating another nut. It is said to be careful to preserve the original hole made by the mother by gnawing around its inner edges, in order to facilitate its exit, which it effects when the nut falls to the ground in September or October. Two eggs are never laid in the same nut. This insect in all probability caused the hole in the nut observed by Mr. M.-W. P., Newark.

SKUNK ODOUR.-It is lucky for the trade of perfumers, that their skill in essences has not as yet attained to the power of concocting a perfume equal in persistency to that secreted in the oil-glands of this most disagreeable animal; if such were the case, the sale of one small phial would supply an individual for a lifetime. A handkerchief odorized with scent so permanent would defy the combined powers of soap, soda, and washerwomen to remove the mephitic bouquet, as long as the fabric retained its entirety

Bury and wash, and rub as you will,

The scent of the skunk will cling to them still.
Lord's British Columbia.

MAGPIE.-I have a magpie the feathers of which of late continually looked greasy, as though the bird perspired profusely; and now he has not only lost his tail, but the greater part of his feathers, and though once a fine bird has become a miserable object. Can any one enlighten me as to the cause, or its cure? As I imagine, it must be in some manner associated with his food, a hint or two towards a rectification of his dietary would oblige.-R. H.

WHAT'S THE BIRD DOING.-People are apt to suppose that a bird is preening, or rectifying its feathers when they see it applying its bill to its plumage, and running it down a feather, from the root to the extremity; but a man well versed in the habits of birds knows, when he sees the bird do this

(except after it has got wet), that it is trying to dislodge the vermin which cling with an astonishing pertinacity to the feathers. Now, while the bird is thus employed on that part of its body just above the tail, where there is a gland, some people imagine that the bird is procuring a liquor from the gland, by means of its beak, in order to apply it to its feathers. But, at best, this can be only mere conjecture on the part of the observer, because the feathers on the rump completely preclude the possibility of his having a distinct view of what the bird is doing.-Waterton's Essays.

SONG OF THE LARK.-No doubt much of the

pleasure derived from the song of the Lark depends upon association, and to him who finds delight in wandering over the green fields, along the daisied margin of the clear stream that winds in the bottom of the pastoral glen, or upon the ferny brae, where the "lang yellow broom" and "blossomed furze unprofitably gay," shoot up amidst the wild thyme, yarrow, and blue bell, it is pleasant to listen even to the "skirl" of the Corn Bunting, the seesaw song of the Tit, the creaking cry of the Partridge, or the singular crake of the Land-rail; but, independently of circumstances and associations, the song of the Lark imparts an elasticity to the mind, elevates the spirits, and suspends for a time the gnawing of corroding care.-Macgilleray's British Birds.

CEMENT WANTED.-I shall feel obliged if I can be informed through the medium of your "Notes and Queries" what is the best cement for fastening india-rubber to britannia metal.-William Date.

MILTON AND READE.-"T. A. H." writes us in defence of the grammatical construction of the passage quoted by "F. A. A." and condemned by Mr. Milton in our last number. We cannot sanction philological discussions in our columns, and regret that Mr. Milton's grounds of complaint against "F. A. A." should have required such adventitious aid.-ED.

FISH TANKS.-In answer to your correspondent "G. A. W." concerning gold fish, I would observe, in the first place, that the recent covering of the bottoms with Portland cement would in all probability prove fatal to his fish. It has the same blinding and killing properties as lime, therefore all tanks, ponds, basins for fountains and aquariums in the construction of which lime or cement has been used should have the water drained off once a week for about a month previous to the introduction of the fish. I would also recommend about one inch of gravel sand or burnt earth spread over the bottom. Your correspondent states that the depth of his pond is from 8 inches to 14 inches. Now 14 inches of water is not enough to protect fish from the burning rays of a summer's sun, neither is it sufficient to preserve them from the winter's cold. Give them three feet in the middle, procure some roots of the water lily and a couple of deep propagating pans in which plant the lilies, well securing them in the pans by placing large stones or pebbles upon the top of roots. A pot or two of the Calla plant look very beautiful in a pond and does well; the foilage of the lilies will prove an agreeable shelter to the fish without which no fish can thrive. Pursuing this plan, I have had them in water under my care breed by thousands, so numerous that every summer we were obliged to thin them, and this in a gentleman's garden within 4 miles of the Marble Arch, London.-Henry Morgan.