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to my surprise, and I must also add disgust, a large black spider (dropped out. Looking at the seat of irritation, I could not observe the mark of any puncture, but there was a red spot at the part about three-fourths of an inch in diameter. The irritation was slight and soon went off. It is not always safe to use the post hoc propter hoc argument, but from your late correspondent's description of the poison-gland, I think that conclusion may now be considered correct.-G. A. W.

COMMON TERN (Sterna Hirundo).—I succeeded in shooting a single specimen of the above bird some short time since in this neighbourhood. With us it is a very rare visitant; no doubt it was driven out of its course by contrary winds which prevailed at that time. Scores of people were watching it at the time I shot it.-C. Denny, Kelvedon.

THE BARN OWL.-In all old barns a hole may be observed in the angle of the roof, made on purpose to allow of the owls flying in and out. It is not made in the newer barns; but surely it was more sensible thus to encourage these great destroyers of vermin than to shoot them, as both gamekeepers and farmers now do.-W. R. Tate, Grove Place, Denmark Hill,

SWALLOWS AND THE CHOLERA.-A correspondent whose signature is familiar to the readers of SCIENCE GOSSIP, draws attention to the fact that these birds deserted those districts affected by the fatal scourge, and I venture to suggest a reason for their doing so. Swallows are insect-feeders, and I have noticed that on the appearance of cholera, flies and other insects decrease; may not this account for the departure of the birds? It was a long time ago, the first advent of cholera that I remember, and persons were far more nervous about it then than they are at present. I was a very little girl, but can well recollect remarks to the effect that, "the cholera had not reached us, because the flies were as numerous as ever:" it having been observed that in those towns where the plague raged, there was not a fly to be seen.-Helen E. Watney.

GALLS ON THE ELM.-At a meeting of the Entomological Society (November 5th), Mr. F. Smith exhibited some large galls formed by Aphides, and found at Deal, on the elm. On the 24th of July last, Mr. R. McLachlan observed numbers of these galls on some elms on the banks of the Thames, near Hampton Court. Each was at, or near, the extremity of a twig. In size they varied from that of a walnut to that of a medium-sized potato, of an irregular shape, green externally, turning to rosy on the side exposed to the sun. They were hollow, and each had a large hole on one side. Internally they were half full of liquid. Mr. McLachlan considers that the insect which produces the gall is Schizoneura gallarum-ulmi of De Geer. The account

from which the above notice is taken will be found in the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, December, 1866. Mr. McLachlan is reminded that in Italy and the south of France, similar, if not identical, galls are produced on the elm, sometimes as large as the fist, containing a clear water called eau d'orme, which is sweet and viscid, and is recommended to wash wounds, contusions, and sore eyes. Towards autumn, when the galls become dry, a residue in the form of a yellow or blackish balsam, called beaume d'ormeau, is found, which is said to be recommended for diseases of the chest. Kirchner (in "Lotos," 1855, p. 241), calls the insect Schizoneura lanuginosa, Hart., of which Mr. McLachlan's S. gallarum-ulmi is probably a synonym. The same authority states that it has a parasite in a new species of Entedon.-Ed.

FINE TENCH.-I succeeded in capturing a fine tench some short time since, weighing upwards of two pounds and a half, length eighteen inches, girth thirteen and a half inches, and which is now in course of preservation by Mr. H. Rose of Coggeshall.-C. Denny, Kelvedon.

LATENESS OF MARTINS AND SWALLOWS.-These birds stayed with us remarkably late this year, later than I ever knew them to stay before; up to the 14th of November several specimens were observed, suppose, owing to the mildness of the season.C. Denny, Kelvedon.

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BITTERN IN NORFOLK.-I have a fine female specimen of the Bittern (Ardea Stellaris, Linn.) shot on Barton Broad, Norfolk, 26th November last. As these birds have nearly, if not entirely, become extinct in Norfolk, I think very probably it was blown over from Holland during the gales that prevailed about that time. Several beautiful specimens of the Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) have been shot at different parts of Norfolk during the last three weeks, at Cromer, Wroxham, Beeston, Hickling, Mutford, and other places. From the numbers already procured, there must have been a very unusual flock of them visiting us this winter. The extremities of their wings are adorned with waxlike tips of a bright red colour, and varying from two to seven on each wing. The tails in some specimens are slightly tipped in the same manner. Their food here appears to consist of the haws of the whitethorn. It is three years since number has been noticed here, when about any sixteen were shot.—Stephen Wm. Utting.

NESTING OF THE PIED WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba).-For some years a pair of Chimney Swallows built their nest in an unused chimney; but three years ago, before their arrival, a pair of Wagtails took possession of it, and, spite of an endeavour to dislodge them, they reared four young ones, and have continued to build in the same chimney ever since.-John Ranson, Linton-on-Ouse.

BOTANY.

CURIOUS FLOWER.-One of the most singular flowers growing in this pretty garden (of the Panama Railway Company) was an orchid, called by the natives "Flor del Espiritu Santo," or the "Flower of the Holy Ghost." The blossom, white as Parian marble, somewhat resembles the Tulip in form; its perfume is not unlike that of the Magnolia, but more intense. Neither its beauty nor fragrance begat for it the high reverence in which it is held, but the image of a dove placed in its centre. Gathering the freshly-opened flower, and pulling apart its alabaster petals, there sits the dove; its slender pinions droop listlessly by its side; the head inclining gently forward, as if bowed in humble submission, brings the delicate beak, just blushed with carmine, in contact with the snowy breast. Meekness and innocence seem embodied in this singular freak of nature; and who can marvel that crafty priests, ever watchful for any phenomenon convertible into the miraculous, should have knelt before this wondrous flower, and trained the minds of the superstitious natives to accept the title, the "Flower of the Holy Ghost," to gaze upon it with awe and reverence, sanctifying even the rotten wood from which it springs, and the air laden with its exquisite perfume? But it is the flower alone I fear they worship; their minds ascend not from "nature up to nature's God;" the image only is bowed down to, not He who made it. The stalks of the plant are jointed, and attain a height of from six to seven feet, and from each joint spring two lanceolate leaves; the time of flowering is in June and July.-J. K. Lord's "The Naturalist in Vancouver Island."

THE TULIP. It is related that a sailor, having taken some goods to a Dutch merchant, had a herring given him for his breakfast; but seeing what he supposed to be a kind of small onions lying on the counter, the tar carelessly took up a handful, which he immediately ate with his dried fish. These proved to have been tulips of so much value, that it was estimated a magnificent breakfast might have been given to the heads of the Dutch government for less expense than the cost of the sauce which the sailor so inadvertently took with his salt herring.— Flora Historica.

TALIPAT PALM (Corypha umbraculifera).- The most majestic and wonderful of the Palm tribe is the talpat or talipat, the stem of which sometimes attains the height of 100 feet, and each of its enormous fan-like leaves, when laid upon the ground, will form a semicircle of sixteen feet in diameter, and cover an area of nearly 200 superficial feet. The tree flowers but once, and dies; and the natives assert that the bursting of the spadix is accompanied by a loud explosion.-Tennenť s Ceylon.

WINTERGREENS.-In a fir-wood not far from my residence several plants of Pyrola minor, Lesser Wintergreen, are growing in a patch of a few yards in extent. I have examined them occasionally, three or four years last past, for the purpose of procuring specimens for friends. Last season I was somewhat surprised to find six or eight plants of Pyrola secunda growing in the midst of the other species. I had never observed a single specimen before. I cannot, of course, be positive that this is the first appearance of P. secunda; but if it is, it would lead to grave doubts about the permanency of distinction between closely-allied species. Is it possible that P. minor, under certain conditions, stretches out its style till it becomes P. secunda? for this length of style seems the principal difference between them.-W.R.

FUNGI. Has the past year been noted for an unusual growth of fungi? In this district (Knap Hill), immense numbers and in great variety have appeared; although, singularly enough, the common mushroom (Agaricus campestris) has been far from plentiful. A fir plantation, adjoining the Woking Necropolis, was especially rich in many forms of the larger kinds of fungi. On the side of a recent road cutting, and apparently springing out of the bare sand (the mycelium had probably fallen there from the top of the bank), appeared a group of the Amanita muscaria, some of large size, the pileus of a bright scarlet hue, and studded with white warty excrescences. Amongst the heath on the adjoining common, were found several examples of the hollowstemmed Marasmius scorodonius, rather uncommon in this country. But the most remarkable form of fungus for extent, beauty, and persistency, was due to a singular cause. Rather more than two months since, the sleepers (firwood) of a temporary tramway, of several hundred yards in extent, and which had been down for two and a half years, were removed, leaving in the shallow trenches, portions of decaying wood. From nearly every trench, sprung up immense clusters of orange cups (Peziza aurantia), successive crops of which have continued to appear for two months. The earlier growths were of a dark orange red (even darker than the one figured on the title-page of M. C. Cooke's British Fungi); but the later ones were much paler, some being almost yellow. The fierce and sudden way in which some of the matured groups, when gathered, ejected their spores, in the form of a minute dustshower, was very amusing.-T. N. Brushfield, M.D., Brookwood, near Woking.

ANACHARIS ALSINASTRUM.-We may state a singular fact that has recently come to our knowledge with reference to this plant; that whereas some time since it was very abundant in the lake in front of the palm-house at Kew, it was this season all but supplanted by Nitella flexilis.-Gardeners' Chronicle, Dec. 1, 1866.

MICROSCOPY.

STEPHANOPS, &c.-Referring to your figure in December No., it may be interesting to some of your correspondents to learn that the other species of Stephanops, viz., S. muticus, was obtained in tolerable abundance by me on Hampstead Heath on the 12th of last November. At times their movements were very rapid, but they would often remain so motionless for minutes together that they might have been taken for dead, except for a slight ciliary motion which a one-fifth objective rendered visible. They were in company with the beautiful Conochilus volvox, which objects to confinement so strongly that it commits suicide by breaking itself up, if the "durance vile" be long continued. The glass slides having a deep depression in them keep it alive longest. I also obtained at the same time a remarkably abundant gathering of the more common desmids and Volvox globator. The filamentous desmid (Desmidium) may be obtained on Wandsworth Common in fine condition.-S. J. McIntire.

MELICERTA, FLOSCULES, &c.-It may be interesting to microscopists in search of Infusoria, &c., at this time of year, to know that I found, on the 14th of November, in a pond behind the temporary church Hampstead Fields, Belsize Lane, the following: Floscularia in abundance, Melicerta, Hydra viridis, Epistylis, Vaginacole, and many bunches of large Vorticella, &c. This, so late in the year, is interesting, and I would advise any one being in that neighbourhood to visit this prolific pond.G. H. F.

VARNISH, AS AN OBJECT.-A drop of the transparent varnish used by photographers for varnishing collodion pictures, forms an interesting microscopic object. The drop should be placed upon a cold glass slide, and viewed with a power of about 200 diameters. As the spirit evaporates the varnish is broken up into small globules, which settle on the glass, and are surrounded with exceedingly minute globules, exhibiting very rapid motions, in consequence of the currents produced by evaporation. The slide should be slightly inclined at first, in order to spread the varnish, and then viewed upon a horizontal stage.-J. S. Tute.

FISH SCALES.-These are mounted "dry," and in balsam. If for use with ordinary transmitted light, the first method is preferable, as the balsam renders them (generally speaking) too translucent. If, however, they are required for the polariscope, they must be mounted in the latter way. Glycerine might give good results for viewing them by transmitted light, but I have no experience of this.

To mount dry. First clean the scales by washing them in a weak solution of caustic potash, then

thoroughly free them from all traces of the alkali, by repeated washings in clear water. They may then be placed flat between two glass slides, held together by clips at either end, and suffered to dry, but without heat, or they will curl up upon the glass being removed. When thoroughly dry, take them out and mount at once, to prevent any chance of their curling up again.

To mount in Balsam.-Proceed as before, but when dry, soak for a few hours in spirits of turpentine, and then mount as usual, leaving a clip upon the thin glass cover until the balsam has set hard. Chloroform and balsam answer well for these objects.

WHEAT EELS (Vibrio Tritici).—Several years ago a friend of mine gave me a slide containing a large quantity of these eels; he also gave me some account of their habits and character, since which I have desired to obtain specimens for my own examination; and lately, while in our corn market, I incidentally looked into a sack of wheat and saw amongst the perfect grains some black, dried-looking seed of some kind, which, on closer inspection, proved to be blighted grains of wheat, and on cutting open one and placing the contents in water found it was what I had been so long looking for. I am not intending to give a description of them. I have by me about 100 grains containing these little creatures, which are interesting microscopic objects, and I shall be glad to supply amateurs with two or three grains, if they will send a stamped addressed envelope. The grains will require to be soaked two days in water, then taken out, cut open, and the contents placed in a watch glass in water. In two or three hours after while in water they will display considerable animation by twisting about; they then, or before if desirable, may be taken out in sufficient numbers, placed on a slide, and mounted in Dean's gelatine. When this is sufficiently cooled, say from four to six hours, wash off with cold water the gelatine extending beyond the edges of the glass cover, wipe it dry with a cloth, and use the liquid varnish brush so as to make the gelatine air-tight, which will soon dry on, cover this with black asphalt, you will then have a very neat nice slide-take care that the asphalt is quite dry before you put it away; place a label on the slide and the whole business is accomplished.-J. J. Fox, Devizes.

MOUNTING WHALEBONE.-Mr. E. Davies recommends the steeping of whalebone for twenty-four hours in Liq. Potass.," to show the structure. I have repeatedly tried his plan without success. The result I have obtained each time has been the swelling of the section and giving it the appearance of gelatine and the destruction of its polarizing properties. Several of my friends have tried the plan with the same result.-G. M. I.

GEOLOGY.

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SANDSTONE MARKINGS.-At the meeting of the British Association, held at Leeds on September 22, 1858, a paper was read by Mr. Albany Hancock of Newcastle, on certain vermiform fossils found in the mountain limestone of the North of England, and which afterwards appeared in the "Transactions of the Tyneside Naturalist Field Club," vol. iv., with elaborate illustrations. Your correspondent will find in this paper a different solution for these mysterious markings to the prevailing opinion that they are "worm borings" or worm casts." Mr. Hancock was struck with the appearance of some track-like markings on the sand of the sea-shore, which, after patient and careful investigation, he discovered to arise from the borings of a small crustacean-one of the Amphipoda-something like a common sandhopper, but not quite so long. He watched the whole process of the little creature's operations, and saw the sand rise on its being pushed upwards by the animal's back, while the arch or tunnel thus formed partially subsided as it passed onward, and, breaking along the centre, a sort of median groove was produced. This crustacean has been named Suleator arenarius. The fossil markings seen on the carboniferous slabs have exactly the appearance and structure of the galleries made by arenaria, or such as might be expected to result from similar operations in a more coherent substance than plain sea-sand, and Mr. Hancock concludes "that if the tunnel-tracks were formed in a tenacious material, their walls would not entirely collapse, but the cylindrical form would be more or less retained. It is, therefore, fair to suppose that the sedimentary matter, as it was being deposited, would gradually find its way into these lengthened tunnels or burrows after their submergence, and ultimately fill them up; but the particles of such infiltrated matter, having a different arrangement from those forming the general mass of the rock, the phenomenon presented on breaking it up into slabs would necessarily occur the casts of the tracks would become isolated, like the fossil remains of any organic body, or might be left in relief in either the upper or the lower slab." This very plausible theory seems to answer your correspondent's inquiry, and accounts for the character he alludes to, viz., "being in basrelief," and that a "broken line should show at the point of fracture a compressed circle."-A. W. D., Seaham.

CLAYS are largely derived from felspars, and felspar itself has perhaps been originally derived from still older clays. Granite, gneiss, basalt, clay-slate, and some other metamorphic and igneous rocks yield clay soils on decomposition. This is owing to the facility with which the sand and other minerals mixed with the clay are carried away on disintegration, leaving the clay behind.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

SELF-DENIAL OF CATS.-In answer to "W. F.," as to the self-denial of cats in abstaining from taking young birds from the nest until they are ready to fly, I could give him many instances noticed by myself. I have a large cat, which I have very frequently seen in this particular most self-denying. I have noticed this cat attend regularly many nests, beginning his attentions soon after their commencement, and continuing it (and that most regularly) both during the time occupied in building, and also that of incubation; and having carefully noticed the cat during that time, I never once have known him to satisfy his murderous appetite until the young were just about to quit the nest; and then, one by one, the unfortunate fledglings have been carefully abstracted and devoured with the most self-satisfied air. Not only in one case, but in numberless cases, have I watched this cat, and with exactly the same result; and have upon many occasions (upon discovering the placing of the first few twigs of a nest) been obliged to tie brambles round the trunk of the tree to prevent the attentions and active interference of "Peter."-W. A. S.

CARMINE FOR INJECTIONS.-Let "J. B. B." try the following receipt (Dr. Carter's), taken from the third edition of Dr. Beale's excellent book, "How to Work with the Microscope: "

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Dissolve the carmine in the solution of ammonia and water, and filter if necessary. To this add an ounce and a half of the hot solution of gelatine, and mix thoroughly. With the remaining half ounce of gelatine solution mix the acetic acid, and then drop this, little by little, into the carmine solution, stirring briskly during the whole time.-J. J. R.

SKIPJACK (SCIENCE GOSSIP, vol. i. p. 69) is the Gasterosteus saltatrix, Linn.

WAR-BIRD (SCIENCE GOSSIP, vol. ii. p. 46).— Major Ross King, in a recently-published work, "The Sportsman and Naturalist in Canada," bestows this name upon the Scarlet Tanager (Pyranga rubra, Swains); but I think that the description extracted from the "Backwoods of Canada" can hardly apply to this bird.-H. G. O.

GRAND LORY (SCIENCE GOSSIP, vol. ii. p. 213).— I am convinced that the bird inquired about was the Psittacus grandis, Linn.-H. G.

PAGODA THRUSH (SCIENCE GOSSIP, vol. ii. p. 213). -This is the Turdus pagodarum, Linn., called by Jerdon Temenuchus pagodarum. In Madras it is called the "Brahmin's Myna," or Black-headed Myna," and I have also heard it called "Rajah Myna.”—H. G.

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ATHELA OF BABYLON (SCIENCE GOSSIP, vol. ii. p. 214). The ancient tree alluded to is Tamarix orientalis, Forsk. The Egyptian name is said to be Athlè. It is known to the Arabs as Asul;" but Burckhart, Lynch, and others give the Arabic name as turfa or tarfa.-Bangalore.

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MOUNTING IN BALSAM.-I am convinced by my own experience that any-one who wishes to attain proficiency in preparing microscopic objects, must rely upon himself, and not upon directions in books. The latter are often more a hindrance than a help. A mounting instrument," a "water-bath," a "spiritlamp," a slider-forceps," an air-pump," and all the other implements usually recommended, are expensive to obtain, and practically useless when got. For most purposes, a penknife, a camel-hair brush, a pin, and a candle, will be found sufficient. To follow the advice of some writers, it would require a month or six weeks to prepare the proboscis of a fly. First it must be steeped in potash; then it must be washed in water, after which it will take a fortnight to dry. Then it must be steeped in turpentine for another week, and dried again before it is mounted. To harden the balsam, the slide has now to be put "in a warm situation," where it may remain from "May till September," and then not be hard. By the plan I adopt the whole of this business may be performed in a few minutes. The length of time the object must remain in the potash will depend upon its texture; but when it is taken out of the potash, if it is washed with turpentine instead of water, it may be mounted immediately. The turpentine most effectually clears it of the "milky appearance," which forms the difficulty of "T. B. N." Having washed the object with turpentine until the milky appearance is gone, place a little balsam upon the glass slip, hold it over the candle until the balsam boils, then place the object in it, and put on the cover. When the slide cools, the balsam will be perfectly hard, and the specimen may at once be cleaned for the cabinet. The whole of this process, from the taking of the object out of the potash to the finish, may be performed in about five minutes. Of course, expertness at the work is gained only by experience; and every preparer will have a way peculiar to himself. The answer to James W. Impey is:-The hardening of the balsam depends upon the amount of heat applied to it, and this must be regulated by the state of the balsam and the nature of the object. And if "T. B. N." will wash with turpentine instead of water, the "milky appearance will cease to trouble him.-T. Craggs, Gateshead.

CEMENT FOR SLIDES.-I see amongst several correspondents, J. W. Impey complains of the time balsam takes to harden; and so it will; and even after it seems hard, a very slight degree of warmth will soften it. I venture again to mention the way in which I set a great majority of objects. I put them on the slide very slightly damp, put some balsam over them, and the glass at top; and gently heat them till the water boils away: the balsam takes its place. The vapour of the water takes most of the air away, and a little manipulating with the thin glass removes the rest. This done, the balsam sets hard at once, and three or four minutes will finish the slide.

I see some of your correspondents find difficulty in dissolving india-rubber, and it is a troublesome thing to do unless they get the right kind of naphtha. If they use india-rubber which has been dissolved, they will find it easier; but it is best to buy it. Some years ago I wanted some cement to put round slides in which glycerine was used, and, for want of something better at the time, I used the contents of a bottle of preserving waterproof varnish for shoes; I found it do very nicely, and have used nothing else since. It dries quickly and tough, and doesn't peel off the glass. I cannot tell the name of the maker,

but it came from 39, Queen-street, Lincoln's-Inn Perhaps the notice of this may prove useful.E. T. Scott.

TENACITY OF LIFE IN A FLEA.-A few days since one of these irritating little creatures attacked a member of the genus Homo, and while in the act of piercing the skin, the individual placed his finger on it, and put it into a basin full of clean water. This was about eleven o'clock p. m. Next morning it was found at the bottom of the water, to all appearance quite dead. It was then put into an envelope, and placed in the gentleman's waistcoat pocket for inspection at his leisure. An hour or two afterwards the envelope was examined, when out jumped the animal with all the agility for which the genus Puler are remarkable, after having been under water ten hours. Not being an amphibious animal, I cannot understand upon what principle it could escape drowning; having spiracles and a tracheal system it would appear impossible that these should not fill with water, and thus kill the little creature; but it was not so; it still lives.-J. J. Fox.

MOUNTING IN BALSAM.-The difficulty experienced in mounting with Canada balsam may arise in several ways; the most probable is, that the balsam employed is genuine that is to say, in its thick state; as imported, such a specimen will not acquire solidity so rapidly as is absolutely necessary for the purpose. Another cause of indifferent mount may be that the vendor has diluted the pure article with commercial spirits of turpentine; and although this is to a certainty preferable to the undiluted balsam it is by no means satisfactory. If your inquirer will attenuate the pure balsam with camphor (a highly rectifying spirit of turpentine, until it acquires a consistence a little less limpid than olive-oil, he will be, as I have been, perfectly satisfied with the result. I presume its superiority is due to the increased solubility which it acquires by the addition of the camphor. I ought to observe that, having mixed as above, the compound should not be used until perfectly clear (it will become so after a few hours). -W. R.

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BLUE BIRDS OF GALILEE.-I see that a correspondent in a late number inquired what was the blue bird of Galilee." I suppose that fancy may be allowed some scope in the question, but as a matter of fact there are but two birds to which it can be applied-the blue Thrush (Petrocincla cyanea) which is scattered about the Galilean hills and glens in small numbers all the year round, and the Roller (Coracias garrula) which is very common over the whole country in summer only. The Sun-bird (Nectarinia osea) is quite out of the question. It is not blue, and it barely exists in Galilee; one or two pairs merely straggling into the neighbourhood of the Lake of Galilee. It is a bird of the Lower Jordan valley and Dead-Sea basin strictly, and even there will only be seen by those who look closely for it.— H. B. Tristram.

["T. G. P." writes to us again in support of his opinion that the bird alluded to by Renan, as "so small and light that it can rest on a blade of grass without bending it," must be some such small creature as Cinnyris osea.]

BIDMUSK (SCIENCE GOSSIP, vol. ii. p. 214), called in Persia and the gardens of Northern India, Bedmooskh ("Royle Illustrations," p. 345), is Salix Egyptiaca.-H. G.

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