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I have now before me sixteen small boxes, containing as many different kinds of shells, spines, &c., one holding about thirty sorts of corals, many

of exquisite beauty; the whole of these specimens, weighing with those not yet sorted nearly one ounce and a half, were obtained from about one pound weight of chalk. I have also another box of small foraminifera, prepared from a like quantity of chalk; these are equally beautiful, but weigh somewhat less than 3 drachms, and no corals can I find. It must, however, be very poor in fossils, if 2 lb. of chalk do not yield a sufficient quantity to satisfy any microscopic obEDWARD H. ROBERTSON.

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server.

[Note. The woodcuts, Figs. 33 to 36, from Figuier's "World before the Deluge," were kindly placed at our disposal by Messrs. Chapman & Hall.]

Fig. 35. Chalk of the Isle of Möen, Denmark.

as a vast number of beautiful forms are obtained. Some practice is required, a little judgment must

Fig. 36. Chalk of Cattolica, Sicily.

be exercised, and the result will vary, according as the chalk used is prolific of fossils, or otherwise.

SPIDER'S NEST.

ASPIDER'S nest of an unusual kind

has been built in a peony bush,

this summer in my garden. A description of it may possibly interest some

of your readers. It is a conical bag of fine close web, nearly four inches long; the point rested in a crutch of five leaves, two of which, of equal size, about two inches long, were fastened up the back of the bag; the three smaller leaves were attached slightly to the front of the bag only at the bottom of each leaf.

The top, or mouth of the bag, about two inches in diameter, was kept open in a perfect circle by strings of strong web, fastened to leaves an inch or two off. From those leaves more web was stretched to leaves or branches, and repeated until the supports, woven sideways, upward, and downward, spread over the bush sixteen inches square or more. When this was finished, a triangular piece of thick web, like the bag, was woven on the top, reaching about one-quarter of the circumference, and stretched and suspended like a beautiful arched canopy over half the mouth of the bag; when that was completed, another was woven by the side of it, and suspended in the same way: consequently the mouth of the

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bag was so covered that nothing could fall in; but the canopy was not closed down along the front half of the bag by nearly an inch.

A leaf was then drawn down on the canopy, and woven over about half-way down the leaf; in like manner five other of the surrounding leaves were woven down, and made a perfect cover. The edge of the canopy was then let down, and woven to the other half of the bag. I suppose he had shut himself in, for I saw him no more. He used to sit on the edge of the bag, under the canopy, but if I stooped or moved a hand toward the nest he darted instantly to the bottom. Snails used to get under the shelter of the nest; I frequently removed them by passing my arm under the bush, but it was not possible to do that without breaking some of his ramifications.

After it had been closed about three weeks I cut off the branch and brought it in-doors, but was prevented attending to it until the surrounding leaves had become dry. When I moved them the spider lay dead outside the nest: on removing the three small leaves at the point of the bag there was a small hole through which I imagine he must have come out. I cut the bag from the point upwards; it was quite empty for more than two inches. I cut another inch and a half, and found a bag fully an inch long, and nearly as wide, suspended by twelve arms of close web to the outer bag or nest. I then cut the inner bag: it was with difficulty that a sharp pair of scissors went through it, it was so remarkably tough. As soon as an opening was made, a young one ran out, but soon returned into the hole, through which you may see a bunch of little black things huddled together. Perhaps they have hatched before the proper time, through being indoors; at present they keep quiet in the nest.

The old one was what may be called a fierce repulsive-looking creature (though I do not like to call anything so), nearly black legs, strong and hairy, and brilliant eyes.

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I saw a nest of the same kind in a bush four or five feet from the ground about the year 1816, and have wished to meet with another, but have not seen one till now; therefore I conclude they are not common. No mention is made of it in "Homes without Hands." Streatham Hill.

H. C. R.

ANOBIUM.-M. Peignot mentions an instance, where, in a public library that was but little frequented, twenty-seven folio volumes were perforated in a straight line by one and the same larva of a small insect (Anobium pertinax, or A. striatum) in such a manner that on passing a cord through the perfectly round hole made by the insect, these twenty-seven volumes could be raised at once.

IT

FRESH-WATER STICKLEBACKS IN
SEA-WATER AQUARIUM.

T is perhaps undoubted that sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), born and bred in fresh water, are able to live, apparently without inconvenience, in sea water. It may, however, not be uninteresting to some of the readers of SCIENCE GOSSIP, to hear a short account of an endeavour to establish fresh-water sticklebacks in a marine aquarium. Without fish of some sort, an aquarium lacks one of its greatest attractions; but to keep them, it needs not only a well-constituted balance of animal and vegetable life, but also a careful selection of the sorts of animals. As the aquarium of which the following account is written is not near the sea, difficulty is found in obtaining saltwater fish; and the innumerable fresh-water sticklebacks in the mill-streams near Newport suggested the plan of introducing some of them to the society of their foreign brethren. My aquarium has now been in existence for some fourteen months, and until the 29th September last without any change of water. In this respect it has been more successful than any that I have previously had. I believe that very much depends on obtaining thoroughly pure water to begin with.

During the last year, I have on several occasions placed fresh-water sticklebacks in the aquarium. Once I put in, I think, five, and the next morning only one was to be seen-and that one dead in the arms of an anemone. The same day I put in another seven, and afterwards five or six more, and similar numbers at other times, but always with the same result,-none survived the second day, and most of them disappeared after the first night. After the new sea-water had been placed in the aquarium, I obtained five sticklebacks of different sizes, one a tiny fish not more than half an inch long, and the other four varying from one inch to an inch and a half; two of these I placed at once into a basin of sea water, and the other three into a basin of fresh water, to which I gradually added sea water. As they seemed to be perfectly at ease in their new element, I transferred them on the second day to the aquarium, and I then sat myself down to watch, to see if I could discover the enemy that destroyed these brilliant little fish.

Within a very few minutes one of two prawns (Palamon serratus), which were in the aquarium, came from its hiding-place, and with great eagerness began searching for the new comers, whose advent was, I suppose, announced to it by a strange and delightfully new fish-like smell." It soon found one of my little ones, and, seizing it with its nippers, was carrying it off to kill and eat, or rather, I expect, eat and kill, when I came to the rescue of my pets and sent the crystal dragon jerking away.

It was, however, of little use to stand on guard with my knitting-needle, I could hardly shield the whole five from harm; and to divert the attention of the enemy I dropped large pieces of meat into its claws, and so for a time succeeded in quieting him. Being then called away I could only leave my poor fish with too sure a dread that havoc would be made amongst them soon.

Returning a few hours after, I found that one fish was missing, and although I could not see any remains of it either in the jaws of the prawn or in the aquarium, I had little doubt now as to the secret of the disappearance of it and its predecessors, and soon I had conclusive proof. I came suddenly upon Master Prawn greedily eating another of the fish, quite a third of it being already nibbled up. Each day has seen another fish victimized, and this evening I could not find the last solitary survivor, and so must conclude that all have vanished in the same way. I do not believe that a single fish of this last lot was caught by an anemone, although my anemones of each kind have been widely expanded-luxuriating in the new water. Even the fish whose body I found in the grasp of an anemone was, I think, either driven to its fate by the pursuing prawn or was dropped dead into its clutches. I account for the more rapid destruction of my previous lots of fish by the fact that there were then nine or ten prawns in the aquarium.

I have given thus full an account of my trials and failures, because to my mind two things are pretty well proved-first, that sticklebacks will live and thrive in sea water; but, second, that if you wish to keep them, you must either not have prawns with them, or else select very young prawns, and sticklebacks of a superior size and strength to them. I should be very sorry to banish prawns from my aquarium, as they are both handsome and useful,handsome in their varied movements, and in their amber crystal bodies heightened with gold and brown at the joints, and exceedingly useful as scavengers.

Before concluding, I should like to ask if any philosophical or other reason has been found out wherefore some few fresh-water fish will do well in sea water, whilst the greater number, I believe, perish almost instantaneously.

F. S.

THE BEREAVED DOG.-A poor disconsolate dog has been wandering about the scene of the late catastrophe in Regent's Park, disdaining all food, and refusing to be comforted. His late master was undoubtedly one of the drowned, but hitherto the animal has owned no one, and is owned by none. He excites pity from all who are led by curiosity to the spot, not only on account of his faithfulness, but from his intelligent appreciation of his loss, and the manifestations of his grief.

ZOOLOGY.

A PROLIFIC ANEMONE. -In October, 1866, a brief paragraph was inserted respecting a prolific anemone, Sagartia Bellis, which I then had in my aquarium. In the paragraph referred to it is stated that the anemone had at one birth produced upwards of 100 young. I have now to state that in the following week it produced about 150 additional; about four weeks after that it added 50 to the number of its young; and in the month of December it again increased its numerous progeny by giving birth to 50; immediately after which it sickened and died. It had lived healthy and well in my aquarium for about four years.-T. P. Barkas, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

THE EDIBLE BIRD'S NEST SO much prized by the Chinese for making soup (and of which I have several specimens) resembles a mass of fibrous isinglass matted together, and forming a small shallow cup which the bird lines with feathers. Large quantities of these nests are collected in Java, the coasts of Papua, and the islands towards the north end of Australia. The material with which the bird builds this nest has always been a mystery to Europeans. Charles Waterton would not venture to hazard a conjecture whence the bird obtains it. I can however set the matter at rest. Some years ago, when passing northwards through Torres' Straits, the [ship was daily anchored soon after noon, as the sun's light then began to fall on the submerged coral reefs at such an angle as to obs cure them, and render the navigation dangerous. Landing on the reefs and islets in search of shells, I found at low water great numbers of the hideous looking mollusc called "Trepang," and "Beche-demer;" it looks like a gigantic slug, varying from 2 to 5 feet in length, and is as thick as my wrist; it is collected and smoke-dried for the China market, to be made into soup. On taking up one of these animals it is found to be covered with a very tenacious slime, like white birdlime, which however readily comes off the animal's skin, and floats up to the beach in long streaks with the froth of the rising tide. One afternoon my attention was attracted to a flock of little brownish, ash-coloured birds, who were busily engaged all along the edge of the rising water, and as they were very tame, I approached to within a few feet of them to see what they were doing; and could distinctly see them gathering with their beaks the white slime thrown off by the "Trepang;" numbers of them flying off with it on their beaks, and new-comers twittering and settling down at the edge of the water. The bird is a diminutive martin, and builds its nest against the face of the rock, just as the English martin constructs its mud nest under the eaves of

our houses. As these little martins, with all the swallow tribe, are insectivorous, they were no doubt collecting the exuviæ of the Trepang, not for food, but as the material wherewith to construct their nests, the slime being moist and plastic, when first thrown off, and hardening into a kind of dry isinglass when put into shape by the bird.-H. Kelsall, M.D.

AN EAGLE IN HYLANDS PARK.-On Thursday, an eagle made its appearance in Hylands Park, causing great consternation among the rooks and other birds. It was seen again the next day, and was observed to leave the ice-house clump. The keepers, expecting the rare visitor to roost in the high trees of the clump, posted themselves with guns towards dusk on each side of the ice-house, and had scarcely taken up their position when he came soaring over, and was knocked down by one of the keepers, and, with some difficulty, secured alive. It proves to be a white-tailed, or cinereous eagle (Haliætus albicilla). It is a bird of this year in fine plumage, and measures 7 feet across the wings. On the 11th it was alive and likely to recover from its wound, which appears to be only in the wing. I should like to know if this species is common on the Eastern coast.-H. Wiglesworth.

NEST OF THE TRAPDOOR SPIDER.-New-comers into the country which the Trapdoor Spider inhabits are often surprised by seeing the ground open, a little lid lifted up, and a rather formidable spider peer about, as if to reconnoitre the position before leaving its fortress. At the least movement on the part of the spectator, back pops the spider, like the cuckoo on a clock, clapping its little door after it quite as smartly as the wooden bird, and in most cases succeeds in evading the search of the astonished observer, the soil being apparently unbroken, without a trace of the curious little door that had been so quickly shut.-Rev. J. G. Wood's "Homes without Hands."

TORPIDITY OF THE SNAIL.-The following instance of prolonged torpidity in Helix nemoralis is so remarkable that I think it worth putting on record. In August, 1863, I was staying for a few weeks at Swanage, in Dorsetshire, and in one of my walks on the road between Swanage and Studland, I picked up some very pretty specimens of this species. These I put into a chip box and brought home, placing them in a drawer of my cabinet, where they were forgotten until about a fortnight since. On opening the box I found them dead, the bodies being dried up and shrivelled, in some instances having fallen out into the box, in others remaining in the mouth of the shells. I picked out all these, and placed the empty shells in my cabinet. Having occasion to look at them yesterday (Nov. 28th, 1866), I saw, to my intense surprise, a

black head and a pair of horns protruding from one of the shells which I had supposed to be empty. Presently the animal entirely emerged, and walked about in as lively a manner as when first picked up. The ordinary period of their torpidity is, I believe, about six or seven months, but I am aware of an instance in which a supposed empty shell had been glued down to a block in one of the table cases in the British Museum for two years, when the unsuspected tenant made its appearance. But my prisoner had never been removed from the box in which it had been first placed for three years and a quarter! Is not this a remarkable instance, or have any of the readers of SCIENCE GOSSIP known it to be exceeded?-W. J. Sterland.

THE POISONOUS SPIDER OF RUSSIA.-We have received the following account of a poisonous black spider, which has of late years made its appearance in Russia. We are indebted for the information to a traveller, who passed the greater part of last year in the province of Berdiansk. The appearance of this insect amongst the wheat at harvest time, created for a few days a panic among the labouring classes, and, indeed, one of so threatening a character, that wages rose to double their ordinary rate, and it was with difficulty that the labourers could be induced to work. More than 300 persons were bitten by this venomous insect, but only three cases are reported to have proved fatal, and these deaths, it is supposed, are not to be attributed solely to the bite of the spider. Fortunately, this visitation was restricted to one part of the town lands, otherwise the consequences might have been very serious. The bite of this insect was indicated by a hard, white spot. The first symptoms experienced were alternate violent heat and cold, shortness of breath, bordering on suffocation, and increased pulsation of the heart, and pains in the chest and back, then weakness in the legs, and dizziness in the head. After a few hours these symptoms diminished, and in two days the patient was able to resume his work. The general remedy employed was to cup the poisoned part, and liberally wash it with cold water. Some cauterized the place; but this remedy was not so efficacious, and it created besides a fresh wound. The first time this spider was seen at Berdiansk, was in 1864; but a very few persons were bitten by it. Last year, however, it increased to a most alarming extent. It was remarked that the spider was very active in killing locusts, on which it seemed principally to feed, and it was only when disturbed that it stung persons. The majority of the persons bitten did not know the cause of their illness, and it was only the same symptoms in each case that proved it to be the sting of the spider. This poisonous insect has again visited Russia this year, but we understand it has done but little mischief.-Technologist.

CROCODILES NEAR LONDON. -A circumstance came under my notice the other day, which may be interesting as having some bearing on the question. Some time after seeing Mr. Wright's paper in The Gentleman's Magazine, I happened to go into the Welsh Harp Hotel, in the Edgware Road, where there are a good many preserved specimens of natural history; among these I observed a case containing a reptile, very similar in appearance to that described by Mr. Wright. I at once inquired its history, and ascertained from the persons in the house, who were anxious to give me every information, that it was a young alligator, brought over to this country by Heenan, the well-known American prize-fighter; that it was presented to the landlord alive, and that it lived with them for six months: indeed, as they said, it might have been alive still, had it not come to an untimely end at the hand of some evil-disposed angler, who, seeing it on the bank of the reservoir, terminated its existence with a blow from the butt-end of his fishing-rod. From their account it appeared to have been tolerably tame, as although when it first came into their possession it was kept confined, it was after a time allowed to go at large, when it used to crawl about the margin of the large reservoir at the rear of the house, returning regularly for its meals to its old quarters; and they further said that it was well known to all who frequented the house. The little creature was not well preserved, and it was therefore very difficult to get a correct estimate of its proportions. As far as I could judge, however, it seemed to be about a third size larger than the crocodile described by Mr. Wright. It seems to me clear from the history of this alligator, and from its having existed for some months in a semi-wild state in this country, that there can be no difficulty in believing that a creature of similar habits and organisation might also exist under the same or the like conditions, although it would seem that the high authority of Professor Owen is against this view of the subject.-The Gentleman's Magazine.

MICE AS DESTROYERS OF BIRDS' EGGS.-In my experience as a bird-nester, I have frequently found the eggs of birds broken in the nest, and this destruction of eggs I have attributed to the weasel. I have a cat, a noted bird-destroyer; but I never knew her to take young ones out of the nest, nor to destroy the eggs; but several times she has grievously disappointed me by destroying the old birds on the nest. I have frequently, at the latter end of the breeding season, found mice in nests; but I never could find, though I have diligently looked for them, any traces of the eggs, which I should unquestionably have done, had the mice been the destroyers. I am of opinion that deserted nests are frequently taken possession of by mice, and used by them as homes. I found four young mice (blind)

in a chaffinch's nest; I also found a litter in a blackbird's nest; and last year, whilst looking for the nest of a tree-sparrow, I found two mice, probably a male and a female, in the deserted nest of a hedge-sparrow. When I suddenly withdrew my

hand, they ran along the branches of the hawthorns with as much ease as if they had been used to it all their lives.-John Ranson, Linton-on-Ouse.

THE ANCHOVY (Engraulis encrasicholus).—I have just received a specimen of this fish, above 64 inches long, caught with the sprats on the Lincolnshire coast, near Boston. According to Mr. Yarrell, this fish is very rare on that coast, although well known in the West of England. Yarrell says (vol. ii., p. 219), "In a series of notes on the occurrence of rare fish at Yarmouth, and its vicinity, with which I have been favoured by Dawson Turner, Esq., there is mention of a specimen of the Anchovy taken on the beach, which measured six inches and a half in length. Mr. Couch says he has seen it in the Cornish seas of the length of seven inches and a half, additional proofs of the large size acquired by this fish on our shores."-C. Adcock, Birmingham.

ALAS! POOR ATROPOS!-In a recent communication to the Ent. Mag. (pp. 180), Mr. McLachlan proposes that Atropos pulsatoria should henceforth be called Atropos divinatoria, and denies it the power of making a noise. He says, "That various species of Anobium cause this sound, is proved beyond doubt; but that a creature with a body so soft that the least touch annihilates it can in any way produce a noise sensible to human ears, seems to me impossible. I look upon it as a perpetuated superstition commenced centuries ago, at a time when the human mind was peculiarly sensitive to impressions of the supernatural, and having its origin in the habitat of the creature; the real producers of the sound, species of Anobium, were not seen or suspected, and Atropos, as being the only insect supposed to frequent the spots whence the sounds proceeded, was naturally accused. The apprehensions excited by what is only the love-call of a small beetle, still exist with the uneducated."

On this subject see prior communications (S.G., vol. ii., pp. 77 and 254).

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER (Picus major).Perhaps you may be interested to know that on Monday, the 31st of December, I shot a female specimen of the Great Spotted Woodpecker. I killed it in an open country, away from any wood.J. R. B. Maxfield, Stone, Staffordshire.

REIN-DEER BOT.-At a recent meeting of the Zoological Society, Dr. J. Murie read a notice of the occurrence of Estrus tarandi in a Reindeer in the Society's Gardens, and made some remarks on the summer dress of the Llama and Alpaca as exhibited in the Gardens during the past summer.

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