10 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



found very annoying when I first attempted to keep 

 this animal ; but if it can be kept for a fortnight or 

 so without thus mutilating itself, it seldom after 

 that shows its destructive habits; and if it then 

 dies, it generally does so in an ordinary manner. 



There is another malady to which this star-fish 

 seems liable in confinement. The animal may ap- 

 pear healthy and vigorous, but a few white spots 

 will be seen on the rays : these spread ; and here it 

 will be observed that the skin is quite rotten, 

 coming away in large flakes. I had always re- 

 garded these signs as fatal ; but I am happy to say 

 that my friend Mr. 0. Meltzer once cured a fine 

 specimen of Uraster violacea that was affected in 

 this manner, and which is still alive ; the scar is, 

 bowever, still visible. 



Whether this star-fish has any stinging propen- 

 sities is very doubtful ; but I have noticed that 

 whenever this animal has approached a limpet, 

 the great discomfort of the latter was worthy of 

 remark. 



I consider from my own experience that this ani- 

 mal is difficult to keep in aquaria. I have kept one 

 •over a year, and have now several that I have had 

 -for some time ; but they have the benefit of con- 

 tinuous streams and daily tides. 



Herbert Ingall. 



Champion Grove, Champion Hill. 



NEW INTRODUCTIONS. 



I AM afraid Mr. Spicer, by his article in the last 

 number of Science-Gossip, will by this time 

 have roused the active wrath of at least some few 

 naturalists whom I could name. And yet I must 

 range myself on his side, -and with him ask why our 

 Fauna and Flora may not be enriched, where pos- 

 sible, with the treasures of other climes. There is 

 Qot the slightest doubt that a very great number of 

 -our present species have been introduced by the 

 hand of man, more, perhaps, than is commonly sup- 

 posed. What are we the worse for it ? and why is 

 the naturalist to be at once severely taken to task 

 when he purposes scattering the seeds of some 

 fresh plant or the eggs of some new insect in his 

 locality ? I never could understand (but that is 

 probably owing to my limited powers, or else im- 

 perfect knowledge) why botanists should be at such 

 immense pains to insist on the necessity of such 

 phrases as "not a native," "a doubtful native," "na- 

 turalized," &c. If a plant grows and flourishes in a 

 locality, why may it not be regarded as an inhabitant ? 

 If an insect is bred from eggs purposely scattered by 

 man, and the locality being suitable for it, it in- 

 creases and multiplies, why must it still be regarded 

 as a foreigner ? Man himself — in fact every animal 

 — would have to be set down on these principles as 

 "naturalized," but "not a real native," of any 



locality. If any district possesses the capabilities of 

 nourishing and preserving any species of plant or 

 animal, then evidently the occurrence of such plant 

 or animal, however introduced, cannot be regarded 

 as unnatural. Nature employs certain agents to do 

 her work in dispersion — geological changes, by 

 which paths of dry land may be opened up in fresh 

 places — all the marvellous aud beautiful contrivances 

 for scattering seeds — and man is one of her agents 

 too, albeit a conscious one, which appears to be the 

 objection. But surely, if conscious, then a more 

 perfect agent ; he cannot oppose Nature, and he 

 can carry out her designs only by obeying the laws 

 which the Creator has impressed upon her; and 

 when he is so doing, he is performing his duty in 

 the same way, though more perfectly, as the plume 

 attached to the tiny seed, or as the breeze con- 

 veying invisible germs for hundreds of miles from 

 their birthplace. 



Of course it would be of intense interest to know 

 the birthplace and date of arrival of every species 

 we possess ; already we can record a great many, 

 and it will be now easy to notice fresh ones. Per- 

 haps some "honourable gentleman opposite" may 

 be able to afford us better reasons for his view of 

 the matter than I have here recorded for mine, and 

 I am sure we shall be very glad to hear them, even 

 if convinced we are wrong. At present the rule 

 appears to be this : if you know the date of arrival, 

 or strongly suspect the date, call the species a 

 " doubtful native," or " naturalized ; " if not, it may 

 be regarded as " a true native." 



Henry Ullyett. 



BIRDS! BIRDS! 



A WALK through the wood in winter has its 

 -*-* i charms ; the lover of nature finds more scope 

 for the eye ; the curtain to a degree is gone ; the 

 trees are bare ; many birds now may be seen that 

 keep out of view in summer, for, although a number 

 of the best birds migrate, we have some that visit 

 us in winter that are somewhat ornamental, such 

 as the redwing, fieldfare, snipe, widgeon, and 

 several others of the Bunting tribe, cir I bunting, snow 

 bunting, &c. &c. ; besides which we have a number 

 of beautiful birds that stay with us all the year 

 round ; the smallest British bird we have, the 

 golden-crested wren, braves the winter ; the robin, 

 with his melodious song ; the family of Wagtails ; 

 hedge-sparrows, stone-chats, whin-chats, &c. &c. 



The leaves gone, we get a chance of seeing the 

 mischievous magpie and the pretty jay, the cun- 

 ning hawfinch that is known to visit orchards, but 

 makes off at the sight of man, seldom leaving cover 

 until evening or next morning, although this bird is 

 known to haunt the vicinity of Hampstead aud 



