HABDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



119 



Name of the Earwig (p. 94). — I believe that 

 the origin of the name in question could not have 

 been the wing of the insect; appropriate as the 

 appellation may seem to us, it is too much like an 

 afterthought ; nor is " earwing " very likely to be 

 corrupted into "earwig." At the time when it 

 was first applied to the insect science was in its 

 infancy, nor is it very probable that the structure 

 in question had been examined, and its resemblance 

 in shape to the human ear noted. Our English 

 name is but the equivalent of the Continental ones 

 quoted; the second syllable (from the Saxon rigga, 

 says Johnson) meaning to "bore," or "pierce," or, 

 perhaps, to enter surreptitiously. Hence a med- 

 dling, intrusive person was formerly called an 

 "earwig;" and we even _ now speak of "ear- 

 wigging" any one — that is, conveying our own 

 version of some incident privately, by way of antici- 

 pation lest a less favourable one subsequently 

 present itself.—/. B. S. C. 



Virtues of Gentian (p. 91).— Does B. T. wish 

 to know whether there is any English name corre- 

 sponding to that he cites as applied to the gentian ; 

 or does he inquire whether allied or similar plants 

 are thus used in England on account of their bitter 

 virtues? I do not think any such name is applied 

 to the species of gentian which occur in Britain. 

 No doubt the one Linnseus speaks of is Gentiana 

 lutea, the source of much of the gentian root of 

 commerce, and which is partial to mountainous 

 districts in Central and Northern Europe. We 

 have five native species of gentian, one of which is 

 perhaps doubtful (G. nivalis). The commonest is 

 the autumnal gentian (G. campestris), growing 

 usually on the chalk or limestone. These do not 

 appear to have been honoured by a place in our 

 rustic materia medica. The Buckbean {Menyanthis 

 trifoliata) of the same natural order, is as bitter as 

 its relatives, and this has often been used as atonic ; 

 and even, according to Withering, as a substitute 

 for hops in brewing. The less frequent plant, 

 called the Yellow Buckbean (Villarsia nymphceoides) 

 has similar characteristics. Our native species of 

 the genus Erythraa also contain a bitter principle, 

 especially Centaurium, popularly known as the Bed 

 Centaury, and the flowers of which are so sensitive 

 to atmospheric changes. This is supposed to be 

 the Kentaurion micron of Dioscorides, also called, 

 says Hallir, " fall of the earth " by some ancient 

 nations, on account of its flavour. This quality is 

 distributed through all parts of the plant, though 

 least in the flowers. We have three other Bry- 

 thrceas, which are little noticed coast species, and 

 also bitter.—/. B. S. C. 



Pedicellarmi of Starfish.— In the February 

 No. of Science-Gossip (which I have only just 

 seen), Mr. P. H. Gosse makes some remarks con- 

 cerning my suggestions in reference to the above, 

 which I consider quite uncalled for. Supposing my 

 remarks have been anticipated, they might still be 

 interesting to readers who, like myself, have not all 

 Mr. Gosse's interesting books at hand. I can only 

 say, respecting the last part of Mr. Gosse's note, in 

 which he seems to accuse me of copying his sug- 

 gestions and putting them forward as my own, that 

 my articlewas perfectly original, and was written 

 after keeping the animals in constant observation 

 for over twelve months; and also that the only 

 book that 1 referred to while writing was Eorbes's 

 History. I have since, however, borrowed a copy 

 of " Tenby," and have carefully read the chapters 



on Pedicellariae on the pages mentioned (232—251). 

 My explanation of the use of the Pedicellaria3 was, 

 that the pincer-iike forms holding the substances 

 attracting the infusoria, &c, the latter might be 

 taken in as food by the "fish-mouths," and this 

 idea occurred to me by observing that the large 

 pincer-like Pedicellarise were always surrounded by 

 these other forms. Now, I cannot understand how 

 Mr. Gossc can accuse me of copying his remarks, 

 seeing that that gentleman does not mention these 

 " fish-mouths " at all: he says (Tenby, p. 237), " In 

 Uraster rubens the Pedicellarice, or the bodies 

 which Professor Forbes calls Spinules, and which 

 represent^ the Pedicellaria? of the Echiuida;, &c, 

 are but of one form ; " and goes on to describe more 

 minutely the pincer-like organs. It has somewhat 

 surprised me that the short fish-mouth forms of 

 Pedicellarise are not even mentioned by Mr. Gosse, 

 — at least, in his " Tenby " ; and one would therefore 

 think that his italicised words, ''and a great deal 

 more," were, at least, unnecessary. — Herbert Ingall. 



Cotssold Lion.— "Then will he looke as fierce 

 as a Cotssold Lion." — Boister Doister (before 1553, 

 Arber, p. 70). Can any reader explain this expres- 

 sion ?—A.T., M.A. 



Ornithological Queries.— What bird is in- 

 tended in 



" The tatling Awbc doth please some fancie wel, 

 And some like best the byrde as black as cole." 



Gascoigne's Complaynt of Philomene (1576) ? 



In Lyly's "Euphues" (1579; Arber's edition) 

 we have, p. 45, " The Birde Taurus hath a great 

 voyce, but a smal body"; in "Euphues and his 

 England," p. 239, " The Byrde Acanthis, who being 

 bredde in the thistles will live in the thistles." In 

 a Sermon of Lever's (same edition), p. 56, the word 

 "puttockes" twice occurs: "The filthye gredye 

 puttockes, wylde hawkes, and ravenyng kytes be 

 supersticious papistes, &c." Are any of these names 

 in use now ?—B.T., M.A. 



_ The Cause of Sleep.— Dr. E. Sommer con- 

 siders that sleep is the result of a deo.rygenation of 

 the organism. The blood and the tissues possess 

 the property of storing up the oxygen inhaled, and 

 then supplying it in proportion to the requirements 

 of the economy. When this store of oxygen is 

 exhausted, or even becomes too small, it no longer 

 suffices to sustain the vital activity of the organs, 

 the brain, nervous system, muscles, &c, and the 

 body falls into that particular state which we call 

 sleep. During the continuation of this deep repose, 

 fresh quantities of oxygen are being stored up in 

 the blood, to act as a supply to the awakened vital 

 powers. Best produces, though in a less degree, 

 the same effect as sleep in reducing the expenditure 

 of oxygen. 



Picris Broom-rape. — This parasite, so abundant 

 in the hedgerows and clover fields of Dorset, has, 

 from mixing of soils or some other causes, found 

 its way into the greenhouse. Thus we have had it 

 occur on pelargoniums, lobelia, &c. During the 

 past winter a plant came up on a fuchsia in a 

 cottage window of rny parish. It has just died 

 down, but it is remarkable for the wide range of 

 plauts which it affects, for its rapid spread for the 

 last few years, as also, in this case, for the odd 

 time of its appearance, growing, as it did, upon the 

 fuchsia before that plant had burst into leaf. — 

 /. B ., Bradford Abbas. 



