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HARDWICKE'S S CI EN C E- GOSSIP. 



to try its wings. In the midst of another cluster 

 of neuters, I noticed a small number of winged 

 ants much inferior in size to the other winged ones, 

 and of a darker colour ; these I inferred to be the 

 males. The greater number of the winged ants 

 had departed by five p.m. It was, I must confess, 

 a very interesting sight. The only drawback to 

 this scene of good order was the presence of a small 

 band of the ferocious red ants, which were stationed 

 in a dense thicket of grass-blades close by ; and when 

 an opportunity offered, rushed out and caught a 

 straggling yellow neuter, and most unceremoniously 

 dragged it off by its antennae. One of the yellow 

 ants on being seized thus by the red cannibal, en- 

 deavoured to escape, when the latter again seized 

 it and gave it several vicious digs with its powerful 

 jaws. Query— Were these captive yellow ants 

 devoured by the reds, or were they made the slaves 

 of the latter ? William Henry Warner. 



Kingston^ Abingdon. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Entozoa in the Heart of Dogs. — Can you 

 tell me if anything is known of an entozoon, to all 

 appearance a strongylus, which has its habitat in 

 the hearts of dogs ? It is said to be a common 

 cause of death of these animals out here, and I have 

 had one specimen in which the cavities, both auricles 

 and ventricles, contained dozens of long worms, 

 several of them six or eight inches in length, and to 

 all appearance living bathed in the current of blood. 

 There are no books of reference out here except 

 my own small travelling library; but if the matter is 

 not much known and promises to be interesting, I 

 will endeavour to get more information about it and 

 send it to you. A few words to "H. A." in your 

 correspondents page will probably be sufficient. — 

 Henry Hadlow, Surgeon R.E., Yokohama, Japan. 



[It has for a long time been known that nematode 

 parasites infest the heart and blood-vessels of carni- 

 vora, and especially of dogs ; the large species 

 found in Chinese dogs being the so-called Spiroptera 

 sanguinolenta. At the last meeting of the British 

 Association, held at Liverpool, the subject was dis- 

 cussed by Dr. Cobbold, who exhibited specimens 

 forwarded to him by Mr. Robert Swinhoe, H.B.M. 

 Consul at Amoy. Specimens have also been 

 brought over to this country by Dr. Jones Lamprey ; 

 another series being in the possession of Dr. Bennett, 

 of Edinburgh. Remarks, on this parasite will be 

 found in the Supplement to Dr. Cobbold's work on 

 Entozoa, in the ninth volume of the "Linnean 

 Society's Proceedings," and in the forthcoming 

 Report of the British Association for 1870. The 

 distinguished helminthologistDr. Metznikoff having 

 expressed the opinion that the larvae of certain 

 ascarides may be found in external parasites, 

 we would suggest to our correspondent the pro- 



priety of microscopically examining the bodies of 

 the fleas which may be found on the coats of Japa- 

 nese dogs. It is supposed that when dogs are 

 worried by their external parasites they seize and 

 swallow many of these fleas, and by thus transfer- 

 ring their external enemies to the interior of their 

 stomachs, the nematode embryos resident in the 

 fleas are liberated by the action of the gastric juice. 

 If this be so, to destroy your outer enemy is to 

 create your inner one. The subject is exceedingly 

 curious, and well deserving of Mr. Hadlow's special 

 investigation.] 



Larva of the Cockchafer (Melolontha vul- 

 garis). — Dr. Moses seeks for information about this 

 troublesome beetle. I may state, in brief, that the 

 eggs are, as might be supposed, deposited during 

 the summer, and hatch in about a month. During 

 the remainder of that year, the larvae do not in- 

 crease much in size, and keep together in small 

 colonies. Though they descend farther into the 

 ground when winter sets in, it is probable that they 

 do not hybernate. There is no doubt that the 

 larval state always lasts three years ; thus for in- 

 stance, a larva hatched this summer would be adult 

 in the autumn of 1873. According to some who 

 have investigated its economy, the larval condition 

 is occasionally prolonged through another year. 

 Figuier asserts that it is only during the second year 

 that they commence their attacks upon the roots of 

 plants, feeding at first upon decaying vegetable 

 matter and dung. In the last year of their growth, 

 the cockchafer larvae will sometimes attack the 

 roots of trees ; but to these they appear to be less 

 partial, preferring those of herbaceous plants. 

 While this long larval life lasts, they pass through 

 many ecdyses, or changes of skin. One of the most 

 singular facts in its history is this ; though the 

 beetle emerges from the pupa in the autumn (that 

 condition being brief in its duration), it remains in 

 the ground until spring, working its way up by 

 degrees. Hence sharp frosts in March and April 

 will destroy many of them. It is a matter of very 

 general observation that there are what are termed 

 " cockchafer years," when the species is particu- 

 larly abundant. These happen triennially, as a rule, 

 which is to be explained by the history of the 

 species.—/. R. S. C. 



Hawfinch [Coccothratistes vulgaris). — Your cor- 

 respondent Mr. Anderson is wrong in supposing this 

 bird to be so rare as he states in the last number of 

 the Gossip. It breeds rather freely in Hereford- 

 shire, and in some parts of Middlesex, and a season 

 never passes without nests being found there. At 

 least a dozen have occurred this spring to my 

 knowledge. As I am desirous of ascertaining its 

 distribution in other parts of the country, I would 

 invite correspondents to record its occurrence when 

 such has come within their own observation.— C. A. 



