8S 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[April 1, 1S66. 



Amphiprora. — The valve is convex, with a longi- 

 tudinal sigmoid wing; the front view constricted at 

 the middle. Of this genus we have about a dozen 

 species (fig. 92, Amphiprora maxima, front and side 

 view, x320). 



Diadesmis. — The valve is linear, the front view 

 linear, dilated at the centre and each extremity. 

 The frustules are united in a linear filament. At 

 present only one British species is recorded (fig. 93, 

 Diadesmis Williamsoni, front and side view, x 400). 

 This is a marine species, dredged by Mr. Barlee off 

 the Isle of Skye, and by Prof. Gregory at Loch Pine. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Sound-producing Beetles.— In answer to your 

 correspondent, Mr. Brodrick, I may state that 

 many of our British Coleoptera, beside the An obi a, 

 are capable of producing sounds. Thus, the Ceram- 

 hjeidd} are a noisy family, producing a " stimula- 

 tion " by rubbing together the edges of the front 

 and middle rings of the thorax. So is Lomia textor, 

 another long-horned beetle. Cychrus rostratus, the 

 beaked ground-beetle, makes a low hissing noise 

 when disturbed. The common dung-beetle hums, 

 as does its relative, Copris lunaris ; and the rose- 

 beetle, Atonia aurata, utters a similar sound. Nor 

 are instances wanting in the family of water-beetles, 

 to which Pelobius Hermanni, the species mentioned 

 by your correspondent, belongs. The males of 

 Acilius produce a croaking sound, even when in 

 their native element. That emitted by Pelobius is 

 caused by the friction of the abdomen against the 

 elytra, or wing-cases, as in Cyehrus and the dung- 

 beetles. — W. II. Groses. 



Audacity or the Wasp.— In the farm depart- 

 ment at Walton Hall, I have seen the pigs lying in 

 the warm sunshine, the flies clustering thickly on 

 their bodies, and the wasps pouncing on the flies 

 and carrying them off. It was a curious sight to 

 watch the total indifference of the pigs, the busy 

 clustering of the flies, with which the skin was 

 absolutely blackened in some places, and then to 

 see the yellow-bodied wasp just clear the wall, dart 

 into the dark mass, and retreat again with a fly in 

 its fatal grasp. On the average, one wasp arrived 

 every ten seconds, so that the pigsty must have been 

 a well-known storehouse for these insects. — Wood's 

 " Homes without Hands." 



The Cat. — The following quaint description of 

 the domestic pussy occurs in an old heraldic book, 

 John BossewelPs " Workes of Armoric," published 

 in 1597 :— 



" The field is of the Saphire, on a chief Pearlc, 

 a Masion ermines. This bcaste is called a Masion 

 for that he is enimie to Mysc and Rattes. * * * 

 He is slye and wittie and * * seeth so sharpely 

 that he overcommeth darknes of the nighte by the 

 shyninge lyghte of his eyne. In shape of body he 



is like unto a Leoparde, and hathe a great mouth. 

 He doth delighte that he enioyeth his libertie ; and 

 in his youthe he is swifte, plyante, and merye. He 

 maketh a rufull noyse and a gastefull when he pro- 

 fereth to fight witli an other. He is a cruell beaste 

 when he is wilde, and falleth on his owne feete 

 from moste highe places : and uneth is hurt there- 

 with. When he hathe a fayre skinne, he is, as it 

 were, prowde thereof, and then he goethe faste 

 aboute to be seene." 



A Wobd about the Robin.— So great is the 

 pugnacity of the robin after his prelude of song, 

 that we have ere now rescued one from certain 

 death, its victor having already broken its wing, 

 and being ready to give the coup de grace when 

 disturbed by our approach. The trustful manner, 

 however, in which it draws nigh our dwellings in 

 winter, and its cheerful song, will quite atone for 

 this bad habit in most people's opinion. While 

 treating of the robin's song, the beautiful legend 

 may be mentioned which accounts for its red breast, 

 by stating that one of them bore away a thorn from 

 the Lord's crown at the Crucifixion. — Once a V r cck. 



The Cuckoo. — Last year I had a cuckoo brought 

 me out of a redbreast's nest. I kept it for several 

 weeks, but finding that it began to pine and seem 

 unhappy, I allowed it to fly away. A few weeks 

 later, I myself found one in a pied wagtail's nest. 

 Por several days I noticed the wagtails busy from 

 morning to night, and constantly flying to the nest. 

 On looking up to the nest one day, I saw a cuckoo, 

 full-grown and quite strong on the wing, as it 

 proved to me when I attempted to lay hands upon 

 it. A few years ago, I had one from a linnet's nest. 

 If any of your young readers should ever fall in with 

 a young cuckoo, they may like to know what food 

 to give it. 1 have fed two now with success upon 

 chopped raw meat, mixed with soaked bread.— 

 R. Blight. 



The Magpie. — In the early part of last Decem- 

 ber, from the window I saw, at a little distance, a 

 bird carefully examining a sheep's back in a most 

 ludicrous manner. By the aid of a powerful tele- 

 scope I could watch its movements carefully. It 

 was a magpie. The sheep took not the slightest 

 notice of the bird, but unconcernedly permitted it 

 to walk from head to tail, from side to side, in every 

 direction. I have often before seen jackdaws, and 

 occasionally a rook, doing the same thing, but I 

 never before saw a magpie. As far as I have been 

 able to make observations for myself, I cannot dis- 

 cover that any family besides the Corvidse do this. 

 — It. Blight. 



Newts. — In addition to the numerous incidents all 

 indicating a remarkable season, I may add another 

 which came under my notice on January 16. As I 

 was examining a pond, I was surprised to see a pair 

 of the Palmated newt swimming along in company. 



