May 1, 1S66.] 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



119 



definitively settled. ^ In the face of so much evidence, 

 and the solemn affirmations of old writers in sup- 

 port of the theory of the hybernation of at least a 

 portion of the swallow tribe in England, it is foolish 

 for learned professors to treat the affair with con- 

 coutcnipt. If the readers of S. G. will try to ascer- 

 tain the reasons for, and laws of, this hybernation, 

 they will be doing a real service to the cause of 

 scientilic accuracy, and of natural history.— Fras. 

 A. Allen. 



Common Newt. — Mr. R. Blight mentions a pair 

 of uewts he saw swimming in company on January 

 10th. Whilst dredging a pond in this neighbour- 

 hood last Saturday, March 131st, I found I had 

 netted a young but fully developed^ specimen of 

 the common smooth newt ; but of course the 

 brancbhe were not yet wholly absorbed. Is not 

 this very early ? It is now in my aquarium. — 

 G. T. Porritt, Iluddersjield. 



Early Swarm: of Bees.— In one of our hives 

 (common straw ones, with glasses on the top) 

 the bees swarmed yesterday morning, March 26th, 

 about half-past ten, the weather being warm and 

 misty.— M. B. 



Silvering Glass. — Can any reader tell me how 

 to put quicksilver on glass to make it a convex 

 mirror for a microscope ? — E. F. W. 



Woodpeckebs Storing Acorns. — I was called 

 upon by a friend of mine a few days ago, who lived 

 several years in the back woods of California, and 

 to whom, thinking he might throw some light 

 on the subject, I showed the communications of 

 S. G. and Mr. Lord. He tells me that Mr. Lord's 

 assumptions as to the woodpecker not eating the 

 acorns it had taken so much trouble to store (if 

 they really do bore holes and into them hammer 

 large acorns) is perfectly correct, and that had he 

 been journeying through any of the mountain wood- 

 lands of California in the fall of the year, he would 

 have had abundant opportunities of seeing the bird 

 at work and proving what he almost seems to doubt. 

 The trees selected are invariably of the pine tribe, 

 and several birds are not unfrequently seen at work 

 upon the same tree. They bore several holes, 

 differing slightly in size, and then fly away, in many 

 instances necessarily a long distance, and return 

 with an acorn, which they immediately set about ad- 

 justing to one of the holes prepared for its recep- 

 tion, and which will hold it tightly in position. As 

 I before stated, Mr. Lord is correct in saying that 

 the bird does not eat the acorn. Some few of the 

 American species will eat ripe fruit, berries, and the 

 succulent grains of growing Indian corn ; but as a 

 rule they are not vegetarians ; its object in storing 

 away the acorns exhibits foresight and knowledge 

 of results more akin to reason than to instinct. The 

 succeeding winter the acorn remains intact, but be- 

 coming saturated with rain, is predisposed to decay, 

 w r hen it is attacked by maggots, who seem to rejoice 

 in this special food, it is then that the woodpecker 

 reaps the harvest its wisdom had provided, at a 

 time when, the ground being covered with snow, 

 it would experience a difficulty otherwise in pro- 

 curing suitable or palatable food. It is a subject of 

 speculation why the red-wood cedar or sugar-pine 

 are invariably selected ; but it is not probable that 

 the insect, the most dainty to the woodpecker's 

 taste, 'frequents only the outside of wet trees ; but so 

 it is, that in Calaveras, Muriporee, and other 

 countries of California, trees of this kind may be 

 frequently seen covered all over their trunks "with 

 acorns when there is not an oak tree within several 

 miles. — A. B., Burton. 



To Preserve Lary.e.— Could you give me any 

 hints how to preserve the larvae and pupaj of moth's 

 and butterflies^ so as to be able to mount them on 

 paper along with the butterflies, you would much 

 oblige — A. II. 



We have sent the results, but could never learn 

 the method ; only one or two persons have accom- 

 plished it successfully.— Ed. 



Spider Poison.— Can it be really shown that 

 spiders' fangs emit any kind of poison ? It is, I 

 know, commonly stated to be the case, and it is 

 copied from one work to another, but I have never 

 been able to see any appearance of it. The fangs 

 of a spider must certainly be sufficient to kill a fly 

 without any other help. I fancy if a man or an 

 animal had two such instruments of a proportionate 

 size run into their bodies, they would soon die, in a 

 shorter or longer time, according to the part pierced. 

 If the fang contains poison, there must be an 

 aperture in the fang, but I can find nothing of the 

 kind. In the sting of a nettle a slight pressure 

 will force the poison out ; or if the sting be im- 

 mersed in water, a bubble of air can be forced out 

 at the point; but nothing of the kind occurs in the 

 spider's fang, which, like that of the dragon-fly, 

 fresh-water squilla, and other similar creatures, is of 

 a horny nature, aud hollow up to a certain point. I 

 have been led to mention this, as I have seen the 

 spider's poison mentioned in one or two places in 

 S. G., as well as in other works, as if it were an 

 established fact.— E. T. Scott. 



Sword-Grass. — Can any one inform me which of 

 the grasses is called the sword-grass ? It is men- 

 tioned by Tennyson in his "May Queen," viz. — 



The oat grass and the sword-grass and the bulrush in 

 the pool. 



It is probably, from the connection, an aquatic ; but 

 it seems to me that there are several which might 

 lay claim to the distinction. If, however, as I 

 suspect, it is a common local name in some parts of 

 the country, I have no doubt some of your readers 

 can answer my question. — R.S. 



Stephanotis eloribunda.— Can you inform me 

 when Stephanotis floribunda was introduced? — G.JI. 



Stephanotis floribunda was sent by M. Belanger 

 from the Botanic Garden of the Isle of Bourbon to 

 the Jardin des Plantes at Paris, and flowered there in 

 1834. It was figured in the Botanical Magazine as 

 having been introduced into England by Mrs. Law- 

 rence, in 1813.— Bot. Mag., vol. lxx. tab. 105S. 



Volyox Globator.— Dr. Hicks says, in his article 

 on this subject, in the Popular Science Review, "It 

 is quite certain that the Volvox does not remain as 

 Volvox through the winter. You may search for it 

 assiduously, but you will not find it; therefore we 

 may fairly assume that it takes on some quiet con- 

 dition, possibly more than one, perhaps so unlike its 

 summer shape as to have deceived the most careful 

 observer." Did it never occur to him to try the 

 experiment of keeping them through the winter? 

 Had he done so, he would have discovered that the 

 hibernal state is discoid, closely resembling some 

 Rivularice, perhaps Capsosira, of which a corre- 

 spondent (C. P. A.) has sent us specimens. 



Poppy Seeds were frequently mixed with the 

 food of the ancients, strewed over their bread, and 

 also sent to table mixed with honey. The Persians 

 still continue to sprinkle them on their rice and 

 cakes; and confectionery in India is commonly 

 covered with them. The practice is also sometimes 

 followed in Germany. 



