June 1, 1SCC] 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



143 



pretty pink mouths, or swimming with long extended 

 toot, inverted on the surface of the water. Most 

 irascible little fellows they are, too ; they fight with 

 the flattened apex of the shell, and when interfered 

 with in their course, they use the foot as a fulcrum, 

 and then swing round to the right and left with such 

 fury that they make even their monster cousins, 

 L. stagnalis or L. auricidaria, give way to their im- 

 petuosity, and " draw in their horns." I have often 

 laughed heartily at seeing a dozen of them in a 

 tumbler, swinging about, and elbowing their way 

 among eacli other like police-constables in a crowd. 

 The body is beautifully mottled with bright dark 

 green and yellow, and the lobes of the mantle are of 

 a pale amber colour, extending up in deep Vandykes 

 over the shell, seven on each side, till they meet at 

 the top. This is seldom seen during the winter, as 

 they hybernate. I shall be happy to exchange a few 

 (with hints for finding them) in return for some 

 living specimens of L. glutinosa, which I do not 

 possess. — E. IF. 



Eritillaria Meleagris.— About a month ago, 

 being at a friend's house near the borders of Surrey 

 and Sussex, I was astonished to find in some of the 

 vases several plants of Fritillaria Meleagris. The 

 spot where the plant grew was perhaps fifty or sixty 

 yards in diameter, and over all this space the plant 

 grew luxuriantly, here and there varying with a 

 white flower. I was also told (though I could not 

 verify this at the time, my stay being so short) that 

 it grew in several places in the neighbourhood. I 

 have always been somewhat sceptical as to its being 

 a native: does the foregoing throw any light outhe 

 subject ? Perhaps some of your correspondents can 

 answer the question. — T. JF. 



Newt eating its Cast Skin. — A male crested 

 newt in my aquarium lately devoured his old skin in 

 my presence. Some time since I mentioned having 

 seen one of my frogs similarly engaged, and Holland, 

 the keeper of the reptiles in the Zoological Gardens, 

 who takes a very great interest in his charge, tells 

 me that all kinds of salamanders do so ; so that it 

 seems to be a habit common to all Batrachia, and by 

 no means peculiar to the toads. — IF. R. Tate, Grove 

 Place, Denmark Hill. 



Pied Adder. — I have just deposited in the 

 Reptile House of the Zoological Gardens, Regent's 

 Park, a very beautiful adder, which exactly cor- 

 responds with the description given by Mr. Bell in 

 his work of one sent him from Hornsey Wood — viz., 

 that it has the " ground colour almost perfectly 

 white, with all the markings jet black." I was lucky 

 enough to catch him on Wisley Heath, Surrey, on 

 Monday, May 7th. — JF. R. Tate, Grove Place, 

 Denmark Hill. 



New Zealand Exhibition.— Erom the volume 

 of "Jury Reports " of this Exhibition we find that 

 special silver medals have been awarded to the fol- 

 lowing distinguished naturalists aud scientific men 

 for the reasons stated : — J. Gould and J. E. Gray, 

 Ph. D. F.R.S., for the valuable services rendered 

 to the natural historv of New Zealand by their ornith- 

 ological labours. To J. D. Hooker, M.D., E.R.S., 

 Kew, for the able and zealous services he has ren- 

 dered to the colony by his works on the botany of 

 New Zealand. To Dr. Lander Lindsay, E.R.SiE., 

 Perth, N.B., for his interesting researches on the 

 brown coals of Otago and the properties of the 

 Tutu plant. To Richard Owen, D.C.L., F.R.S., 

 &c, for the valuable services .rendered to the 



natural history of New Zealand by his works on 

 comparative anatomy, especially on the anatomy of 

 the Moa. To P. L. Simmonds, E.S.S., editor of the 

 Technologist, London, in recognition of special ser- 

 vices to the New Zealand Exhibition, and his ser- 

 vices generally towards the development of colonial 

 industrial resources. 



Toxonidea. — Your correspondent, Mr. Barkas of 

 Newcastle, and other students of diatoms, may like 

 to know that T. Gregorian a and T. insignis are not 

 peculiar to the Northumberland coast ; 1 have found 

 them on the Norfolk coast, at Cromer, Wells, and 

 Hunstanton, and in the noctilucae from Yarmouth. 

 In the Wells and Hunstanton gatherings T. insignis 

 is the more common form, but T. Gregoriana is not 

 rare. We find, I believe, all the sand forms de- 

 cribed by Dr. Donkin on the Norfolk coast, and I 

 have no doubt that other localities on the British 

 shores would also yield the same forms. Diatoms 

 are not (with some few exceptions) local : other con- 

 ditions being similar, I should expect to find in 

 these isles any form found in Europe ; the sand 

 forms on sandy shores, and alpine species in moun- 

 tain streams. I may mention that the following 

 may at present be considered local : Campylodiscus 

 bh/peiis, found liviug in Breydon, Norfolk, by Mr. 

 Wigham ; Pinnularia cardinalis, living in the 

 marshes at Hickling, Norfolk, by myself. Tricera- 

 lium ? cxiguum, Ormesby broad : this species has 

 long been a puzzle, it certainly is not a Triceratium • 

 I am inclined to think that it is an Odontidium, and 

 probably a variety of 0. anomalum or 0. parositicum. 

 I have seen it parasitic on larger diatoms. The 

 description in the " Synopsis of the British Diato- 

 macese " does not accord with my own observa- 

 tions ; I cannot detect any puncta on side view of 

 valve; the margin is striate and the centre smooth. 

 — Fred. Kit ton, Norwich. 



Death of Professor Harvey— We regret to 

 announce that this eminent algologist can no more 

 furnish replies to the queries of our correspondents 

 regarding sea-weeds. He expired at Taunton on the 

 loth of May universally regretted by those who 

 knew him ; for to his scientific attainments, which 

 were of no mean order, was added kindness and 

 urbanity to all with whom he was brought in con- 

 tact. This is a cloud which has cast its shadow 

 across the Botanical Congress, for his labours are 

 known and appreciated throughout the civilized 

 world. 



Stinging Power of Sea Anemones— After 

 long observation I have come to the conclusion that 

 the Opelet Anthea Cereus, and probably any other 

 species that is possessed of this power, only uses it 

 when out of health. I have at all times freely 

 captured them on the shore with my uncovered 

 hand, and have never, under such circumstances, 

 been stung ; but when putting my hand into the 

 tank where any were that were looking flabby and 

 collapsed, I have many times been seized and much 

 annoyed by the very painful effects the adherence of 

 the flaccial tentacles produced. The parts so 

 affected have speedily become mottled and rough, 

 like the skin of a person with measles; and this 

 appearance, and the sharp pain, like the stinging of 

 nettles, has continued for hours. — M. D. P. 



Red Lobsters.— Is the change in the colour of 

 the shell in boiling chemical or mechanical? — 

 TV. H. K. 



