August 1, 1866.] 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



191 



Markings of Lepidopteba. — Iii answer to 

 G. T. P. The causes of the variations in markings 

 and colour arc various, and as yet imperfectly under- 

 stood. Amongst them may be named,— difference 

 of geographical position, peculiarities of food, or 

 scanty supply thereof, possibly even the geological 

 character of the locality, and meteorological influ- 

 ences, as suggested bv your correspondent. The 

 small white Cabbage Butterfly (P. rapx) is well 

 known to vary. The males are usually_ spotless on 

 the upper wings ; but both sexes have, in all cases, 

 I believe, one black spot on the hind wings. The 

 females have two or three black spots on the 

 upper wings. A well-marked variety was once 

 called P. metra— this is of a dusky hue ; but from 

 the same brood of larvae have been reared both 

 this and P. rupee. In the case referred to, it is 

 difficult to see how cither " excessive moisture or 

 dryness" could have occasioned any difference in 

 the perfect insects, as they were all subjected to 

 similar influences in the same garden; and the pre- 

 sence or absence of the spots on the upper wings 

 is a difference of so little importance as scarcely to 

 be called a variation. — /. C. 



Land Toiitoise.— I have a land tortoise (Testudo 

 Greeca) which lives in the garden, but its shell 

 cracks so very much, I want to know the reason — 

 is it because it is growing ? — E. M. H. 



A Hedgehog which held the office of " beetle- 

 destroyer " in our house, some years ago, came to 

 an untimely end through the depredations of 

 " gentles," who were devouring him with such 

 rapidity that we were compelled to drown him. The 

 poor brute was found to be full of large holes, and 

 I am certain that the " maggots " would soon have 

 killed him without our intervention. — 67. J. B. 



Snake in Yorkshire. — The common snake (Co- 

 luber natrix) is found as far north asYorkshire, I 

 am in a position, from personal observation, to affirm. 

 In fact, only last evening, I found two that had been 

 recently killed on the Yorkshire moors, forming part 

 of this parish, one measuring three feet in length. 

 On three or four occasions, too, I have picked up the 

 slough or cast-off cuticle, one a perfect specimen, in 

 a tuft of heather or ling, through which I imagine 

 the reptile had purposely crept to facilitate the re- 

 moval of his encumbrance. In Scotland I have heard 

 the ringed snake is never found ; certainly, during a 

 two years' residence there, and in many botanical 

 rambles, T never came across it. The adder (Pelias 

 berus) is, of course, an inhabitant of northern regions, 

 and I once caught one in a semi-torpid state on our 

 moors. I recollect, too, having to treat a case of 

 bite in the arm from an adder, in which the youth 

 suffered most severely. — Henry W. T. Ellis. 



Common Snake at Lancaster.— In reply to the 

 inquiry of your correspondent J. R. D., I believe 

 the common ringed snake (Coluber natrix) is fre- 

 quently found as far north as Yorkshire. I have in 

 my possession now one caught in the grounds of 

 this asylum on Lancaster Moor. — /. J). M, 



Yorkshire Reptiles. — I have seen several 

 Yorkshire specimens of the common snake ; it is, 

 in fact, quite plentiful in the North Riding. The 

 viper is more scarce. The bbnd-worm is common 

 on the Yorkshire moors. — R. M. Middleton, Jan., 

 West Hartlepool. 



Snail Eggs. — If C. L. has any watcr-snads in his 

 aquarium, the " aquarium pest " he complains of is 

 probably snail-spawn. I have frequently noticed it 

 in my aquarium ; but I never removed it, as the fish 

 used to feed on it greedily. The mollusc I allude 

 to is the common pond or water-snail (Limncea stag- 

 nalis) ; and in support of my theory I quote the 

 following from " Wood's Natural History" :— " The 

 eggs of the pond-snail arc laid in ribbons of transpa- 

 rent gelatinous substances." This "ribbon" does 

 at first sight rather resemble a slug.— A. J. N. Mac- 

 donald. 



Winking Marybuds.— Your correspondent S. C. 

 speaks of the garden marygold as being mentioned 

 as " Winking Marybuds " by Shakespeare. Again, 

 your correspondent B. thinks the plant alluded to is 

 not a garden plant, and suggests Ranunculus Ficaria 

 (pilewort). May they not both be reconciled by 

 concluding it to be the marsh marygold {Caltha pa- 

 lustris), which I have always considered to be the 

 Marybuds of Shakespeare ? — R. S. 



Among the flints at Aldershot I frequently find 

 some of the shape of the above sketch, varying a 

 little in size and shape. The sketch is from reverse, 

 obverse, and side views. I should be glad to be 

 informed of their name. The flints have a slight 

 coating of chert on them. — T. R. 



The Cuticles of Leaves and Petals are'ofteu 

 very beautiful objects for the microscope. Amongst 

 those which I have not seen mentioned is the cuticle 

 of the petal of the rhododendron, in which the cells 

 are covered with irregular waved lines ; but I cannot 

 mount it, so asto keep the markings distinct. With 

 a little water it shows nicely, and is different alto- 

 gether to the generality of cuticles. The pollen, 

 too, is peculiar. — E. T. Scott. 



Alas, poor Hedgehog! (See p. 167). — Some 

 years since a hedgehog was found here (East Kent) 

 shockingly mutilated by the larvae of the bluebottle, 

 yet it was still living, and apparently suffering from 

 no other disease. — 67. 



