HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



211 



tian rocks, but Silurian limestone also abounds. 

 The following is the percentage of the boulders 

 from the different formations present in the drift : — 

 Laurentian 28'49, Huronian 971, Limestone 54 01, 

 Quarlzite Drift 114. The last is derived from the 

 Rocky Mountains, the other three from the Lauren- 

 tian axis. There are also on the surface of this 

 plateau some remarkable elevated regions, appa- 

 rently entirely composed of accumulated drift 

 materials. The edge of the third prairie plateau, or 

 the Missouri coteau, is a mass of glacial debris and 

 travelled blocks averaging from thirty to forty miles 

 in breadtl), and extending diagonally across the 

 country for a distance of about eight hundred miles. 

 Third or highest plateau. — There is a marked change 

 in the drift on this plateau, the quartzite drift of the 

 Rocky Mountains preponderating, seldom showing 

 much glaciation. Its general character may be seen 

 from the following percentage of its composition : 

 —Laurentian 27'05, Huronian ?, Limestone 15 - 84, 

 Quartzite drift 5210. Some of the lower parts of 

 this steppe show thick deposits of true till with 

 well-glaciated stones, both from the mountains and 

 the east, and debris from underlying tertiary beds, 

 all in a hard yellowish sandy matrix. On the higher 

 prairie sloping up to the Rocky Mountains the drift 

 is entirely composed of material derived from them. 

 The Rocky Mountains themselves show abundant 

 traces of glaciation. Nearly all the valleys hold 

 remnants of moraines, some of them still very per- 

 fect. The harder rocks show the usual rounded 

 forms, but striation was only observed in a single 

 locality, and there coincided with the main direction 

 of the valley. The longer valleys generally termi- 

 nate in cirques, with almost perpendicular rock- 

 walls, and containing small but deep lakes. State 

 of the interior region of the continent previous to the 

 Glacial period. — The author considers that previous 

 to the glacial epoch the country was at about its 

 present elevation, and that its main physical features 

 and river-drainage were already outlined. Subaerial 

 denudation had been in operation for a vast period 

 of time, and an enormous mass of tertiary and 

 cretaceous strata removed. Mode of glaciation and 

 formation of the drift deposits.— The author did not 

 find any evidence rendering the supposition of a 

 great northern ice-cap necessary, but suggests that 

 local glaciers on the Laurentiau axis furnished ice- 

 bergs laden with boulders, which were floated across 

 the then submerged prairies towards the Rocky 

 Mountains. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



Longevity in tue Valley of the Usk.— 

 A short time ago, when exploring the scenery 

 about Crickhowel, I spent some time in the ancient 

 church and churchyard of Llangattoc, less than 

 a mile from the former village, and was struck by 



the number of very aged persons recorded on the 

 stones ; the most remarkable instance being that of 

 three persons of one family, whose united ages 

 amouuted to 300 years ! I saw most of the names 

 and ages in the following list, which was subse- 

 quently furnished to me by Jenkin Jenkins, sexton 

 and clerk of the parish, most of which he told me 

 he had verified by the registers of the church : — 

 Thomas Davies, farm-bailiff for one family for 

 seventy-five years, 105 years old; father of the 

 same, 101; mother of ditto, 94; Gueullrn Morgan, 

 110; Edward James, 102; William Williams, 101; 

 Henry Smith, 100 ; John Pugb, 99 ; Abel Thomas, 

 9S ; John Jones, 97; Charles Powell, 97; Catherine 

 Williams, 9G : average ages of 34 other people, 92 ; 

 average ages of 1G1 other people, 84. Such remark- 

 able length of many lives would indicate great 

 healthiness of that locality.— Horace Pearce, F.G.S. 



Cats and Music. — I can give another instance, 

 from personal knowledge. A few years ago my 

 brother had a favourite cat, which, when he 

 whistled a tune, would follow him round the 

 room, and climbing up him, touch his mouth 

 with her paw, and rub her head against his face, 

 all the time purring with pleasure. I may add that 

 this musical taste is not hereditary, for a grand- 

 child of this cat's now in our possession shows the 

 greatest antipathy to music ; a few notes on the 

 piano or concertina are enough to rouse her from 

 her slumbers on the hearih-rug, and drive her to 

 the door, mewing loudly to be let out. — E. J. T. 



Tails of Animals.— In the notices of the uses 

 of animals' tails, I have not seen that of their being 

 of essential service to some animals in guiding them 

 when running fast. A greyhound cannot go after a 

 hare so well if his tail be docked, as he cannot use 

 it in turning about.— E. T. Scott. 



Tails of Animals.— I saw queried in a recent 

 number of the Science-Gossip the use of the tails 

 of rats. I once kept a number of tame rats, and 

 used to observe that, if running along a thin perch, 

 they would twine their tails round loosely, but not 

 so as to hinder their movements, and, if they slipped, 

 they immediately tightened them so as to swing and 

 save themselves from a fall. I have also seen them 

 test a new perch by hanging by their tails from an 

 old one, and shaking the other. When holding 

 albino rats by the tail, I have had the skin of the 

 tip of the tail left in my hand, while the rat has run 

 off with the bone protruding, apparently uncon- 

 cerned. Have any of your readers noticed this ? — 

 W. L. M. 



Ouit kitchen closets are just now infested with 

 long brown beetles. Can any of your readers tell 

 us how to get rid of them ? — W. L. M. 



TnE Uses of Tails in Animals.— I have been 

 much interested in the summary of Mr. Tait's lecture 

 given in Science-Gossip for June. Among the 

 puzzling forms of tails he mentions the bushy appen- 

 dage of the fox. Six years this autumn I had a 

 good opportunity to watch the habits of a tame red 

 fox. 1 then satisfied myself that the chief use of 

 the tail was to lie upon, to keep the feet and legs 

 warm. In cool weather he always used his tail in 

 this way, bending it in a close coil. Then, after 

 getting down, or as he lay down, the feet were 

 raised from the ground aud placed on the tail. — 

 W. J. Beat. 



