262 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



peculiar note, and gradually drawing away the atten- 

 tion of the intruder. I knew one case in which the 

 old biid, maddened by its nest being discovered, flew 

 boldly against the face of its enemy with.consider- 

 able force. — E. Loved. 



Stratagems of Birds. — While walking from 

 Coniston Lake to Hawkhead in June last, collect- 

 ing some ferns from under the hedge on one side of 

 the road, I disturbed a chaffinch, which immediatefy 

 flew on to the path just in front of me, and at once 

 took my attention. The bird appeared to be iu 

 pain, suffering apparently from a broken wing or 

 leg, and I tried to take the bird, but it dodged so 

 much my efforts that I almost despaired getting 

 hold of the bird, but with my umbrella (which the 

 bird had not allowed for) I managed to get hold of 

 it. I then looked at its wings and legs, but could 

 not find a trace of an accident, and thought probably 

 the bird was not well. I then opened my hand, and 

 was in the act of stroking its neck and wings, when, 

 to the great surprise of my brother and self, the 

 chaffinch flew away quickly in the direction from 

 which we had brought it, some 150 yards. It did 

 not occur to me at the time what was the cause of 

 this deception, but I am fully convinced now that 

 it was a trick similar to that you described on page 

 236.— IF. J. Lancaster. 



The Butcher-bird and its Prey. — One 

 evening, while out for a stroll, I observed a number 

 of birds flying about in a very excited manner. On 

 obtaining a closer view, I saw a butcher - bird 

 struggling with a hedge-sparrow, which seemed 

 quite exhausted. I watched them for a few minutes, 

 during which time it had killed its victim; it did not, 

 however, spike it as is usual, but held it firmly to 

 the branch with its claw. Wishing to know further, 

 I threw a stick and made it drop the bird, and on 

 examination I found it had completely scalped and 

 pecked a hole in its skull.— Thomas C. Oborn, Tang- 

 ley Park, Guildford. 



" Exchanges."— I used to think with your cor- 

 respondent, that it was not right to exact a stamp 

 with exchanges. When I came to put in exchanges 

 myself I found it out. In my last exchange I should 

 have had to pay a penny for everything I sent, and 

 without receiving a total value of a single penny iu 

 return. The arrangement proposed will tend to 

 close your exchange column, and |by so doing will 

 take from many of us one reason for taking in 

 Science-Gossip. At present a correspondent knows 

 what he has to pay for an object, and it exercises, 

 shall I say a useful check ? upon needless applica- 

 tions. Wo one is obliged to ask for a stamped enve- 

 lope unless they choose, and it is rarely done in the 

 case ot slides, which are generally a fair quid pro 

 quo. 



Granulation.— What is the cause of granulation 

 in objects that have been mounted some time in 

 unsuitable media? Is there any probable way by 

 which soluble glass could be made that would re- 

 tain its transparency on solidifying and be suitable 

 as a preservative medium ? — E. G. 



The Blindworm. — A blindworm I have now 

 had in my possession for some weeks, has this 

 morning (Oct. 6) produced ten young ones. Is not 

 this very unusual considering the late period of the 

 year ? bo far as I am aware, the slow-worm gene- 

 rally produces young in June or July, but perhaps 

 in this case the change of habits in the parent has 



retarded their appearance. Any information as to 

 how they are to be taken through the winter would 

 be "thankfully received." Will treating them like 

 hybernating lame succeed ?— C. Lovekin. 



What is Granite ?— In page 296 of " Hangnail's 

 Questions," revised and corrected by E. H. Riches, 

 LL.D., F.RA.S., &c, is the following query and 

 answer. "What is Granite? A kind of fine white 

 marble found in Spain." — S. A. B. 



Cats and Frogs. — In reply to a query in Science- 

 Gossip for October, as to whether cats are in the 

 habit of eating frogs, I can inform W. H. Home 

 that our cat is particularly fond of them, and I have 

 often observed her on the rockery watching for her 

 prey, which, after tormenting for sometime, she will 

 devour. — Jessie Reece. 



The Holy Grass. — May I remark, in reply to 

 Mr. Westward's observations on the Hierochloe 

 borealis, that it might be well if Hr. Westward 

 would carefully study the growth and appearance 

 or general character of the " Holy Grass" as grow- 

 ing in its natural soil, amidst rocky mountains and 

 in northern latitudes, instead of forming his con- 

 clusions from plants cultivated in his own garden. 

 He might then find himself less inclined to contra- 

 dict the statements of Withering and Bentham. 

 As regards the flowering stems and leaves illustrated 

 in Science-Gossip for August (p. 197), out of the 

 dozen or sixteen specimens in my possession, eight 

 of them were exactly the size represented in the 

 illustration ; the others vary in the height from 

 sixteen to eighteen inches ; the leaves of all are 

 much shorter than the flowering stem, therefore the 

 difference of growth doubtless depends (as in other 

 plants) upon the habitat of the Holy Grass. There 

 does not appear to me any rule for the exact time of 

 the flowering of various plants and grasses without 

 beiug liable to exceptions. At the present moment 

 I have by me a fine specimen of the Caltha palustris 

 in full flower, brought to me by a friend from the 

 Isle of Thanet, Kent, gathered by him there on the 

 27th of September. He only observed two other 

 roots in flower besides the one he gathered. Now 

 Hay and June are the months specified in most of 

 the botanical books for the flowering of Caltha 

 palustris. Lindley & Hoore mention it flowering 

 from Hay to August, but it is not, I believe, the 

 experience of botanists generally to find it so, there- 

 fore I presume this fact forms an exception to the 

 rule. — Elizabeth Edwards. 



Hiddlesex Chalk.— As is well known, the chalk 

 formation appears at the surface in only two limited 

 portions of the county of Middlesex ; viz., at the 

 north-east corner, near South Hims, and in the 

 neighbourhood of Harefield, on the north-west. 

 Are there any pits or other accessible sections iu 

 either of these localities ? I think not at Minis, but 

 my time was too limited to permit a proper search. — 

 IF. H. G. 



Charlton Sandpit. — Hr.'Edward Newman, in a 

 contribution to the "Saturday Half-Holiday Guide " 

 for 1873, has the following remarks : — " The dispo- 

 sition of the human aborigines of Charlton Pit to 

 ' turn out ' every visitor detected in the act of 

 wearing a coat is remarkable and proverbial. Pew 

 entomologists can bear up against it ; and this pit, 

 which was the finest collecting-ground near London, 

 is now nearly abandoned." Will some South 

 London entomologist kindly inform me if this 

 alarmiug state of things still continues ? Are the 



