152 



HAflDWlCKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



HYDROZOAK ZOOPHYTES. 



A S I wished to examine a few small zoophytes, 

 ■^-^ I established a tiny aquarium iu a small glass 

 vessel, fitted up with appropriate seaweeds ; iu a 

 few days I discovered a group of four hydrozoan 

 polypes, on a frond of small weed. They were stiff 

 and rigid, having each four tentaculse. I took them 

 for a young growth of Coryne pusilh, or something, 



Fig. 94. Hydrozoan Zoophytes {Coryne pusilla) on sea- weed. 

 a, nat. size of young Medusee. b, ditto magnilied as seen 

 when attaclied to glass. 



of the kind. Soon after a little knob appeared on 

 one of them, and then on the others the same thing 

 took place, and the number of polypes increased. I 

 did not notice them much, until one morning I was 

 surprised to see a beautiful little medusa swimming 

 in the glass. I immediately thought of the "buds" 

 on the polypes, and on looking for them I found 

 that one was still " on the stocks," so far matured 



Fig. 95. Hydrozoan Zoophytes {Coryne punilla ?); a, nat. size 

 of cluster ; b, magnified. 



as to be quite recognizable. It took, however, five 

 days before it got free, and it was almost comical to 

 see its efforts to pull itself away from the stem. 

 They are now still very lively, swimming about, and 

 often visiting the spot where others are growing. 

 The stem gradually dried up after the medusa was 

 free. I should much like to know if any one had made 

 these observations before. L. R. 



NOTES ON THE STARLING. 



A LTHOUGH we have many of our small birds 

 ■^^ protected, there are yet some for those who 

 love to raise young birds from the nest, and perhaps 

 one of the most beautiful is so left, for few birds 

 are more handsome than the Starling {Shimus vul- 

 garis), and certainly none more deserving attention, 

 for, added to his spotted, richly-shaded, purple and 

 gold feathers, he has a talent which should recom- 

 mend him to all lovers of the feathered tribe, — he is 

 a good mocking-bird, and may be taught to talk and 

 whistle several tunes by simply repeating them at 

 feeding-time, or a few times during the day. The 

 starlings are not migratory birds, but congregate in 

 large flocks, when they are sometimes seen darting 

 and floating after the manner of the swallow, feeding 

 on the wing, rising and falling in a most pleasing 

 way ; yet with all their gambols they display much 

 caution, — ever wary, — indeed, in some instances they 

 are like the magpie ; but when tame the whole of 

 their ability may be turned to good account. See 

 one at home in a hole in a tree or under the eaves 

 of a cottage. Cunningly he selects his abode for the 

 rearing of his young, sometimes but a few feet from 

 your door, whence he may be seen to dart into a hole 

 or cleft in a tree with food for its young, and we 

 soon see the sleek, well-fledged young, peeping after 

 the parent, and in the month of June the brood is 

 led forth to learn to provide for themselves. Busily 

 they may be seen in the sheep-walks, seeking 

 food close to the feet of cattle, giving us an illustra" 

 tion of their instinctive cunning. But at this time 

 we have not the elegant bird before mentioned — he is 

 yet wearing his dusky feathers. In the month of 

 July or August he begins to moult, and we shortly 

 see those "beautifully spotted feathers which trans- 

 form this bird of exquisite symmetry into one of 

 our handsome English mocking-birds. The Starling 

 is insectivorous, very hardy, easily raised from 

 the nest, and becomes remarkably tame. The cruel 

 practice concerning the cutting of this bird's tongue 

 is all nonsense ; the bird will talk much sooner and 

 better if his tongue be not cut. The nestling 

 starlings should be fed with scalded bread, fig dust, 

 hard-boiled eg^, and a little bruised hemp-seed, 

 well mixed ; or you may give them fig-dust and raw 

 meat, taking care to prepare them fresh food daily. As 

 soon as yournestlings can feedthemselves, they should 

 have a cage as large as the blackbird's cage, taking 

 care to keep them very clean, allowing them to be 

 plentifully supplied with water, and the cage well 

 gravelled. Chas. J. W. Rudd. 



" Smoking flowers with brimstone is a very good, 

 simple, and cheap way of drying flowers, especially 

 asters, roses, fuchsias, spireas (red flower kinds), 

 ranunculuses, cytisuses, «S;c." — Burbidge's "Domestic 

 Floriculture" 



