HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



165 



horizons, one replacing another in horizontal ex- 

 tension, although at the same time it must be 

 observed that there is a certain tolerably regular 

 and similar succession in the order in which the 

 beds have been locally deposited. This, however, 

 is only what might be expected, the different depths 

 of water and shore conditions being indicated by 

 the sediment deposited. The relations between the 

 Red rocks in East Somerset with the beds above is 

 clearly shown in many sections, the red marls being 

 overlain conformably by the Rhsetic beds. In places 

 too, the Dolomitic Conglomerate, which is only the 

 beach deposit of the marls, occurring at all horizons 

 at its margin, is overlain directly by the Rhaetic 

 beds. The Red rocks in this district may therefore 

 be satisfactorily assigned to the Keuper division of 

 the Trias. Further south, in West Somerset and 

 Devon, the area may have received deposits during 

 the earlier portion of the Triassic period. Some of 

 the beds have indeed been coloured as Bunter, in 

 the geological maps of Greenough and Ramsay, but 

 as Pengelly and Whitaker have pointed out (and 

 last summer, in company with my colleague W. A. E. 

 Usher, I came to the same conclusion),' there is no 

 real break or unconformity between the Rhaetic 

 beds of Axmouth and the Sandstones and Breccias 

 of Dawlish and Teignmouth. The whole of these 

 beds might be termed Keuper, but, owing to their 

 great thickness, there is some justification in thinking 

 that the ]\Iuschelkalk might be represented, as well 

 as the Buuler, and by sediments of a different litho- 

 logical character. It is best, therefore, to term 

 the whole development the Triassic series, without 

 making any subdivisions (which would have no 

 value) to correlate them with the divisions made on 

 the Continent. Those who inquire into the literature 

 of the subject will see what little reason there is to 

 see any unconformity whatever in the Triassic series 

 throughout England ; but this is a subject too large 

 to be dealt with here. — Horace B. TFoodicard, 

 Geological Stirvey of England and Wales. 



NOTES AND aUERIES. 



Snakes a>d Toads. — Apropos of a query in a 

 last year's paper — Do snakes eat toads as wellas 

 frogs? — I can relate a case in point. I was stooping 

 over a bed of strawberries intent_ on fruit, when 

 there emerged above the thick foliage, right under 

 my nose, an enormous head and neck of such strange 

 form that I could not make out what manner of 

 creature it might be. Of course I changed my 

 position rather suddenly; but noticing that the 

 head seemed to belong to^one of the snake tribe, I 

 seized a stick and struck it a sharp blow, as it still 

 stood with neck reared above the leaves. To my 

 utter astonishment out flew a medium-sized toad, 

 knocked out of the snake's jaws by the force of the 

 blow ! "When I came upon the scene, nothing was 

 visible of the poor little victim except his hind feet ; 

 all the rest was lodged in the snake's gullet. When 



I came to examine the toad I had so unexpectedly 

 rescued, I found him alive, but at his last gasp'; 

 whether from the effect of my blow, or treatment 

 received of the snake, I can't say. The snake was 

 of the species known here as the " Garter," and was 

 scarcely as large as my thumb. Moral : Snakes do 

 eat toads as well as frogs.— ^. F. Bod. Memphis, 

 U.S.A. . ^ . 



Geolo&t of Bahnet. — I propose spending my 

 three weeks' holiday this summer at Barnet, and 

 shall be much obliged for any information concern- 

 ing the geological characteristics of the neighbour- 

 hood, and hints which may be of use in my excur- 

 sions in search of fossils, rock specimens, &c. Is 

 there any book published relating specially to this 

 part of England ?— Z; Brierly. 



MoLLTJscAN Threads (p. 49). — I am much 

 obliged to Mr. William Harte, E.R.G.S.I., for his 

 courteous communication (p. 117). My experience 

 of the thread-spinning of the slugs is less than of 

 the spinning of fluviatile mollusks, and I spoke too 

 decisively when I said that slugs "do not use it [the 

 thread] as a means of ascent." I ought rather to 

 have said, I have never seen them so use it. Mr. 

 Harte will give me credit for having modified my 

 assertion a little by saying (p. 52) "my observation 

 teaches me," &c. I have not seen Mr. Harte's 

 paper upon the use of the thread, by Limax arborum, 

 or I should certainly have availed myself of his very 

 interesting observations ; but I am glad he has 

 corrected my error and added to my little store of 

 knowledge upon a subject, the study of which has 

 afforded me much pleasure.- 6^. Sherriff Tye, Hands- 

 tcorth. 



Pkeserving Fungi. — Being desirous of making 

 a collection of " British Fungi," would any reader 

 of the SciENCE-GossiP inform me how to preserve 

 the fungi from shrivelling, ^rotting, and losing 

 colour ? — Z. B, 



Rake Insects and Bad Seasons.— A contribu- 

 tor to Science-Gossip has, in the January 'number, 

 alluded to the circumstance, that, especially in the 

 order Lepidoptera, in such a year as 1S73, when 

 both butterflies and moths were scarce, examples 

 generally turn up of species of particular rarity. 

 Several conjectural explanations have been given of 

 this ; and it may, of course, be the fact, that the 

 atmospheric phenomena whicli are unfavourable to 

 many common species, may be suitable and favour- 

 able to others we less often see. But perhaps tlie 

 explanation lies simply in this, that in a year when 

 there are fewer insects about than usual, we notice 

 more carefully what is;abroad, and specimens, which 

 in an average season may be often missed in the 

 multitude of others, come out more prominently 

 when the entomologist is putting very little into his 

 boxes.-/. B. S. C. 



Unknown Plants. — Will any reader of Science- 

 Gossip kindly inform me of the names of the under- 

 mentioned plants; viz. — 1. An Orchis, bearing a 

 spike of flowers about ten or twelve inches long, the 

 whole flower green, the lips slightly paler, and 

 divided like a clergyman's band ; root cylindrical 

 and fibrous ? 2. An Orchis, apparently leafless, the 

 spike of flowers about four inches long, flowers 

 bi"Own and uninteresting, appearing as if scorched by 

 hot sun ; found in this neighbourhood, on dry sumiy 

 banks ? 3. A plant resembling an Orchis in growth, 

 and found in same localities, but bearing a head of 

 flowers upon a stalk about three or four inches high, 



