HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



203 



make during the breeding season which has just 

 passed, my opinion is more fully confirmed that such 

 relation exists. 



My former statements were based upon the 

 evidence afforded by the eggs of the common 

 sparrow — about which I shall have something to say 

 in another paper — but the present remarks are 

 derived from the eggs of the blackbird, which has 

 nested very freely, and given me considerable facility 

 for taking notes. 



Nidification began about the usual period, and the 

 eggs forming the first series of clutches were four in 

 number, sometimes only three, but the clutches laid 

 for the second broods generally contained five eggs. 

 This, I suppose, was owing to the birds knowing 

 that food would be more abundant, and they could 

 afford to have a larger family. 



The eggs varied considerably, the majority of them 

 being of a rich colour, most certainly more highly- 

 coloured than those of the season of 1S89. The 

 percentage of fertility was high, being 94 per cent, 

 against 75 per cent, in the previous season ; the 

 infertile eggs were equally divided between the light- 

 and dark-coloured eggs — the dark-coloured eggs 

 being in the majority. This simple circumstance is a 

 point in favour of the relationship to which the fore- 

 going refers. The same high percentage of fertility 

 I found maintained all through the season. 



I do not pretend to answer the question why this 

 relation should exist, except in a tentative way. 

 The past winter was most certainly very favourable 

 for all bird-life, the birds arriving at the breeding- 

 season in a strong land healthy condition ; therefore 

 it may be inferred that, owing to these favourable 

 conditions, the fertility and colour of the eggs would 

 in all probability be favourably influenced. On the 

 other hand, had the birds been subjected to the 

 rigours of a severe winter, quite the opposite result 

 would have occurred. 



Ninety-four per cent, of fertility is certainly high, 

 nevertheless the eggs of the common partridge 

 showed the same fertility ; also the eggs of the corn 

 bunting were exceedingly fertile, in the season of 

 1SS9 they were quite the reverse. Taking the eggs 

 of wild birds as a whole, they showed great fertility ; 

 then, on the other hand, the eggs of the common 

 turkey were just as infertile. 



In carrying out an investigation like the foregoing 

 many difficulties have to be contended with. 

 Pilfering collectors spoil the clutches, cats kill the 

 sitting birds, jays and jackdaws take the eggs, then 

 the birds will sometimes forsake their nests. How- 

 ever, this -season the blackbirds were sufficiently 

 numerous to allow of a disappointment now and 

 then. 



During the season just passed I met with but two 

 irregularities in the eggs of the blackbird — i.e., one 

 egg exceedingly small but perfect ; the other sport 

 was an egg with a very light bluish-green ground, 



with markings like the ring-ouzel. I believe this 

 egg to have been infertile. 



I must express a hope that this subject has 

 occupied the attention of others interested in 

 ornithology and oology, and that the result of their 

 investigations may be made known to us. 



Joseph P. Nunn. 



Royslon. 



NOTES ON VEGETABLE TERATOLOGY. 



THE amount of "material" which has reached us 

 from kind and zealous friends since these 

 papers commenced has been enormous. Many of 

 the "monstrosities" are of the most instructive 

 character. For instance, here is figured a rose, 

 whose floral parts have not only been reconverted 

 into leaves, but they possess their old internodal 

 spaces also. The theory that the parts of flowers are 

 so many modified leaves is clearly shown in " sports " 

 like this. 



The specimen figured was sent by Captain 

 Haward, of Little Blakenham, Suffolk ; but, a few 

 days afterwards, I received an almost similar 

 teratological specimen* of a white moss-rose from 

 Mr. F. J. George, of Chorley, Lancashire, which 

 capitally illustrated the same fact. 



But, of all the remarkable "monstrosities" it has 

 been my experience to behold during nearly a quarter 

 of a century's study of the subject, commend me to 

 the remarkable thistle herewith shown. It was dis- 

 covered in a field near Ipswich, by Mr. Henry Miller, 

 president of the Ipswich Scientific Society. It is a 

 fasciated specimen of the common thistle (Carduus 

 arvensis), five feet high, and has a flattened fasci- 

 culated stem seven inches in diameter. This is 

 crowned by a fasciated series of flower -heads, twenty- 

 two in number, giving to it the well-known 

 appearance of the cock's comb (Celosia cristata) of 

 our gardens. The illustration is from a capital 

 photograph by Mr. William Vick, of Ipswich (from 

 whom photos of the object can be obtained). 



Mr. W. A. Demain sent me a singular 

 specimen of hawthorn in blossom, which mimicks in 

 a remarkable manner the inflorescence of the sloe. 

 He writes, as follows : " I enclose specimen of haw- 

 thorn gathered Aug. 3rd. The branch from which 

 the specimen was cut is very near destitute of leaves, 

 and at a distance much resembles the sloe. A short 

 time ago Mr. James Hartley Clitheroe gathered a 

 specimen of Ranuculus repens ; the peduncle was an 

 inch across, was flattened, and had five grooves, at 

 the top we could count very distinctly six perfect 

 flowers." 



Plantago major continues to spend its floral 

 substance in riotous living ! It has gone mad this 

 summer, and violated every botanical law of 

 inflorescence. I have given it up as a bad job, 



