HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



95 



Coccinella, adopt a method to deceive known as 

 " feigning death," from the way their legs and 

 antennae are disposed under fear. With your per- 

 mission, I will give two instances, out of many, show- 

 ing the nature of my observation, in which I feel 

 sure the attitudes were the same in life as in death. 

 I received some specimens of Cryptorhyiicluis lapatlii 

 as dead, and during the operation of setting no 

 difference could be distinguished. The insect turned 

 out to be alive, and had to be thoroughly killed and 

 reset. In this case there was ample opportunity of 

 noticing the disposition of rostrum and legs. In an 

 hibernating specimen of Byrrhns pilula the under 

 side had to be clearly examined with a lens to 

 distinguish legs and antennas, and I had almost made 

 up my mind that it was worthless, when the sur- 

 rounding warmth caused it to unfold its limbs. Thus 

 it is with many of the species in the above-named 

 genera ; the legs so exactly fit the segments of the 

 body, and the antennae and rostrum fit into grooves 

 like the blade of a pocket-knife, that they never fold 

 them in any other direction, either when killed, or 

 when they fold them in fear. It seems most natural, 

 I think, that on any contraction of the muscles the 

 limbs should be brought into these natural recep- 

 tacles. Those insects having grooves and indenta- 

 tions to fold away their limbs, can best simulate 

 death. I am not prepared to say how far the insects 

 are conscious of their action, but certainly, seeing the 

 structure of beetles, there is nothing unreasonable in 

 supposing the same disposition of limbs should take 

 place in fear as in death. Is a beetle conscious of 

 becoming inconspicuous ? if so, may it not also be 

 conscious of putting on an appearance found by 

 experience to make them most inconspicuous, namely, 

 that of death ? Some species of Coeloides look just 

 like the buds of nettle-flowers, and Cryptorhynchits 

 lapathi looks exactly like a bit of grey lichen when 

 rolled up on being disturbed, or when dead. — 

 G. Robson. 



Animals and Birds in Jersey. — As supplement 

 to the note of your contributor J. J. B. in January 

 number, I beg to say that the stoat, which is 

 unfortunately too common here, is invariably white 

 in the winter. I obtained several specimens last 

 winter, and one now before me — awaiting the scalpel 

 — is in that state. The hoopoe is of far more frequent 

 occurrence than your contributor's note would imply. 

 I have known two specimens killed within the last 

 two or three months — one by the station-master at 

 Les Marais, near the railway, the other by Mr. J. 

 Romeril, near his house at Longueville. I also had 

 the pleasure of watching a specimen on two occasions 

 during the summer, near the latter locality ; this last 

 could easily have been added to the list of specimens 

 obtained, but the possibility of its being breeding 

 made it of course sacred. I have known altogether 

 nine specimens of the bird killed here. — J. Sinel, 

 Jersey. 



Early Birds, &c. — On January 4th I heard 

 the missel thrush {Turdus viscivonis) and the song 

 thrush (TiD-diis miisiais) singing beautifully. At 

 the same time I noticed the blackbirds {TiD-dtts 

 merula) and some stai'lings {Stiirnus vulgaris) pairing. 

 Two pairs of the latter were busy searching the eaves 

 of my house for nesting places. On the same day I 

 found the common toad {Bicfo coinmiinis) which had 

 left his place of hibernation to look for food among a 

 small plantation of gooseberry trees in the garden. 

 The weather at the time was mild and calm, with 

 glimpses of sunshine between slight showers of rain. 

 The thermometer on the ground registered as high as 



5i°.-y.^.j/. 



A Midsummer Ramble over the Surrey 

 Downs. — My critic calls my attention to the circum- 

 stance that I accidentally wrote " I see a purple 

 emperor on an oak spray," for "I am accustomed to 

 see a purple emperor on an oak spray." The chur- 

 ring of the fern-owl in the day-time I believe to be 

 correct ; my note book informs me it was at the com- 

 mencement of June that my attention was drawn to it. 

 The bird pairs at the commencement of July. The 

 ramble in question was taken in 1882, at that period 

 of the year, — The Author of Insect Variety. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To CORRKSPONDKNTS AND EXCHANGERS. — As We HOW 



publish Science-Gossip earlier than heretofore, we cannot 

 possibly insert in the following number any communications 

 which reach us later than the 8th of the previous month. 



To Anonvmous Querists. — We receive so many queries 

 which do not bear the writers' names that we are forced to 

 adhere to our rule of not noticing them. 



To Dealers and others. — We are always glad to treat 

 dealers in natural history objects on the same fair and general 

 ground as amateurs, in so far as the " exchanges " offered are fair 

 exchanges. But it is evident that, when their offers are simply 

 disguised advertisements, for the purpose of evading the cost of 

 advertising, an advantage is taken oi owx gratuitous insertion of 

 "exchanges" which cannot be tolerated. 



We request that all exchanges may be signed with name (or 

 initials) and full address at the end. 



H. C. C.— Apply to Mr. H. G. Fordham, Odsey Grange, 

 near Royston, for Report of the Local Scientific Societies 

 Committee. 



C. H. O. C. — Your paper will appear shortly. 



W. J. Norton. — A capital book on British diptera is Curtis's 

 ' Monograph,' containing 103 plates. The price, however, is 

 high — about ^^. It may be had of L. Reeve & Co. 



\V. H. R. — It is rather difficult to answer off-hand, " What 

 is an orchid?" Of course there are strong peculiar distinctions 

 which constitute an orchid, which you may see in any botanical 

 manual giving the characteristics of the order. Perhaps the 

 most striking feature in an orchid flower are the two pollinia, 

 or pollen-masses, and the flat stigma. 



A. H. T. — Dr. M. C. Cooke is now bringing out a work on 

 British Desmidiaceae in parts. See Davis's "Practical Micro- 

 scopy" for projecting microscopic objects, &c. A visitor is 

 admitted to the R. M. Society's meetings by a Fellow. 



E. T. Scott. — Please send us the peculiar wing-cases you 

 allude to in your letter of the ist ult. for examination. 



H. C. Brooke. — You would be able to get most, if not all, 

 of the live animals you require of Mr. E. Wade Wilton, North- 

 field Villas, Leeds. Stoats and weasels you would get from 

 any gamekeeper. St. John, the author of "Wild Sports of the 

 Highlands," has been dead some years. 



W. G. H. Taylor. — We cannot lay our hands upon the 

 vols, of the " Leisure Hour " containing the articles on " Primi- 

 tive Man " alluded to in the paper of last month. The reference 

 was given as related to the author. You had best write to the 

 editor of " The Leisure Hour " for further information. 



W. Cross. — Admission to the societies you mention is 

 obtained, first on the recommendation of three Fellows, from 

 personal knowledge, and then on paying an entrance fee of 

 si.x guineas. The annu.al subscription varies, but it is generally 

 two guineas. 



Miss L. Clare. — Tenby is a capital hunting-ground for a 

 naturalist. Get Gosse's " Tenby." 



W. A. S. — The black fungus you sent us is a dead and dried 

 specimen of a species of Polyporus. 



W. Potter. — Your specimen is a branch of the acacia, with 

 male or staminate flowers. 



F. Trebor. — The names of the Pre-Cambrian systems of 

 rocks you refer to, were given by Dr. Hicks in a paper read 

 before the Geological Society, Nov. 22, 1876. The Dimetian 

 he named after the ancient local name (Dimetia) of that part 

 of Wales. Pebidian is called after the name of the hundred 

 (Pebidiac) in which these rocks are chiefly s.\-posed. Menevian 

 rocks are named from the ancient Menevia (St. David's). 



C. G. Hall. — Your plant is Salicornia herbacea, var. 

 pusilla. 



W. L. Bali\ibra. — Your specimens are: No. i, "Cockscomb" 

 i^Peiinatida phosphorea), one of the alcyonarian zoophytes ; 

 No. 2, "Sea-lir" [Sertularia abietina), one of the hydroid 

 zoophytes. 



J. W. Williams. — We have no doubt you would be able to 

 get specimens of sand-lizards from Messrs. J. Sinel & Co., 

 Naturalists, St. Heller's, Jersey. , 



