HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP, 



167 



Is it not a little stranc^e that absolute wild birds 

 altogether destitute of reasoning powers— at least, we 

 are asked to believe they are — should adopt extraor- 

 dinary sanitary measures when necessary to preserve 

 the cleanliness of their dwelling ? — A'. S. Frcston. 



Malformation of Egg of Hedge-Sparrow. — 

 The outline I send is that of an egg of hedge-sparrow 

 taken many years ago by my brother. The other 

 eggs in the same nest were of the usual shape and 

 size. — A'. D., Co/ton. [It was probably a double- 

 yolked egg. — Ed. Science-Gossip.] 



White Field-Mouse, — I have in my possession 

 a perfectly white specimen of the short-tailed field- 

 mouse, which was caught near Bromsgrove. A 

 quite young one was, I believe, caught at the same 

 time, but it died very shortly, and the farmer who 

 caught them did not think it worth preserving. The 

 one I have only lived a few days, and I never saw it 

 in the flesh. Are such albinos ofcommon occurrence ? 

 — A". D., Cofton, 



Death of Dormice. — I should feel obliged if 

 some reader would kindly let me know in the next 

 number of Science-Gossip, what you think was 

 the cause of the death of my dormouse. I had had 

 it about a twelvemonth, and it was so tame, and had 

 such engaging little ways, that it was a very great 

 pet. The other evening I found the little creature in 

 one corner of its cage trembling violently, its heart 

 beating so fast that it seemed as if every minute it 

 would breathe its last. It was to all appearance in 

 good health the previous evening, and it could not 

 by any possibility have been frightened. On the 

 second evening following, my pet died. It got 

 weaker and weaker, and at last could not move by 

 itself. The trembling was accompanied by a little 

 ticking wheezy noise. The food I gave it was Spanish 

 nuts and occasionally acorns. I should also be glad 

 to know to what age dormice usually live. I am 

 sorry to trouble you with such a lengthy note, but am 

 so grieved with regard to my little pet's death, that I 

 feel anxious to know the cause of it. — A. J\'L P. 



Lady-bird.— I lately captured a lady-biid in 

 my garden, that instead of being red with black spots 

 is black with red spots. I have since diligently 

 searched for another specimen, but although the 

 ordinary variety abound in great numbers, I have not 

 been successful in finding another black one. I 

 should be glad to hear this is a rare occurrence, as I 

 have neither read of nor met with one before. — 

 H. Moulton. 



Mole Castles. — The following is an accurate 

 account of a large mole castle discovered on 

 February 17th, in Madingly Wood, near Cambridge. 

 A large circular mound of loose clay, fairly sym- 

 metrical, stood in an open space amongst the brush- 

 wood ; it measured three feet six inches in diameter, 

 and eighteen inches in height. On removing the 

 lumps of earth and tracing the tunnels carefully, the 

 plan exposed to view consisted of three tiers of 

 circular galleries one above the other, and two inches 

 from the surface of the mound. The upper one 

 was not completed by about an inch, but there were 

 traces of the mole's claws, suggesting there had been 

 recent work. These galleries were connected by 

 three or four passages running down the sides, and 

 then proceeding along the surface of the earth in 

 various directions from the castle. Neither lines nor 

 circles were geometrically true, but seemed sug- 

 gestive as a rough plan throughout, and at several 

 places the tunnels were enlarged, probably to allow 



moles to pass each other ; the diameter of a circular 

 section varying from two to four inches. There was 

 only one "bUnd" tunnel terminating abruptly. 

 Making random excavations afterwards, further 

 internal galleries were exposed, on a level with the 

 middle external one, and communicating with a large 

 domed cavity a foot across and 6 inches high, which 

 was on a level with the ground, and contained a 

 number of damp brown oak leaves. Below this, 

 extending for a foot beneath the earth, were numerous 

 intersecting galleries from which shafts ran perpen- 

 dicularly into the earth for a considerable distance, 

 but the great difficulty of excavation, owing to the 

 falling in of the clay, prevented further investigation. 

 All the passages were rubbed smooth, but rather 

 slimy. The fact of this wonderful castle being 

 erected in an open space, and composed of firm clay, 

 enabled us to make an almost complete examination. 

 Can any reader inform me, (i) how this castle was 

 made ; (2) for what purpose j (3) the object of the 

 dead leaves ? Except that the outer galleries had no 

 communication with the inner, saving on a level 

 with the earth, this maze affords to the mole a 

 most perfect city of refuge. The method of con- 

 struction which appears most probable is the follow- 

 ing. From the deep shafts a large quantity of clay 

 was thrown up in the usual manner, and the loose 

 clay was pressed to form tunnels causing enlargement 

 and extra compactness of the heap, for there were no 

 signs of any outlet through which to eject fresh 

 excavated clay. But the questions as to how the 

 domed cavity was formed, and the use of the damped 

 dead leaves, unless as a nest for young, are still a 

 problem, which, I trust, will be announced next 

 month. — A. S. E., Ca?nbridge. 



The Dormouse in England. — Being desirous 

 of ascertaining as far as possible the range of the 

 dormouse in England and Wales, I shall be extremely 

 obliged if any of the numerous readers of Science- 

 Gossip can give me any information on this subject. 

 Well-authenticated instances of the occurrence of this 

 little animal in any part of England or Wales will be 

 gratefully received, especially if accompanied by a 

 slight description of the kind of place (as regards 

 herbage, trees, &c.) most frequently selected as a 

 residence. — G. T. R. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Exchangers. — As we now 

 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 Anonymous 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 of our 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. 



X. — We could not make anything of the mosses, &c., you 

 sent us to name, neither could a botanical authority to whom 

 we sent them. They are too small and imperfect. 



C. C. — A vast number of insects are insectivorous. The 

 lady-birds prey quite as voraciously on aphides as cats would 

 on mice. Ants feed on the aphide's secretions, but lady-birds 

 (Coccinellae) do not. 



H. J. T. — You will be able to obtain living specimens of the 

 toad from Mr. E. W. Wilton, Northfield Villas. Leeds. 



