HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



223 



thuria) ; the sea mouse (Aphrodite) ; errant annelides 

 (Errantia) ; wrasses (Labridre) ; Chitonidae, the 

 genera Gammarus and Talitrus ; Asterinae ; Pal- 

 mipes ; Solasters and Goniasters. 



Here too, we find in large numbers, those little 

 Tunicates, of the family Ascidia, with glassy, 

 perfectly transparent tests, through which their 

 delicate and perfect anatomy may be seen. Larger 

 and coarser varieties of Ascidians are also to be 

 found. 



Among the bivalve Mollusca in this locality, are 

 the banded venus ( Venus fasciata), and numerous 

 varieties of scallops (Pecten). 



These gorgeous Pectenida;, with the delicate and 

 rich colouring of their shell and interior ; with their 

 fringing branchite ; their mantle lobes bejeweled with 

 emerald-like ocelli ; and with the activity of their 

 graceful motions, form I think, a sight as beautiful as 

 any in Nature ; and one too, which surely make us 

 think of our adorable Maker, and of His wisdom as 

 manifested in these His matchless creations. 



But in speaking of the fauna of this part of our 

 coast,, we must not forget to mention that most 

 graceful species of Crinoid, the only British member 

 of its genus, the rosy feather star {Comatula 

 rosacea) . 



This beautiful creature, which is only to be obtained 

 by means of the dredge, is present in considerable 

 numbers in Lamlash Bay. 



Off the north end of the Holy Island they 

 especially abound ; thus affording an example of the 

 tendency there is to localisation in the distribution of 

 certain animals. This may be due, in the present 

 instance, to the fact that the bottom here is composed 

 of a bed of coral spicules. 



The Comattda rosacea is also to be obtained in the 

 Sound between the two Islands of Cambrae, off Mill- 

 port. In the other districts of the Frith of Clyde 

 before considered, I have not once met with the 

 Comatula, This however, may have been owing to 

 the time of year, which no doubt influences the dis- 

 tribution of such marine animals. 



That certain creatures are only to be met with at 

 certain periods of year, is undoubtedly the case ; 

 others again, I am confident, may be found at any 

 time, and throughout the four seasons. 



Rivaling in beauty, the various species of Pecten, 

 we have the Lima hians. It is to be found in con- 

 siderable numbers in most parts of the Frith, 

 especially off Snellan and the Great Cumbrae. 



To picture the loveliness of this creature from a 

 mere description, would, I think, be vain. One can 

 only see it in its natural element to admire it, and to 

 be enchanted with it. 



Having now given the reader some little insight 

 into the nature of the fauna of the Frith of Clyde, I 

 hope the effect of it will be to encourage him to make 

 the inhabitants of the ocean's depths in this way a 

 subject of practical study. 



Let the young naturalist, who does not already 

 possess, procure a dredge, and see what he can do 

 with it. Let him not only collect, but dissect, and 

 draw every creature he obtains. In this way, I think, 

 he will soon come to agree with me, that the study 

 of Marine Zoology is perhaps the most charming of 

 all the departments of Natural History. 



MATERNAL INSTINCT IN ANIMALS. 



THE marvellous and beautiful sentiment of self- 

 denying love of offspring which pervades all 

 animated nature, from the human mother down to 

 the poor insect that we tread upon, is a Heaven-sent 

 instinct. So much has already been written about 

 the maternal instinct of mammals and birds, that the 

 anecdotes we propose translating from M. Ernest 

 Menault's " Amour maternel chezles Animaux " will, 

 at least at present, be confined to those creatures we 

 have been in the habit of considering too low in the 

 scale of beings to be capable of affection. Like 

 Creation itself, M. Menault commences his work 

 from the "creeping thing" and the fish, rising 

 gradually up the scale to the animals most approach- 

 ing man. We will begin with some of his anecdotes 

 respecting insects. 



Spiders. 



"It is in the month of July that one sees in the 

 middle of fields the numerous dwellings of those 

 minute spiders which are known by the name of 

 Chibiories. M. Emile Blanchard, professor at the 

 Museum, coming on one occasion to pay me a visit, 

 I pointed out to him the pretty eggs of the spider, 

 artistically installed among the stalks of oats. He 

 admired them, and then caught sight of the spider 

 herself. Half-hidden in her nest, and watching over 

 her eggs, she was seated, hatching a brood, and sur- 

 rounded by her young ones, which she seemed to 

 contemplate with anxious solicitude. 



" Since then I have made a more careful study of the 

 nests of Clubiories, and this year have observed that 

 that species of spider generally takes its station upon 

 two or three stalks of oats, and there weaves its fine 

 silky web, white as swansdovvn, and of the same 

 consistency as what is denominated silk paper. . . . 

 At the close of several days, the young spiders make 

 their appearance out of the eggs, and find themselves 

 on the web which their careful mother has stretched 

 over the entrance of their nest. It is there that they 

 begin to exercise their little paws, beginning very 

 early to spin, and to feed themselves upon the pro- 

 visions which their provident mother has carefully 

 stored up round the cradle of her offspring. . . . The 

 spider which builds her nest among the oats is very 

 small ; in colour of a sort of greyish-yellow, with a 

 longitudinal dark-brown stripe over the back. She 

 has six paws, of which the two hind and the two fore 



