278 



HA RD WI CKE 'S S CIENCE- G SSI P. 



the author does not distinguish between polyzoa and 

 •other classes. Passing over the description of flustra, 

 I come to sertularia, arborescent and plant-HIce 

 (page 193, cohnnn 2, line 23). It would have Ijeen 

 better to state that the resemblance between flustra 

 and sertularia is only superficial, and that in zoo- 

 logical classification they are widely separated. 

 Third, "stony and calcareous (madrepores and coral- 

 lines)." These are stony and calcareous respectively, 

 but neither belong to the group we are discussing. 

 Tlie madrepores are corals which belong to the coelen- 

 terata, a sub-kingdom which includes classes, sub- 

 classes, and orders, one class being hydrozoa, and 

 another actinozoa. The latter includes the madre- 

 jDores, which are thus widely separated from hydrozoa, 

 and still more widely from all the polyzoa. As re- 

 gards corallines, which are grouped with madrepores 

 as being stony and calcareous, it must be stated that 

 they are not animals at all, but are algas with calca- 

 reous matter deposited in their cellular substance. — 

 Geo. D. Brown, F.L.S. 



Natural History Lists. — I should like to 

 suggest that accurately-compiled lists of the various 

 groups of Natural History would be of great use to 

 many readers not possessed of standard works. Thus, 

 of marine shells, I know of no list, except an old one 

 (not following the arrangement and nomenclature of 

 Dr. Jeffreys, which is generally accepted now), and 

 the want of one is much felt by conchologists. No- 

 doubt it is the same with many other things as well. 

 — Sydney C. Cockercll. 



Insects' Eggs. — I would suggest to our numerous 

 entomological readers that a series of sketches, 

 drawn to scale, of the eggs of our British butterflies 

 and moths would be of the greatest interest. A few 

 were given in the earliervolumes of Science Gossip. 

 Whilst we possess beautiful figures both of butterflies 

 and moths in the caterpillar, chrysalid, and imago 

 states, it is surprising what few figures of the eggs we 

 have. Will some reader take the hint? — J. E. 

 Taylor. 



The Fauna and Flora of Worcestershire. — 

 As I am engaged in a work on this subject, may I 

 ask the kind co-operation and assistance of workers 

 in enaliling me to obtain a clear and precise account 

 of the distribution of plants and animals in this 

 interesting county ? All names of species recorded 

 should bear the locality where taken, and the time of 

 the year when captured. Varieties are earnestly 

 solicited.— y. W. Williams, B.Sc, Milton, Stour- 

 port, Worcestershire^ and JMiddlesex JTospital, W. 



A Four-footed Bird. — An announcement is 

 made of the discovery of a living species of four- 

 footed bird, inhabiting the island of Marajo, in the 

 Lower Amazons. It is only four-footed, however, 

 during infancy. The discovery has been announced 

 to the Chicago Academy of Sciences, by Mr. E. M. 



Brigham, who has been for some time back engaged 

 in studying the bird's embryology. The Academy 

 will shortly pulilish the paper, with plates, &c. 

 Mr. Brigham finds that in the development of this 

 remarkable bird (whose zoological name is Opistho- 

 eoiiia cristata), from what corresponds to about the 

 embryonic development of our common fowl at the 

 tenth day of incubation, the fore-feet showed their 

 characters unmistakably through the egg develop- 

 ment. Thence to a period of several days after 

 hatching, the fore-feet, toes, claws, &c., were as well 

 marked as similar parts on the hind or true legs. 

 Later on, the digits, claws, &c., exfoliated, and the 

 true bird asserted itself. This example, however, 

 roughs out for the palaeontologist, as it were, the 

 course which may have been taken in the develop- 

 ment of birds from four-footed ancestors. 



BOTANY. 



Double Dahlias. — In raising the stem of a 

 dahlia from an oblique to a vertical position, I 

 observed a double flower, that is, two complete full- 

 sized flowers on one peduncle. Not having observed 

 this before, although I have grown the same kind for 

 many years — (old-fashioned double, dark red) — I 

 have inquired of several florists, but cannot find that 

 such a thing has ever been observed by them. 

 Perhaps some of your correspondents will be able 

 to throw some light on the subject. It struck me at 

 first that the " freak " arose from the want of light, 

 the stem being very much bent down, but then how 

 am I to account for the two flowers being of full size 

 and almost exactly alike ?— y. IVallis, Deal. 



Paris .quadrifolia.— In June, 1878, I gathered, 

 at Bishop Frome, Herefordshire, a very large 

 specimen of Paris quadrifolia, having four leaves, one 

 leaf having an inclination to divide, and six larger 

 perianth segments. One segment is considerably 

 longer, and about four times broader than the others. 

 At the same time and place I found the variety with 

 five leaves and five perianth segments, but I have 

 never seen any other specimen in which the number 

 of perianth segments did not correspond with the 

 number of the leaves. — Henry L. Graham, Bnildwas, 

 Salop. 



Ferns of the Arlberg Pass. — Now that the 

 recent opening of the Arlberg Railway, with its 

 remarkable tunnel eight miles in length, has brought 

 that district so prominently into public notice, a list 

 of the ferns to be found by the side, or within a short 

 distance of the road leading from Bludenz to Landeck, 

 the two places between which the newly opened 

 portion of the railway lies, may be not without some 

 interest to your readers. The list numbers eighteen 

 in all, and comprises the following species -.—Poly- 



