HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



283 



lived to the age of ninety-five years. " Gnaurs "' 

 or "burrs" arc common on the elm {Ulinits iiion- 

 tajia), and are often polished and put in lobbies for 

 ornaments, but I have never observed them as com- 

 mon on the beech. — Taylor, Siib-Ci(rator, Miiscnin, 

 Paisley. 



The "Clote." — "This is the clote bearing a 

 yellow flower," Drayton (Science-Gossip, No. 235, 

 July 1SS4, p. 149). The clote is a common Dorset 

 name for the yellow water-lily (NnJ^/iar litlca). In 

 " Poems in the Dorset Dialect," by Rev. W. Barnes, 

 the name occurs many times. One poem is upon the 

 clote itself; the first verse runs as follows : — 



O zummer clote ! when the brook's a gliden' 

 So slow an' smooth down his zedgy bed. 

 Upon thy broad leaves so seafe a-riden. 

 The water's top wi' thy yollow head. 



By Alder's heads, O, 



An' bulrush beds, O, 



Thou then dost float, 

 Goolden zummer clote ! 



—O. p. Cambridge, Bloxivorth Rectory. 



Paris quadrifolia. — My experience of this plant 

 in Rhenish Prussia was that, wherever it occurred at 

 all, by searching for a little while plants with five or 

 six leaves could be found. — J. C. 



The Natural History Clause in the Rail- 

 way Bill. — It can be little doubted that to sustain 

 the moral of an engineering speculation social pro- 

 blems as well as those regarding individual rights 

 have to be adjusted, and that various natural pheno- 

 mena concerning which we seek and pray for 

 enlightenment have to be considered, and which 

 doubtless, if understood, would be no more incom- 

 prehensible than an error in calculation, or a fault in 

 material. Indeed, strictly speaking, an error, fault, 

 and unforeseen conjuncture, are all evils presided over 

 by Providence, and naturalists who study the pheno- 

 mena of the universe are as truly portion of the 

 social life as mathematicians and chemists. Apart 

 from all such momentous issues w'e yet seem to be in 

 want of a right understanding in regard to the finding 

 of objects of interest to scientific corporations by 

 workmen in public employ. Of course, if a man's 

 spade turned up a gold watch, our moral conviction 

 would be that he should advertise the same, but 

 scientific interest in the matter would not be 

 awakened. Indeed, it is at the outset ridiculous to 

 suppose that among the multiplicity of natural ob- 

 jects the untrained mind should determine what is 

 esteemed rare and interesting to the learned, and it is 

 almost impossible to suppose otherwise than if they 

 should seek to sell their finds, the results would 

 prove futile, on account of an inability to grasp even 

 the trade valuation, and purchasers at fancy prices in 

 these days of scientific supremacy prove few, especi- 

 cially when the objects lack colour, form, and other 

 sensual attractions. Thus many objects of real 

 interest are overlooked, simply because the work- 

 men do not understand that the scientific public 

 cares about them, and even when they find an object 

 that recommends itself to their eyes and understand- 

 ing, the public have no further guarantee than it will 

 be procured with ordinary care ; they cannot suppose 

 that any technical resources will be resorted to, or 

 memoranda of import to naturalists taken down. 

 Let us suppose, for example, a huge tusk of an 

 elephant is found in a sandy bed, crushed and im- 

 pregnated with iron oxide, and it would be of interest 

 to form a correct idea of its size. Two or three men 

 insert their spades, and each digs up a handful of 

 rotten stuff, causinp the mirage of the tusk to vanish 



in a moment, gone with many a good find that will 

 not return. Yet in this case a conviction might 

 occur to the field naturalist, that had the large tusk 

 been uncovered gently above with a trowel, and the 

 fractures gone over with glue, and after the glue had 

 hardened, the tusk had been gently moved on to a 

 stretcher and thus transported into the laboratory, 

 its chances of fair preservation would have been 

 greater. Indeed, what has seemed most desirable is, 

 that in such C'ases the railway company should 

 employ a competent naturalist, make the workmen 

 that acknowledgment which is proper, and claim 

 the finds. The initiative to this system has been 

 taken by the London and South-Western Railway in 

 respect to the elephant fragments lately found at this 

 place, in claiming " all future finds," and it is to be- 

 hoped this may pave the way to a greater recog- 

 nition of the community of working naturalists, 

 and bring interesting objects into the possession 

 of those who appreciate them. — A. II. Stuinioit, 

 Guildford. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Exchangers. — As we now 

 publish SciENCE-Gossir 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 A^ONYMOus 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 oxix 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. 



B. H. — Every number of Science-Gossip contains the 

 coloured plate. If your bookseller did not get one, let him 

 apply to the publisher. 



Sydney C. C. — Many thanks for your suggestion, which is a 

 very valuable one. 



Index to Science-Gos'^if. — We have been much gratified 

 by the flood of letters received in reply to Mr. Harris's sugges- 

 tion about a General Index to the last twenty years' vols, of 

 SciENCE-Gossir. It proves the large clicnttlc we possess, and 

 the active individual interest taken in the welfare of the dear 

 old Fourpenny ! Due announcement will be made of the 

 Index. 



J. B. J. — You are right. The word "viviparous" instead of 

 " oviparous " in connection with the duck-billed platypus was 

 a telegraphic error. 



N. A. D. — " Diseases of Garden Crops," by W. G. Smith, 

 is published by Macmillan at 4^-. (^d. "The Honey Bee," by, 

 W. H. Harris, is published by the Religious Tract Society at 

 5^. " The Blow-Pipe in Cliemistry," by Colonel Ross, is 

 published by Crosby Lockwood & Co. at 3^-. (id. " The Bot.inical 

 Gazette " is an American journal, published at _ Indianapolis by 

 Carlon & Hollenbeck, at lo cents per number. 



H. G. W. A. — The insects sent are spring-tails (Podura). A 

 weak solution of carbolic acid, or a weak emulsion of paraffin, 

 will get rid of them. 



E. B. L. B. — 'J'hanks for the excellent hint. 



A. Pearson. — Get Houston's " Practical Botany," price is., 

 or Vine & Prank's " Botany." 



H. B. H. — The size of the dredge mentioned is the inside 

 size. A rope of the thickness of an ordinary clothes line is 

 what we always use. 



A. P.-See Taylor's "Half Hours at the Sea-Side," p. 186, 

 for remarks on the eyes of cuttlefish. 



H. R. H. AND OTHERS. — You will find a tolerably full ac- 

 count of the earthquake in the eastern counties last April in the 

 June number of Scie.n'CE-Gossu', entitled "A Genuine British 

 Earthquake." 



J. R. M. — You will find all your queries as to number and 

 varieties, winter visitors, &c., uf British birds in Morris's work. 

 " Oology" stands for egg-collecting. 



