256 



HARDWICK&S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



eaten during the excursions may be acceptable, as 

 these forays were originally started with the view of 

 promoting the use of fungi as an article of food. But 

 in this respect they do not appear to gain ground in 

 popular estimation. 



The great difficulty is having them properly cooked ; 

 and as may be supposed, the French have the advan- 

 tage over us in this very necessary particular. The 

 fungi eaten at the various dinners of the society were 

 Boletus edulis, Cantharellus cibarhts, Tricholoma 

 nudus, Lactarius delieiosus, and Helvetia crispa. 

 Helvetia crispa was, in my opinion, by far the best. 

 But, in this country, it grows too sparingly to furnish 

 a good dish for the table. An interesting discussion 

 took place during one of the evening meetings on 

 poisonous fungi. 



It was generally agreed that the poisonous qualities 

 of Agaricus mnscarius had been exaggerated, and that 

 the majority of poisonings recorded in the newspapers 

 were caused by Amanita pantherinus from its close 

 resemblance to Amanita rubescens, a species much 

 eaten by the French peasantry. Amanita mappa was 

 also considered a most dangerous fungus. 



I was anxious to hear the opinion of French 

 mycologists about the merits of Amanita dcsarea, 

 described in books as the best of all fungi. But all 

 who had eaten it did not think much of it and con- 

 sidered it "fade." It is, however, possible that in 

 France, where it occurs sparingly, it does not develope 

 its savoury 'qualities, it being a southern species 

 abundant in Italy. 



T. Howse, F.L.S. 



10 Cheync Gardens, Chelsea Embankment. 



ROTIFERA AT STAINES. 



IN your August number, Mons. Rousselet records 

 the finding of Asplatichna myrmeleo at Staines, 

 and gives a capital drawing of the female. Staines 

 is a favourite hunting-ground of mine, and as I 

 found A. myrmeleo tolerably abundant the first visit 

 I paid the place, after the publication of Mons. 

 Rousselet's letter, it occurred to me that the male 

 ought also, sooner or later, to be forthcoming ; 

 and I am happy to be able to record my success in 

 finding him, and enclose a rough sketch herewith. 

 As I did not observe him when I first looked over 

 my last gathering from the ponds, I conclude that he 

 was born in one of the troughs, in which I have since 

 kept him ; but although I did not actually see the 

 birth, his appearance is so characteristic of A. myr- 

 meleo, and so unlike any other asplanchna, that 

 further proof of his specific identity seems to me 

 unnecessary, and consequently Mons. Rousselet's 

 statement that the male has not been seen will no 

 longer hold good. Like the males of the other 

 asplanchna, it is characterised by the total absence 

 of mastax or other digestive apparatus. There is a 



large tripartite brain, with large eye-spot, also 

 dorsal antennae, a vascular system with numerous 

 vibratile tags, and muscular system as in the female. 

 The contractile vesicle is very large and very active, 

 and the ovary and ovisac of the female is replaced 



Fig. 106. — Male of Asplanchna myrmeleo (mag.). 



by a large sperm sac or testicle with a duct which 



terminates in a protrusile penis behind the foot under 



a valve-like flap. The average size of the specimens 



I have seen was ^th of an inch long ; habitat, marsh 



ponds at Staines. 



Geo. Western. 



MICROSCOPY. 



Australian Sponges. — In your correspondent's 

 very interesting account of his Australian wanderings, 

 I notice at page!2i8, he saw many sponges collected 

 by the members of the Melbourne Naturalists' Club. 

 Now I hope I am not asking too much in enquiring 

 would C. P. put me in communication with some one 

 at Melbourne who has collected sponges in Australia ? 

 As a microscopical .student, I have taken up sponges 

 and should very much like to obtain some speci- 

 mens in spirits to section and examine here. — Joseph 

 Clark. 



Dissolving Gum Tragacanth. — Your corre- 

 spondent, J. F. H., in September number of your 

 paper, will find that the following will answer very 

 well for his purpose : — Powdered gum tragacanth, 

 and powdered gum arabic, of each \ oz. ; tincture 

 guaiacum, I fluid drachm ; water, 8 fluid ounces. 



