HARDWICKKS SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



71 



Curious Frogs. — About three years ago I 

 caught by the side of a gushing mountain stream in 

 Wales, a small frog, about 2 in. long, whose upper 

 surface was a very bright vermilion, and beneath it 

 was a pure milk-white ; it had none of the markings 

 of the common frog ; it clung to a single rush-stem 

 as easily as a grasshopper, and when my hand 

 approached to take it, it with marvellous agility 

 sprang to another. I kept it for several days, and 

 fed it on worms and flies ; it unfortunately escaped. 

 Is this a variety, or a distinct species ? A few months 

 afterwards, I caught in a pond on Tooting Common a 

 frog, twice as large as the largest of the common 

 sort, and enormously fat, not only in its body, but in 

 its limbs, down to its very toes. Above, it was a 

 reddish-brown, very dark, with numerous spots ; 

 beneath, it was white, with a green tinge at the roots 

 of the legs. The end of its body was not pointed, 

 as in our common frog, but was rounded, in con- 

 formity with the rest of its body. It seemed 

 extremely weak, falling over at every step. It 

 (apparently) died after a few days, as it lay in the same 

 position, and when taken up, hung limp and 

 dangling. After about five days, however, the 

 supposed corpse crawled to a saucer of water more 

 vigorously than before its apparent death, but a 

 relapse came, and during my absence it died really, 

 and on my return was too much decomposed to allow 

 of preservation. Could this be the 

 Pennant ?— //. C. Brooke. 



great frog of 



Bifurcation of Fir. — In some districts, as at 

 Saunderscount, Wexford, this is very common. It is 

 due to two different kinds of worms, or rather, I 

 believe, caterpillars, one kind boring into the pith of 

 the sprout, and the other circling round it ; but both 

 killing the sprout, which is replaced by two or more 

 stems. Where these caterpillars are very common 

 thev prevent the tree growing, up and it becomes 

 bushy-— ^- H. K. 



White Orchis. — If the writer of the note on white- 

 flowered specimens of Orchis morio will forward me 

 his address, I may be able next season to send him 

 a specimen, as, though far from common, it is still 

 not really a great rarity here. — R. F. Towndroiv, 

 2 Cotnmcrcial Buildings, Malvern Link. 



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 oi our gratuiious insertion of 

 "exchanges" which cannot be tolerated. 



C. F. Worters. — Your fossils are both of them the basal 

 remains of sponges. No. 3 is partially converted into Chalce- 

 dony. 



M. Hucklebridge.— On the Mediterranean coast the only 

 book necessary is Wood's "Tourists' Flora ;" in fact, it answers 

 for other parts of Europe, besides Spain, and we recommend it 

 strongly. You may procure a copy from Mr. Wheldon, book- 

 seller, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London. It was originally pub- 

 lished by W. Pamplin ; probably this veteran botanical publisher 

 may still have copies on hand. 



H. Lamb (Maidstone). — Many thanks for your valuable 

 suggestion. Perhaps you will commence them? 



J. H. Wilson. — The fungus is the pretty Peziza cariiiinca, 

 not uncommon in damp old hedgebanks, growing on rotting 

 sticks. 



W. H. W. — " Natural History Notes" is published monthly, 

 and may be had of the Editor, 42 Loftus Road, Shepherd's 

 Bush, London. 



J. H. Sanders. — Unfortunately your bottle was smashed in 

 transit, but we should judge the insects to be thrips from your 

 description. Mount in glycerine. 



M. Bathac (Homburg). — If you have carefully read the two 

 articles on the " Early History of the Diatomaceae " you will 

 see that Mr. Kitton is giving RI. Corda's ideas of Diatomacese — 

 not his own — the ideas which were held concerning them forty 

 years ago. There is no doubt as to their botanical character 

 nowadays. See article on " The Natural History of the 

 Diatomaceae" in Science-Gossip for December 1S80. 



Piscator. — Your shells are lanihina comttiiutis and Lit- 

 torhia rudis, the latter covered with a sponge called Leucoitia 

 nivea. Wood's "Common Objects of the Seaside," price 3^. 6(/., 

 and J. E. Taylor's " Half Hours at the Seaside" (both illus- 

 trated, the latter containing nearly 200 woodcuts, price 4^.) 

 would answer your purpose. Gosse's " Marine Zoology " is a 

 somewhat advanced book, giving technical descriptions, but 

 there can only be one opinion of its high value. 



A. Smith. — The fungi were quite flattened by being simply 

 pressed between the sheet of paper, but we have little doubt 

 they were Nectria ciniiabarina. 



J. H. — We are not aware of any book specially devoted to 

 the "Plant Lore" of Shakespeare: but you will find all his 

 plant-names in Prior's "Popular Names of British Plants." 



W. W. W. — Your insect did not reach us. Are you sure it is 

 not the Lepisma ? 



"Loo." — You will find the habitats of Drosera. rotiuidifolia 

 given in Roper's " Flora of Eastbourne." 



J. H. Ward. — Lowe's work on British ferns gives every 

 sDecies in coloured plates, but it is an expensive work. Dr. 

 M. C. Cooke's little book, "A Fern-book for Everybody," 

 gives illustrations of most of them : published by Warne &: Co. 



C. Dawson. — The rubbing from the snout of the saw-fish 

 shows that the species is probably Pristis antiquorum. It is a 

 very fine specimen. Probably the fish was ten or twelve feet in 

 length. Saw-fiihes are abundant in tropical seas. They are 

 frequently brought home from the Persian Gulf (near Bushire) 

 of a very large size. 



A. W. Ogilvev. — From your description, the fallow-deer 

 must have eaten of some unwholesome herb or plant. The 

 leaves of the yew-tree will cause the bodies of horses to be 

 blown up in the way you mention, and death will ensue. 



C. S. Boutell. — The mites are those frequently found in 

 damp, coarse brown sugar, and are called Acarus J>assiilariim. 



Joseph Bretts (Norwich) and others have kindly sent us 

 notices of the occurrence of white-feathered sparrows. We are 

 much obliged by the numerous and prompt answers, as it shows 

 the mental activity and obligingness of our readers, and we 

 hope the original querist will be satisfied with the evidence 

 produced. 



W. W. B. — One of the most complete lists of British birds 

 we have seen is that issued by Mr. H. W. Marsden, of Glou- 

 cester. It also contains an appendix for labelling birds' eggs. 



E. J. D.— Get Kirby's " Flora of Norfolk." It is one of the 

 best local Floras extant. Thomas Edwards, of Banff, is still 

 living and working, and we hope he will for many years to 

 come. The above address will find him. 



EXCHANGES. 



A packet of twelve unmounted specimens of hairs of various 

 animals sent in exchange for a well-mounted slide or material. 

 — Fairmount, 153 Breakspears Road, Brockley, S.E. 



Wanted, to exchange Uvibil. pustulata, &c., for gem;ine 

 specimens of Ra>ti. thrausta, R . pollinaria, R. poly7itorpha, 

 and R. evernioidcs—a. few specimens of each. — J. McAndrew, 

 New Galloway, N.B. 



Will exchange Canadian wild flowers, ferns, birds' eggs 

 Indian curiosities, reptiles, and specimens of geology, for British 

 or foreign (not including Canada or United States) lepidoptera, 

 coleoptera, diptera, or neuroptera.— W. D. Shaw, 34 St. Peter 

 Street, Montreal, Canada. 



To naturalists in remote parts of the world : I shall be gl.ad to 

 exchange for collections of coleoptera, lepidoptera, and iiisects 

 generally.— W. K. Mann, Wellington Terrace, Clifton, Bristol. 



Wanted, Cox's " Handbook of Coleoptera." — Edward J. 

 Gibbins, 20 Bootham, York. 



Will send parasite of cod-fish, mounted in balsam without 

 pressure (a splendid object), in exchange for other first-class 

 slides.— Rev. J. Horn, 75 Castle Road, Scarboro'. 



