154 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



treating tliem as if they were deaf, and slowly shouting 

 forth his dictionary into their ears ! The scheme is 

 successful, and he is furnished with all the latest 

 intelligence of the day. 



Plodding along the forest high-road is not with- 

 out its interest. First and foremost, to the utter 

 disbelief of my own eyes, came sailing along a Cam- 

 berwell beauty {Vanessa Atalanta) ! It floated, 

 balloon-like, close to the forest verge, and then 

 disappeared like a ghost ! But when I returned to 

 seek it, it took wing from an unexpected spot with 

 startling suddenness. I watched it for a quarter of an 

 hour, flying up and down its beat, for it never seemed 

 to get beyond a certain point. A pied flycatcher 

 {Micsckapa atricajtilla) afforded me much interest by 

 its antics ; one or two cross-bills put in an appear- 

 ance near the pine-forest ; jays demonstrated by their 

 cries that they were common in the adjacent woods ; 

 tiger-beetles abounded on the hot, dry, high-road ; 

 Calosoiita were plentiful, together with other gorgeous 

 beetles. 



La Roche lies at the bottom of a defile hollowed 

 out by the river Ourthe. Before we reach this quiet, 

 picturesque, little town, the road becomes rougher 

 and descends rapidly. The old grey castle stands 

 forth prominently, in excellent condition ; the vine- 

 yards patch the hillside with their formal little 

 rectangles. We put up at the Hotel Meunier, and 

 dinner, beds, and breakfast are charged to us at the 

 enormous rate of two and a half francs each per man ! 



To Chalreux from La Roche is about fifteen miles, 

 by a hillside road, which glows with reflected sun 

 heat. The green meadows of the Ourthe look like 

 gaudy spangles in comparison with the parched 

 hillsides, for no rain has fallen for some time back. 

 The villages we pass are of the usual pattern, and the 

 country folk the same kindly, courteous creatures we 

 have experienced all the way from Namur, They 

 are chiefly Walloons. Their roadside chapels on the 

 Sunday were not only filled with peasants and their 

 wives, but the churchyard outside was occupied with 

 bareheaded, devout listeners, who could not find 

 room within. We join the crowd, and merge our 

 sympathies for the moment with the feelings of those 

 who are here seeking, if haply they may find Him ! 



Space fails to sketch more than the outlines of a 

 delightful four days' journey in this lovely land. If 

 not so full of interest to the naturalist as many parts 

 of our own country, it has all the merit of novelty, 

 and the change is more actually felt to a tired man. 

 Those who desire to know more about it should read 

 Mrs. Macquoid's charming book. 



J. E. Taylor. 



Early Martins. — When driving about six miles 

 north of Truro, April 22, 1 saw a pair of house-martins 

 busily engaged building a nest under the eaves of a 

 roadside cottage. Several were circling' round St. 

 Mawes Castle.— .^«;^7 /. Ryder, L.R.C.F.E., cr-r. 



NOTES ON TliE NATURAL HISTORY OF 

 JERSEY. 



By Edward Lovett. 



{Continued from page 134.] 



jryOLYBIUS Henslowii. Carapace about two 

 X inches across, roughly circular, smooth and 

 showing iridescent hues. Colour salmon-pink. Legs 

 somewhat flat, first pair larger and spiny, last pair 

 paddle-shaped. May be taken, swimming, in nets ; 

 or in sand at very low tide. 



Porhimis puher. This and the six following species 

 are swimming crabs. Their carapaces are on the 

 same plan as that of the shore crab, with specific 

 variations. Their first pair of legs are spiny at the 

 wrist ; the last pair are developed into paddles, and 

 the rest are also somewhat flattened and adapted for 

 swimming. This species is the largest, it is captured 

 in pots and under rocks at low tide and used for food. 

 Its carapace is velvety and of a warm brown, marked 

 slightly with a rich bright blue. Space between the 

 orbits finely serrated. Ova of this and the six follow- 

 ing species very minute, 



Portnmcs corrugatiis. Carapace corrugated, an- 

 terior part serrated. Colour red varying slightly in 

 different parts of the coast. Taken in pots in deep 

 water, seldom used for food. 



Porhitms arcuatus. Carapace smooth, anterior part 

 arched and 7iot serrated. Colour brown, Venetian 

 red, or yellowish-brown. May be taken in pools, 

 under stones and among weed at low water. 



Portiimts depurator. Carapace smooth, serrated 

 anteriorly, colour brown. Taken in deep water on 

 weedy bottom by dredge. 



Portnmts marmoreiis. Carapace marbled, very 

 similar to P. depurator, with which it is sometimes- 

 taken though rarely. 



Portumis pitsiUus. Carapace small, rather convex.. 

 Colour brown, though it varies in this respect- 

 Frequents stones and gravel, and may be found at 

 low water. 



Portumis longipes. Carapace broad, last spine of 

 anterior portion long and curved. Legs long and 

 slender. Colour brownish-red, often variegated. 

 This rare species has been taken in pots in deep 

 water. 



Gonoplax angitlata. Carapace almost rectangular, 

 about an inch in breadth. First pair of legs re- 

 markably long. Eyes on very long peduncles. 

 Colour pinkish-brown or Venetian red. Has been 

 taken in sandy beds at St. Aubin's Bay, but is- 

 very rare. 



Planes linnaana. Carapace roughly square, 

 smooth, and of a brownish tint. Eyes wide apart. 

 Legs somewhat flat. This Gulf-stream species is 

 occasionally washed ashoi-e here, as it frequently 

 is on the south-west coasts of England. 



Ehalia tiiberosa and Ebalia tumificata. Nut crabs. 



