HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



251 



In the Mauritius it is used as a poultice to assist in 

 the removal of thorns, etc. 



We cannot refrain from mentioning a peculiarity 

 we have observed in a plant beloning to the family 

 Zingiberacea, now that we are rambling over the 

 same ground, viz. — Glohba bulbifera (an East Indian 

 plant ?). The peculiarity is that, at the extremity of 

 the axis, where one would expect to find all flowers, a 

 large portion of the axis immediately above the leaves 

 is taken up by a lot of small round buds, each bud 

 subtended by a branch ; beyond these the flowers are 

 ■developed. A rough sketch taken at the time will be 

 reproduced, and there is no doubt but that it will 

 interest the readers of Science-Gossip. 



We should be glad to know if any of the readers of 

 Science-Gossip have observed the same plant, or 

 have seen it figured, with any account of the " reason 

 why " such a peculiarity exists. 



We would give more detail, but space forbids it, 

 but we shall look for more information respecting it. 



THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE HIGH 

 COUNTRY OF VAUD. 



THE following notes have been taken at Chateau 

 d'Oex, a small mountain village in the Pays 

 d'en Haut Vaudoise (High Country of Vaud), where I 

 have been living for three years. It lies at an elevation 

 of 3,498 feet above the level of the sea, and in conse- 

 quence the winters are very severe, but, on the other 

 hand, the summers are much warmer than those of 

 Great Britain. 



In number, the Rhopalocera of Chateau d'Oex 

 slightly exceed those of the British Isles, but many 

 species rare there are very common here, and there 

 are several which are not found at all in England. 



The family of Papilio is represented by two species, 

 F. Podalirius and P. Machaon, both of which are 

 very common during the months of May and June. 



Parnassius Apollo abounds in the months of June 

 and July, and in many places they may be seen flying 

 by the dozen ; the same may be said oiAporia Cratagi, 

 the larvae of which sometimes do considerable 

 damage to the fruit-trees. 



Pieris Brassiccs, P. Rapes, and P. Napizxe common, 

 and the rare female variety of Napi called Bryonia, 

 which is common in the Arctic regions and is only 

 found at a considerable elevation in Europe, may be 

 taken in a rocky gorge near here. 



EuchloS Cardamines is not very common. I have 

 only seen a few specimens widely distributed over the 

 country. Leucophasia sinapis appears in May, but is 

 also rare. Colias Phicomone, a species which re- 

 sembles Hyale, but is green instead of yellow and 

 has dark markings on the wings, is common, but is 

 difficult to catch on account of its swift flight ; this 

 is also a true Alpine butterfly. C. Hyale is common, 

 but Eduse is comparatively rare. Gonopteryx Rhamni 

 is scarce ; the principal reason for this is, I think, 



because its food-plant, buckthorn {Rhamnus catharti' 

 cus), is rare. The family of Vanessa is represented by 

 y. Atlanta, Antiope, lo, urticce, polychlorus, and C. 

 album, they being all more or less common. Melitoe 

 Cinixia abounds everywhere all over the country, but 

 M. Aurinia is rare, as is also M. Athalia, Argynnis 

 selene is common, and I have taken a few specimens 

 of Dia. Adippe and Aglaia are two of the most 

 abundant insects here, and the variety Cleodoxa of 

 Adippe, in which the silver spots are wanting, is also 

 common. Lathonia is plentiful, but is difficult to take 

 on account of its swift flight. Paphia is common in 

 some woods near the river. By the side of this 

 same river (which is called the Sarine) Limenitis 

 Camilla is abundant, and I have taken two speci- 

 mens of the magnificent poplar butterfly (Z. populi)^ 

 both of which were males. Apatura Iris is found in 

 the same locality, but is scarce. Continuing along 

 the edge of the river, Exebia Blandia and E. Ligea 

 are found in plenty in the meadows which border its 

 banks ; I have also taken one or two specimens of 

 the rare E. Epiphrone. Melanargia Galathea swarms 

 everywhere, from the tops of the mountains to the 

 bottom of the valley. Satyrus Megixra, Epinephele 

 Janira, and E. hyperanthus are all common during 

 the summer months. The blues are numerous ; 

 Polyommatus Arion, Cyllarius minima, Damon, Av' 

 giolusy Bellargus, Corydon, and Icarus are all 

 common ; P. minima is very abundant ; I have seen 

 the grass covered with them in damp weather. 

 lycoena hippothei (the purple-edged copper) is com- 

 mon in a damp meadow by the side of the Sarine, 

 and L. phlceas is abundant everywhere. 



The skippers are : Cyclopides Palemon, Pamphilia 

 comma, and P. sylvanus. This species closes the 

 list ; there may be more, but as yet I know of none ; 

 the butterflies appear about the same time as those 

 in England, and all those which I have mentioned 

 have nearly all been taken within a radius of four 

 miles, most of them within a much smaller area. 



THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LUNG. 

 By F. Newham. 



ONE of the most fascinating and instructive 

 departments of scientific research is the art of 

 tracing the morphological development of the organs 

 of organised beings, and the corresponding physio- 

 logical specialisation of function consequent upon 

 structure ; this is essentially a modern departure ol 

 study which has found its original impetus in the 

 teachings of Darwin. I offer here a few remarks 

 upon the organ of respiration in air-breathing animals, 

 namely the lung, the construction of which is 

 beautifully displayed by successive steps in some of 

 our commonest animals. Adhering to strict morpho- 

 logical lines, the membranous resgiratory sac of the 

 slug, or snail, is not a true lung, but appears to be in 



