HARD WICKE'S SCIENCE- G OSSIF. 



261 



To schoolboy's slate ! And then the Fishes* 

 "Ganoids" with bony scales, and "placoids" like 



to sharks, 

 In old red sandstone lakes. Then Ainphibians,\ 

 Found in the coal and Cheshire sandstone rocks, 

 Strange fellows they, not bearded like the pard, 

 Some thought them like to toads, more like the 



newts, 

 * Seeking the bubble reputation ' 

 Of footprints on the sand. Then Deinosaurs, % 

 In fair round belly, with food well lined, 

 Their eyes severe, erect on great hind legs, 

 The Lords of Mesozoic times. 



And so they played their part. The sixth age shifts 

 Into the Btrd,% a diver, six feet high, 

 Hesperomis it is called, with teeth in jaws, 

 Large skull and reptile-like affinities. 

 And yet a Bird ! And his big wingless form 

 Was known to haunt the shores of all cretaceous seas ; 

 Many fishes did he eat ! Last scene of all 

 That ends this strange eventful history 

 Is Man, II — his early childhood's mere oblivion, 

 "With teeth, with eyes, with taste, with — everything. 



Henry N. Hutchinson. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



Gt. Yarmouth Young Naturalist's Society. — 

 On July 31st, several young naturalists met together, 

 and decided to form themselves into a society with 

 the above-named title. The members had a ramble 

 on Bank Holiday in very unpropitious weather. On 

 reaching Bradwell a heavy thunderstorm came on, 

 the rain coming down in torrents. The heavy rain 

 had caused the molluscs to come from their hiding- 

 places and take an afternoon stroll, the result being 

 that some were boxed, and afterwards afforded con- 

 siderable interest and pleasure to the ramblers. The 

 ramblers went to Burgh Castle. Here some good 

 takes were made, several shells new to the locality 

 being found, also one or two rare butterflies. On 

 the wall a pair of wood-doves were seen, and a 

 starling was found in a weak condition, it having its 

 under-beak evidently shot off by some inhuman 

 person, who left it there to starve and die. Having 

 put the poor bird out of its misery, the ramblers 

 made their way homewards, thoroughly satisfied with 

 the results of their day's rambling, although the 

 rain somewhat marred their enjoyment. The first 

 monthly meeting was held on the 4th of September, 

 J. B. Beckett being elected hon. secretary and J. E. 

 Knights hon. treasurer. The business having been 

 transacted, an account of the ramble to Bradwell and 

 Burgh Castle on Bank Holiday was given, and the 

 following species of molluscs, being new to the list, 

 which were collected during the ramble, were exhibited 

 with oihtrs—Fkysa hyptwrum. Helix rotundata, and H. 

 caperata. Specimens of molluscs taken individually 

 were exhibited, amongst them being Helix nemoralis 

 variety, hybrida, Niicitla nucleus and Nassa reticulata 

 V. nitida, the former taken at the west end of Caister, 

 and the two latter from a trawl after a drag opposite 

 the north battery, all three being new to the list. 



* Silurian period. f Triassic period. J Jurassic period. 



J Cretaceous period. || Tertiary era. 



Four specimens of the sun star-fish {Solaster papposa) 

 were also shown, only one of which was perfect, having 

 twelve complete rays. Of the other three, one had 

 thirteen rays, another eleven complete rays and a 

 double one, and the other had had one of its rays 

 taken off, but was producing another. Specimens of 

 the common sea urchin {Echinus sphara) and a stone 

 covered with Sabellee were also laid before the 

 members. The Secretary's address is Trinity Place, 

 Friars Lane, Great Yarmouth. The annual sub- 

 scription for honorary members is 2s. 6d., and 

 corresponding members is. 6d. 



Leprosy. — With reference to the article by 

 "Medica"on "Leprosy" in Science-Gossip for 

 August, has the writer ever noticed that the prevalence 

 of the disease is coincident with the consumption of 

 dried fish, as habitual diet by the people ? In India 

 and Scandinavia the custom prevails largely, and it 

 has been asserted, with some show of reason, that it 

 directly causes the malignant disease. — C. Parkinson. 



Leprosy.— On p. 193 of the September number is 

 an article on " Leprosy " by " Medica," in which it is 

 given that, in the opinion of the writer, the cause of 

 leprosy is to be sought in a " parasitic lichen." This 

 statement is not in accordance with observed facts. 

 In 1880, Hansan, of Bergen, published his discovery 

 of a bacillus {which he had discovered six years 

 previously), in the Quart. Journ. Micro. Science (vol. 

 XX. p. 92), and since then it has been found by 

 Stevens ("Brit. Med. Journ." July 1 8th, 1885), Rake 

 (" Path. Trans," 1887), Thin{" Med-Chir. Trans," vol. 

 Ixix, pis. 12, 13), Hillis("Path. Trans," 1883 pi. 22), 

 and by Kobner, Cornil and Babes, and Neisser. 

 There is no doubt, then, that it is due to a microscopic 

 fungus, and the rapidity of the multiplication of the 

 bacilli are almost too well known to deserve 

 rnention. The Bacillus lepra: is found in the granula- 

 tion tissue forming the nodules ; they are 5 micro- 

 millimetres long, slender, immobile, and stain like the 

 bacillus of lupus. The fact that leprosy is due to a 

 bacillus does away with the never meeting "with 

 cases of leprosy in wood, stone, or mortar, the warp 

 or the woof," simply because these substances would 

 not form a suitable nidus for the bacillus. Doubtless 

 these illustrations of Scripture can be explained away 

 on other grounds. The writer says, " We are unable 

 to determine whether or no leprosy be contagious," 

 but Fagge (" Principles and Practice of Medicine!" 

 2nd edition, 1888, vol ii. p. loii), says "Notwith- 

 standing the presence of the Bacillus leprce, the 

 disease is, under its usual conditions, non-contagious; 

 it is not transmissible by living in the same house, by 

 contact," or even by the "seed." "It is, however, 

 possible that contact of actually ulcerating leprous 

 nodules with a fissured skin or mucous membrane 

 might produce the disease ; and there is reason to 

 believe that a contagious quality is more marked 

 when the disease is newly introduced, as into the 

 Sandwich Islands, and also, according to Dr. Liveing, 

 into Australia by the Chinese immigrants." This last 

 any student of bacteriology will be prepared to admit 

 as feasible, even on theoretical grounds ; the bacillus 

 having found a new nidus will propagate itself with 

 new vigour and become of a more virulent character. 

 It is doubtful whether the Septuagint translators were 

 correct in rendering the zaraath of the Hebrews by 

 the Greek word lepra. If the present distribution 

 of leprosy be considered, it will be found that it is 

 more common on the sea coast, around great rivers 

 and inland lakes, and Mr. Hutchinson suggests that 

 it depends — that is to say, the bacillus had its origin 

 —upon eating fish, especially decomposed fish, by 



