nAllDWlCKE'S SClENCE-GOSSir. 



81 



every positiou, but never could detect the presence 

 of the elaters. 



It seems to have been made out by Mr. Binney 

 and other fossil botanists, that all cones or strobili 

 are only altered forms of the branches on which 

 they are borne, and if so, the central axis of the 

 cone must be of a similar form to that of the stem 

 and branch. Mr. Binney has proved this to be the 

 case so far as Lepidodendron. IL.trcourt'd is coucerued; 



Fig:. 57. Transverse se:tioa of fruit of Calitnite. 



and if it holds good in one instance, we have reason 

 to expect it will do so in others. Now it will be 

 remembered by those who read ray former article 

 on the Calamite, that no vascular pith or axis was 

 represented in the sketches I gave. No calamite 

 I have ever yet cut has shown such a vascular pitli, 

 and yet we are told that the fruit here described, 

 having a vascular axis, throwing off bundles of ves- 

 sels to every bract, is the fruit of the Calamite. It 

 may belong to some member of the family of Cala- 

 ■mites, but I do not believe it belongs to the Cala- 

 mite I described in my last article. 



Two new species of fiuit found by myself have 

 been described in recent memoirs of the Manchester 

 Philosophical Society, by Professor W. C. William- 

 sou. The first of these fruit she calls a new form 

 of Calamitean Strobilus, the latter he describes 

 under the name of Volkmannia Dawsonii. The first 

 of these answers to the theory laid down by Mr. 

 Binney, and v.as evidently borne from the end of 

 the stem or branches : it has no vascular axis or 

 pith, but has a hollow woody cylinder with nodes 

 or joints ; a thin cellular layer lines this cylinder, as 

 is seen in the stem of a calamite ; from the nodes 

 bracts are given off to support the sporangia (the 

 spores are of a peculiar kind, cuch spore seeming to 

 possess a nucleus), but there are no intermediate 

 protecting, bracts, as in the accompanying sketches. 

 The latter cone (Folkmannla DawsGiui) is more 



nearly allied to the one in our sketches, having a 

 vascular pith or centre, giving off bundles of vessels 

 to each bract. It has a great number of sporangia, 

 each sporangium being supported from the base of 

 the bracts by a sporangiophore : its spores are like 

 those of Volkmannia, and are very numerous. Por 

 further description of these two last cones, I refer 

 my readers to the "JMemoirs of the Manchester 

 Literary and Philosophical Society," third series, 

 vols. iv. andv. John Butterwobtii. 



Goats, Shciw, near Oldham. 



MY AQUARIUM. 



A PEW years since I commenced a marine 

 aquarium, and often returned from my ram- 

 bles on the rocks to place, with boyish pride, the 

 many mingled bright and sober tints of the Smooth 

 Anemone {Adimu uieserubruaiithemum) in a finger- 

 glass or dish, watching with wonder and delight 

 the turquoise-like beads which shune as gems 

 between their waving tentacles. 



It would be tedious to trace, step by step, the 

 successive stages which have marked my progress 

 in collecting various specimens ; suffice it to say, 

 that I have truly exemplified the Darwinian theory 

 of development with regard to my aquarium : so I 

 think a description of the one I possess at present 

 may prove interesting to may readers of Science- 

 Gossir. 



It consists of a bell jar holding about five gallons 

 of watci', which, from its gently sloping slides, pre- 

 sents a large surface to the atmosphere. Although 

 generally protected from the direct rays of the sun, 

 I observe that the inner surface of the glass is 

 gradually beiug covered with algse, thus obscuring 

 the view ; so I clean out* the aquarium, and, as I 

 replace its contents in their proper element, will 

 enumerate the specimens it contains. 



I abstract the water by means of a siphon, and 

 then carefully place the varied animal life in a dish. 

 There — now it is quite empty. Having wasbed off 

 the confervaj with weak acid, I re-fill it with the 

 same water that was taken out ; I then suspend, by 

 means of a float, a large tuft of common green 

 ulva, growing on the back of a dead crab, and 

 throw in a quantity of clean gravel to the depth of 

 about three inches. This fulling through the 

 water in a continuous shower, carries with it a con- 

 siderable amount of air, which naturally rushes to 

 the surface ; but being waylaid by the weed, quickly 

 covers it with myriads of globules. 



The aquarium is now ready for the reception of 

 the live stock, so I proceed to arrange these with a 

 view to colour, size, habits, &e. Here is a splendid 



* If life were properly balanced, this should never require 

 to be done.— Ei). S. G. 



