HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



93 



Spo'nge Spicules.— All I can say in reply to 

 " H. R.," is that one fragment of freshwater spon2:e 

 — and one alone — furnished the spicules figured in 

 Science-Gossip, which, on account of the birotulate 

 spicules of the ovary, was referred to S.fluviatilis. 

 If it combines the characters of the two species, 

 systematists must settle the question. — C. 



Scotland and the Unicorn (p. 46).— The 

 unicorn supporting the British arms on the sinister 

 side is derived from Scotland, but whether connected 

 with that figured on Queen Margaret's seal, I cannot 

 say. James I., as King of Scotland, had for iiis 

 supporters hoo unicorns : and on succeeding to the 

 English throne he introduced one of them as a 

 supporter of the arms of the United Kingdoms. — 

 G. II. H. 



Spring Eungi.— Admirers of the beautiful 

 during their walks this spring should look in damp 

 sheltered situations, where fragments of rotten 

 sticks are overgrown with moss, for the gorgeous 

 cups of the Carmine Peziza (P. cocciiiea). A spe- 

 cimen of this plant when once found never fails to 

 elicit admiration from tliose to whom it is shown. 

 The December number of Science-Gossip con- 

 tained an account of the Orange Peziza {P. aurantki). 

 This species is autumnal, grows on the naked 

 ground, and has its sporidia rough witli little 

 granules. The Carmine Peziza is to be found in 

 winter and spring, growing on fragments of wood, 

 which may, or may not, be buried in the soil. Its 

 sporidia are oblong and quite smooth. The interior 

 of tiie cup is of a rich carmine hue, the exterior 

 whitish. Tlie Rev. M. J. Berkeley mentions a 

 variety that occurred at Kilmory which was quite 

 sessile, and orange externally. Has it been the 

 good fortune of any of your readers to meet with 

 this variety ? — C. B. P., Kmr/'s Lynn. 



Oolitic Eossils.— Wishing to compile a list of 

 fossils of the Cornbrash, Eorest Marble, and Puller's 

 Earth, I shall feel greatly obliged to any geologist 

 who will send me a list of the species that he has 

 observed in those formations. I should also be 

 glad to know of any good and easily accessible 

 sections of those rocks in the West of England. 

 — H. J. Parsons, II. D., Beclciiujton, Somerset. 



The PASSiON-rLOWER. — In the restoration of 

 our churches now in progress we are frequently 

 told that in windows and screens the Passion- 

 flower is used, evidently under the impression that 

 such a flower had been previously used there. Can 

 any of your readers give an authority for the early 

 appropriation of this elegant flower to the purposes 

 of ecclesiastical symbolism ?— ^. C. 



Daggeu-moth.— I dare say my question is a 

 stupid one, but it is one I should nevertheless like 

 to see answered. What proof have we that the 

 insects, Acromjcta psi and tridens, are not the 

 same species with a permanent variety in the larva ? 

 The extreme similarity between the perfect insects 

 of the two (so-called species) renders it impossible 

 to distinguish between them in the perfect state. — 

 C. Lovekin, Notting Hill. 



Canine Gyrations, — Your correspondent Mr. 

 Lefroy finds a speculative analogy (between the 

 gyrating habit of dogs and the spiral growth of 

 certain plants. It may interest him to know that 

 a "similar connection between the vegetable and 

 animal world in this matter" was humorously 

 suggested by the late Mr. Wilson, the bryologist, 



who, in a letter to nie a few years since, after 

 describing the male inflorescence of Sphagnum, 

 concludes thus : — "Dogs are said to gyrate because 

 they cannot at once find the head of the bed ; 

 these spermatazoids perhaps from indecision of 

 character, or uncertainty as to the route, being only 

 partially _ endowed with instinct." Perhaps this 

 explanation of the canine habit may be found as 

 satisfactory as that suggested by Mr. Darwin. — 

 C. F. White, IFindsor Road, Ealing. 



Name of the Lackey Moth (p. 8.5).— xi contri- 

 butor to SciENCK-Gossip has quoted a statement re- 

 garding the English designation of the above species, 

 which I canuot but believe incorrect. The Rev. 

 J. G. Wood adduces no proof that the name 

 "Lacquer" Moth was once applied to it, and, in 

 course of time, corrupted into " Lackey." The 

 assertion of other authors is much more plausible ; 

 namely, that the caterpillar gave rise to the name 

 which the moth bears in one of two ways. Some 

 say it is like a "lackey" because of its variegated 

 clothing, resembling in its costume certain serving- 

 men or lackeys who used to attend upon noblemen 

 a century ago or thereabouts. Eootmen's fashions 

 have, however, now been considerably modified. 

 Others, again, will have it that the slow and steady 

 way in which these caterpillars follow each other 

 on their excursions for, food while young was com- 

 pared by some observer of the olden time to the 

 stately procession of retainers preceding some 

 person of dignity. I venture to think either of 

 these suppositious more plausible than the one 

 quoted.—/. R. S. C. 



Stag Beetle. — lu answer to G. Guyon, p. 45, 1 

 can also state that I have never experieucsd any 

 severe bite from a male stag beetle {L. Cerous). I 

 captured several last yeai', and handled them with- 

 out hurt ; but I should advise "A. E." not to try 

 the female cermis, or he will get a liard grip for his 

 pains, as I know, to my cost, their sliarp jaws will 

 nearly pierce the skin. I have often surmised what 

 is the cause of the male insect having such large 

 antlers, as it is evidently not for feeding purposes, 

 or the female would be likewise provided ; the fact 

 of their possessing but little power also denies the 

 imputation of fighting or burrowing with them.^* 

 John Henderson. 



Sandpipers.— -Is it usual for sandpipers to 

 stand on the shore and allow the waves to wash 

 over them, as some here were observed to do so ? — 

 H. 0. R., Weston-super-Mare. 



The Bull-frog.— This reptile, which is the 

 largest of the frog tribe, is very common in the 

 swampy parts of Canada. It is from six to seven 

 inches in length, and the hind legs are eaten, and 

 esteemed a great delicacy, somewhat resembling, 

 but superior to, chicken. — E. C. Lefroy. 



A White " Brimstone."— A friend of mine has 

 in his collection a variety of the Brimstone butter- 

 fly {Gonepteryx rhamni), male, having in the centre 

 of tlie anterior wings a large patch of deep orange. 

 Erom its difl'ering from the Brimstone in no other 

 respect, I presume it to be a hybrid between that 

 and the Clouded Yellow {Colias edusa). — H. Moore, 

 67, Preston Street, Brighton. 



Erratum.— I find a slight typographical error 

 in my note on the Gipsy-moth on page G9. In the 

 ninth line from top for mwles, read males. — R. 

 Laddiman. 



