June 1, 1867.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



127 



The many foes of the common nettle are still 

 further augmented by a rather elegant species of 

 mite called Tetranychus Urticre (fig. 101). 



fa ^ 



Fig. 100. Tetranychus populi. 



To the above may be added Tetranychus major 

 (fig. 95), and a red species which is not confined to 

 any kind of tree in particular, but which spins a web 

 resembling that of a spider, and dwells in societies. 

 This is Tetranychus lintearius. 



Fig. 101. 

 Tetrunyclius Urticoe. 



Fig. 102. 

 Tetranychus glabrus. 



The above enumeration comprises the best known 

 of these singular creatures, but the most that is 

 known of them is very meagre and unsatisfactory. 

 It is hoped that readers of Science-Gossip will 

 strive to make their better acquaintance, and com- 

 municate the result. 



OPHIOCYTIUM. 



I~N the Micrographic Dictionary it is said that no 

 ■*■ species of Ophiocytium have yet been observed 

 in Britain. The plant, therefore, of which I send a 

 drawing, and which seems to be undoubtedly a 

 species of Ophiocytium, is interesting as an addition 

 to our Microscopic Flora. It seems only to differ 

 in size from O. majus, figured in plate 45 of the 

 Micrographic Dictionary. I have found it abun- 

 dantly in a small pond, entangled amongst the fila- 

 ments, &c, of other Algse; and I think that it is 

 only from its minuteness that it has hitherto escaped 



the observation of microscopists. The plant con- 

 sists of a single cell, filled with pale chlorophyll, in 

 which occur denser granules irregularly dispersed. 

 It has a short stipes by which it is sometimes 

 attached to other bodies. Eig. 103 shows the 



Fig. 103. The lower figures x 350. 



different stages of its growth. Eig. a is a decaying 

 frond containing a globule of oil, and two globules 

 of brown matter. The pool of water is in a hollow 

 of the glacial drift, which overlies the magnesian 

 limestone in this neighbourhood. 

 Markington. J. S. Tute. 



A CENTURY AGO. 



MOST of your readers will not need to be 

 informed that Natural History a century 

 ago was a very different science to what it is at the 

 present day. In order to bring this the more vividly 

 before them, perhaps you will allow me space to 

 make a few extracts from an old work which I have 

 met with. It is, I believe, a fair sample of the 

 text-books which our grandfathers and grand- 

 mothers used in their youth. 



It is entitled, "A description of Three hundred 

 Animals, viz., Beasts, Birds, Eishes, Serpents and 

 Insects. With a particular Account of the Manner 

 of their catching of Whales in Greenland. Extracted 

 from the best Authors, and Adapted to the Use of 

 all Capacities. Illustrated with Copper-plates, 

 whereon is curiously engraven every Beast, Bird, 

 Eish, Serpent, and Insect, described in the whole 

 book. The Ninth Edition, carefully corrected 

 and ameuded. Printed for C. & It. Ware at 

 the Bible and Sun, on Ludgate-hill, 1763." If, 

 having in some measure recovered breath, after 

 reading this lengthy title, we proceed to the preface, 



