Dec. 1, 1867.1 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENC K-OOSS I P. 



28] 



Sonchus talustris. — Allow me to thank " J. W. 

 Wliite," Tor his kind answer to my inquiry. If he 

 does not possess Gibson's " Flora of Essex," he may 

 be interested to learn that this handsome Sonchus is 

 there stated not to have been lately noticed in that 

 county : its last observer being Mr. E. Forster, 

 who saw it in the locality given by Ray. Mr. 

 Eorster died in 1849, so that it is probably upwards 

 of twenty years since Sonchus palustris was seen in 

 Essex. Its rediscovery must be interesting to every 

 British botanist. — B. 



Nasturtium Siifolium.— Is this very remarkable 

 form of the Watercress {N. officinale) generally dis- 

 tributed ? I have but recently made acquaintance 

 with it, and consider it well worthy of notice. The 

 stem is quite erect, except at the base, and very 

 thick ; the leaves are said by Professor Babington 

 to resemble those of a Siurn; hence the name : but 

 those which 1 have examined are exactly similar to 

 those of the Marshwort (Helosciadiuui nodiflorum). 

 The flowers are small, and have a pinkish tinge ; 

 the whole plant is of a much lighter green than the 

 common watercress. Not the least remarkable fact 

 connected with it is that, ! t at Buckingham, where it 

 grows in profusion, it is known by the name of 

 " Brooklime," and is considered quite distinct from 

 the true watercress. — B. 



How to get rid of Crickets. — These creatures 

 may be effectually exterminated by sprinkling 

 powdered arsenic, at night, over the crevices and 

 places they frequent. Two or three applications 

 generally prove sufficient. It is scarcely necessary 

 to add that all domestic animals should, during the 

 time, be excluded from the apartment.— .S. P. 



Noctiluca miliaris. — With reference to "Mr. 

 T. P. Barkas's " request for a sample of Noctiluca:. 

 I very much doubt if that gentleman would find any 

 of those peculiar forms, amongst them, named 

 Diatomaceae ? I have gathered the former in 

 myriads, without detecting, in their company, any 

 strange foreign acquaintances : in the day, the 

 presence of these innumerable insects is indicated 

 by a red filmy scum, which floats on the surface of 

 the sea in calm weather in irregular streaks and 

 patches of colour, that would induce a person to 

 suppose some one had emptied a tub of ruddle over- 

 board, that had not time to sink out of sight. So 

 far as my observation goes, the Noctiluca is 

 identical with the well-known food of the pilchard, 

 herring, and mackerel ; warm days bring the 

 insects to the surface, and cold makes them retreat 

 into the unseen deeps. I once dipped up half a 

 gallon of them, and the first night I was the pos- 

 sessor of a bowl of liquid silver ; but on the next, 

 this magical glory had vanished like so much moon- 

 shine !— W. B., Fowey. 



Crickets.— Your correspondent, "Geo. B.," is 

 evidently not of the same opinion as Vincent 

 Bourne with respect to the 



Little inmate full of mirth, 



since he asks in Science-Gossip how he is to 

 destroy crickets. I cannot sympathize with him, 

 for I like their merry chirping, and half believe in 

 the old Welsh superstition, that it is unlucky to 

 dislodge, or kill them, but since he is free from any 

 weakness of this kind, I will tell him that a few 

 pinches of strong Scotch snuff will effectually drive 

 them away. It should be sprinkled in their haunts, 

 though they dislike snuff, they are partial to beer, 



and some people entice, and entrap them, by halt' 

 filling wide-mouthed vials with sweetened ale, and 

 placing them in their runs. — Helen E. Watney. 



The Salamander {Salamandra maculosa). — 

 " C. S. G." inquires what is the ordinary food of this 

 creature. It feeds on insect s, slugs, and earthworms. 

 In fact, the kind of dietary which would satisfy the 

 common newt would doubtless gratify the taste of 

 the salamander. All reptiles and batrachians can 

 fast for long periods without serious inconvenience. 



Who are you ? — Reader, did you ever, for one 

 moment, say to your own soul, "Who are you ? " 

 You know that you are a something, but what 

 thing? You know that there is some living power, 

 some knack within you, that helps you through life ; 

 that enables you to make a bargain with an eye to 

 a good pennyworth ; that even urges you to pick a 

 wife from a few millions ; that walks with you in 

 your business walks, that broods with you at home 

 over your ledger. But what is it ? Did you ever 

 try to bring it face to face with yourself ? Did you 

 ever manfully endeavour to pluck, for a moment, 

 this mystery from your blood, and look at it eye to 

 eye — this you ? It may be a terrible meeting ; but 

 sit in the magic circle of your own thoughts, and 

 conjure the thing. It may be devil — it may be 

 angel. No ; you will take the chance : you arc 

 not curious ; you are content to jog on ; you know- 

 that you are you ; but for the ivhat you, whether 

 perfect as the angels, or scabbed like Lazarus, whj 

 should you seek to know ? Rather, dwell in the 

 hopeful sweetness of your no-knowing. — Jerrold's 

 " Chronicles of Clover/took." 



A Word for Hastings.— The writer of the in- 

 teresting article entitled "Left by the Tide," in the 

 October number of Science-Gossip, page 217, 

 evidently does not regard Hastings as a very favour- 

 able spot for the naturalist or botanist to obtain 

 rarities, but during a stay of some duration there 

 last year I was lucky enough to obtain the ex- 

 ceedingly rare zoophyte Beania mirabilis, parasitical 

 on Salicornariafarciminoides. Hastings is renowned 

 for its zoophytes ; among others 1 may mention 

 Flustra chartacea (the Paper Horn Wrack) and 

 Actinia coriacea (the Feathery Sea Anemone) which 

 I believe are both very local. As far as seaweeds 

 are concerned, I have obtained there two species of 

 Cystoreina 0. fibrosa (Ag.) and C. granulata (A.) 

 The Horned Wrack, Fucus cerano'ides (L.) the 

 Feathery Sphacelaria S. plumosa (D.) Dasya ar- 

 buscula (A.) and many other rare and interesting 

 Algse, many of which, too, I had not observed at 

 Torquay (the well-known head quarters for marine 

 treasures), where I had been • for some time previ- 

 ously staying. — /. C. 31. 



"Worms— to Quit." — Water the ground with 

 lime-water twice a week, and it will banish the 

 intruders from your " grassplots." Clear lime- 

 water is easily made by throwing a good shovelful 

 of quicklime into a hogshead of water, stirring it 

 well, and then allowing it to stand from twelve to 

 twenty-four hours, before using it. Nothing else is 

 so safe, though other things are equally destructive 

 to worms. — George Newly n, The Gardens, Dangstein . 



Selenite.— What is the best method of obtaining 

 films of Selenite of even thickness throughout, and 

 giving only one tint so as to be suitable for polar- 

 ising purposes ?— F. 31. 



