ii8 



HARD WICKE'S SCIENCE-G OSSIP. 



seven inches in length, contained in the common 

 skate {Raia bntis, Montagu). I may have jumped 

 to a conchision, and the Raia may liave been ascer- 

 tained with mathematical accuracy by some ichthyo- 

 logist for aught I know to the contrary ; but having 

 made diligent search, and being ignorant of the fact, 

 I seek information. I trust that some of your 

 numerous correspondents may be able to throw some 

 light upon the subject. — N.P. 



The Common Three-spined Stickleback 

 {Gastcrostciis scmiarmatus). — I procured a three- 

 spined stickleback from a Hampstead pond in Sep- 

 tember last, together with five others who since died. 

 I have always noticed that sticklebacks do not live 

 long unless they have plenty of room afforded them ; 

 or at least a large amount of oxygen. In the short 

 time I have had this stickleback he has become tame 

 enough to take his food freely from my fingers ; he 

 •even invariably niljbles the latter in mistake for food. 

 A tench and British carp are also kept in the vessel 

 with him ; the former does not seem to mind his pre- 

 sence, although he sometimes annoys the carp ; but 

 this, however, seldom happens. The tench generally 

 gives chase if the stickleback comes too close, and 

 Avhen such is the case, the colours of the latter glow, 

 and the sharp spines are protruded to their utmost, 

 but they have never proceeded to extremities. The 

 stickleback seems to feel the want of oxygen sooner 

 than the larger fish ; as, should the air of the room in 

 which he is kept become close, he is sure to be seen 

 gasping at the surface of the water. Blood-worms 

 seem to be his favourite food. I have known him 

 take three or more of them one directly after another, 

 and then be ready for more in a few minutes ; but 

 where he manages to stow theni is beyond my com- 

 prehension. He used to be very fond of biting at 

 the toes of some newts tliat were kept with him, mis- 

 taking them I suppose for worms, much to the dis- 

 comfort of the poor newts, who were almost afraid to 

 move their feet, and if they ventured to do so, the 

 stickleback was sure to notice the movement and dart 

 towards them, and, staring at them with all his spines 

 extended, watching for their next movement. The 

 changing of colour when friglitened seems to be 

 pretty generally the case with most fish ; the stickle- 

 back, when he is suddenly touched or otherwise 

 startled, turns from his usual colour to that of a very 

 light brown, and does not recover his silvery hue en- 

 tirely until a few minutes afterwards. If the British 

 carp is frightened, all the black 'colour of his back 

 vanishes and leaves a red-brown tint in its place. 

 The stickleback cannot be recommended as a suitable 

 fish for the aquarium on account of its pugnacity, but 

 it can be kept in a separate vessel, and will well repay 

 the trouble by its amusing vagaries and pleasant fa- 

 miliarity. I have followed the plan recommended in 

 Mr. Shirley Hibberd's book on the aquarium, and 

 have placed a piece of board across a window on 

 which are placed a dozen or so glass jars ; these I 

 Iiave stocked with beetles, larvje, water-spiders, and 

 other inhabitants of our ponds and streams. I find 

 this plan aids me greatly in watching the movements 

 and habits of ai^uatic insects, and the latter being 

 divided in the separate jars prevents their destroying 

 one another, which they are sure to do if confined in 

 single vessels altogether. — Frank Rowbothant. 



Aquarium v. Aquavivarium. — A year or two 

 ago there was some stir made with reference to an 

 appellation which has now become a very familiar 

 one. "Aquarium," so it was urged, speaking 

 correctly, can mean nothing more than a receptacle 

 for water, large or small, as may be, and conveys no 

 notion as to its living contents. The word " Aqua- 



vivarium "was accordingly introduced, and struggled 

 into a certain amount of popularity, but of late the 

 old term seems to have re-established itself. Its 

 brevity gives convenience, no doubt, still I think it 

 may be alleged ,that nowadays it is too loosely used, 

 and such places as the Brighton, or the Crystal Palace 

 ' ' Aquarium " appear to want some other name than 

 that first given to the glass globe or tank we place in 

 a drawing-room or conservatory. — y. R. S. C. 



Query about a Flower. — What flower does 

 Shelley mean, — described as below in his poem "The 

 Question " ?— 



" And that tall flower that wets 

 Its mother's face with heaven-collected tears, 

 When the low wind, its playmate's voice, it hears." 



A. H. 



Pronunciation of Names. — Is there any book, 

 or books, from which a self-teaching student might 

 learn the correct pronunciation of scientific proper 

 names? I have " Alcock's Botanical Names for 

 English Readers," but this covers only the field of 

 British botany. Is there a similar work, with a more 

 comprehensive range? Does the "New" pronun- 

 ciation of Latin affect scientific names ? If you would 

 kindly answer the above, you would confer a great 

 favour on an isolated countryman. — D. jf. 



Freshwater Tortoise. — In reply to "H. F., ' 

 Jun.'s" inquiry, I write to say that freshwater tor- 

 toise will live out of doors in the south of England. 

 I had one for some years in a small pond in my lawn, 

 when I resided in Hampshire ; and land tortoises that 

 have escaped from confinement have been found 

 again, after a lapse of over twenty years, in the 

 grounds surrounding the house they left. — Helen E. 

 Watncy. 



Lepidoptera, &c., of the Black Forest. — I 

 should be much obliged if you or any of your nu- 

 merous correspondents would give me a list of the 

 Lepidoptera and Land and Freshwater Mollusca to 

 be found in the neighbourhood of the " Black 

 Forest" ; also the Mollusca of North Wales.-— iT". J. 

 Taylor. 



Peculiar Habit of Starlings. — That starlings 

 are accustomed in the evening to leave the place 

 where they have spent the day, and repair in a body 

 to roost in some rather distant wood, is 'a familiar 

 fact. In the summers of 1867 and 1S68 I noticed 

 every evening a large flock of these birds rendezvous 

 on a large tree in Pye Nest Park, near Halifax, and 

 take wing in a south-easterly direction, down the 

 valley of the Calder. When they had proceeded say 

 three or four hundred yards, a small number of birds, 

 perhaps thirty, fell out, wheeled round, returned to 

 Pye Nest Park, and there dispersed themselves 

 among the trees. This singular procedure was re- 

 peated night after night, and the number of starlings 

 who thus returned was always approximately the 

 same. — J. W. Slater. 



Eggs of YamA-Mai. — Can any of your corre- 

 spondents tell me where I may obtain eggs of the 

 l-'izwrt-^')/;?/ silkworm ? Some years ago I purchased 

 a small quantity of Dr. Wallace, of Colchester, but 

 afterwards received a circular stating that he had 

 ceased rearing the silkworm and had given his stock 

 to some one else, whose name I have lost. — Geon^c 

 M. Doc. 



Singular Fact about the Dogwood. — The 

 mildness of the past three or four months has been 

 the cause of somewhat extraordinary behaviour on 

 the part of the Dogwood {Coritns sang-ninca) in this 

 neighbourhood. In November the plant was en- 



