HA RD WICKE 'S S CIENCE - G SSI P. 



i6i 



with this method relates to diatoms and chemical 

 salts, and I have succeeded so \vell that I have not 

 yet spoiled a single slide — and I have mounted many 

 — even including those used in performing the test 

 experiments. In mounting chemical salts, care must 

 be taken that the level of the ring is above that of 

 the object. — W. M. Patcrson, Loftiis. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Elementary Zoology, — Messrs. W. & R. 

 Chambers have just issued a capital little manual of 

 "Elementary Zoology," written by Dr. Andrew 

 Wilson. This little book certainly meets a want 

 long felt by intending students, in giving outlines of 

 the comparative anatomy and physiology of the 

 leading types of animals, as well as of their mor- 

 phology. The manual is profusely illustrated, and is 

 furnished with a good list of questions turning upon 

 the subjects taught. It cannot fail to be useful in 

 schools. 



Science in the Provinces. — We have received 

 the third part of the second volume of the ' ' Trans- 

 actions of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' 

 Society," just presented to the members. As is 

 well known, this society is one of the most vigorous 

 in the prosecution of local natural histoiy in Great 

 Britain. The present part contains a short but com- 

 prehensive and remarkably clear address by the 

 President, Mr. T. G. Bayfield. It contains papers 

 on "The Diatomacece of Norfolk," by Mr. Fred. 

 Kitton ; on the "Naturalization of the Edible Frog 

 in Norfolk," by Professor Newton; on "Aculeate 

 Hymenoptera, " by Mr. J. B. Bridgman ; "Ornitho- 

 logical Notes," by Mr. H. Stevenson; on "The 

 Polish Swan," by the hon. sec, Mr. T. Southwell ; 

 and a paper by Mr. Randall Johnson, giving an ap- 

 proximate list of the extinct mammalia of Norfolk. 



Vitality of Gasteropoda. — Most naturalists 

 are acquainted with the instance, cited by Dr. S. P. 

 Woodward, of extraordinary vitality in a Helix deser- 

 toruin, which was found alive after having been fixed 

 on a board four years all but eighteen days. Mr. 

 Stearns states, in the American Natio-alist, that he 

 kept in a box, from March, 1873, to June, 1875, nine 

 individuals of Biiliintis pallidior (Sow.), received from 

 Lower California, and at the end of that time they 

 were all still alive. A little later, they all died but 

 one. A Helix Veatchii, of Cerro Island, lived about 

 six years (1859-1865) without food. Mr. Stearns calls 

 attention to the fact that the three species of Helix 

 and BtiUnius known for this extraordinary vitality, 

 belong to arid regions almost without rain. The 

 vegetation is thus very limited, and the animals are 

 compelled to inake prolonged fasts. 



Spawn of Newt. — The question as to the manner 

 in which the Newt deposits its spawn has been the 



source of continued discussion among correspondents 

 of Science-Gossip. I think all differences of 

 opinion may l)e terminated by the following notes, 

 taken from observing the habits of about a dozen fine 

 specimens of the Crested Newt {Triton crisiatus). 

 (The largest newt measured eight inches long.) I 

 observed the newts laid their eggs and hid them in 

 the four following ways : — (i) Amongst the moss on 

 a rock projecting out of the water : the eggs were 

 inclosed in a transparent gelatinous bag : about six 

 or eight eggs were usually the contents of one of 

 these envelopes. (2) Singly amongst the same moss 

 as No. I. (3) In small clusters on the under side 

 of, and rolled up in, the oval leaves of a water-plant. 

 (4) Singly, and rolled up in a similar way to No. 3. 

 It may be noticed that, in the first two ways, the eggs 

 were not rolled up, as is the supposed manner in 

 which all newts conceal their eggs. — G. W. C. 



"Edusa " AND " Hyale."— I think it worthy of 

 note that on Monday last, 4th inst., while walking in 

 Hampton Court Palace-gardens, a fine Edusa flew 

 past me, and scarcely had I gone twelve steps further 

 when a Hyale also did the same. What is the meaning 

 of this very early appearance of these two insects ? — 

 Windsor Hambroicgh. 



Metropolitan Entomology.— Having last year 

 made Warm-lane, Cricklewood, my collecting-ground, 

 I have this year tried another locality, viz., a lane on 

 the west side of Bishops-wood, Highgate. On June i, 

 1877, being then on the look-out for Cardamines^ 

 I captured G. Rhaiiini, and saw a specimen of C. 

 Edusa, which, after a desperate run of 200 yards, I 

 missed. On June 4th, 1877, I again frequented the 

 lane, and this time I was fortunate enough to capture 

 a female hybernated specimen of C. Edusa. Again 

 this morning (June Ith), I captured a remarkably 

 fresh specimen of C. Edusa (male), and chased another 

 half over the Vale of Health, Hampstead. I can 

 find no record of such captures in any work on 

 Entomology. — A'. 7! Gibbous. 



BOTANY. 



Flowers in New Zealand. — The wild flowers 

 of New Zealand are neither numerous nor generally 

 very beautiful. In the early spring festoons of 

 Clematis indivisa hang on the shrubs in the skirts of 

 the great forests, and warn the native gardener to pre- 

 pare for the duties of the coming year. Then Sophora 

 grandifora, a shrub-tree, and almost the only one 

 that sheds its leaves in winter, puts forth its clusters 

 of large papilionaceous blossoms, reminding the 

 colonist, by their yellow colour, of the wild daffodil 

 of the early British spring. Dysoxylum spcciahile, a 

 tree whose leaves resemble those of the Lilac, its 

 timber Pencil Cedar, and its fruit the Chestnut, now 

 also hangs out its sprays of white bell-flowers from 



