i66 



HARD WICKE'S S CIENCE- G O SSI P. 



Horace's, in his "Odes," may be new to some of 

 your readers. I allude to the lines, 



" Me pascunt olivse, 

 Me cichorea levesque malvae." 



Horace, i. xxxi. 15, 16. 



The word cichorea here may be translated in the 

 name of three herbs; for cichorium, which ^ if tx'^P""'' 

 is either chicory, succory, or endive. It is therefore 

 of some interest to find, in an ode written about 

 B.C. 28, such favourable mention made by the poet 

 to these herbs from a nourishing and supporting 

 ("pascunt") point of view. — Charles F. W. T. 

 Williams, Redland. 



The Wild Tulip.— This plant {Ttilipa syl- 

 vesiris) is growing ' in our parish, in the corner of a 

 meadow, a quarter of a mile from any house or road. 

 As it is rare, perhaps you would like to mention it in 

 SciENCE-Gossir. I enclose a specimen, so that you 

 may see it is genuine. — J. Onions, Dymoch, Gloucester- 

 shire. 



Albino Birds. — Seeing in previous numbers of 

 your useful work a list of Birds, White or Cream 

 Colour, I have seep most of those already named, and 

 can vouch for the accuracy of the following : — The 

 Qxow {Coiviis corone). This bird was quite white ; 

 its feathers of a much finer texture than other crows I 

 have had. I thought the bird was diseased, as it 

 was veiy poor. — The Sand ^'{.■ax'i\\\{Hirundo ripaiia). 

 This bird is a splendid specimen, beautifully white, 

 and in the possession of a friend of mine. — G.B. 



Bat {Vespertilio pipestrellits). — This specimen was 

 obtained by a keeper from some eaves of a barn on a 

 gentleman's estate in this neighbourhood. Its body 

 was as white as down, and the texture of the wings 

 was beautiful, their transparency giving them a 

 beautiful blush appearance. I could not secure this 

 species, as it was intended for the gentleman himself. 

 —G.B. 



Haw-finch [Fringilla cocothraustes). — Seeing 

 many different opinions on this bird's breeding in this 

 neighbourhood, I have heard from good authority, 

 worthy of belief, that they have found its nest in the 

 neighbourhood, as I have specimens brought in 

 different times of the year. — G.B. 



Preserving Crustaceans. — Could any of your 

 obliging correspondents inform me of the best way of 

 preserving crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, <S:c.), echini, 

 and such-like things, dry for the cabinet? — A Constant 

 Reader. 



Blister-Beetle. — Can any one inform me 

 whether the Blister-beetle {Cantharis vesicatoria) 

 has been found in this country? — G. 0. Howell. 



Aquarium-keeping. — Can any Science-Gossip 

 contributoi-s give me some information as to aquarium- 

 keeping ? I have a bell glass about 8 in. across, in 

 which I have deposited 3 sticklebacks, 3 large 

 planorbis snails, 2 caddis-worms, and i common 

 stagnalis. I have filled the bottom with mould and 

 planted therein 2 water-plants. Now I believe I 

 ought to have the weeds so arranged that they may 

 give out sufficient oxygen for the sticklebacks and 

 other animals, but at present it does not seem to do 

 so ; secondly, the sticklebacks will not allow one 

 snail to appear from under its shell : directly the snails 

 attempt to move about, the little fish come up and 

 make the most vigorous endeavours to get a bite out 

 of them, so I am fairly puzzled, and I should like to 

 know how to feed them, and in what way to stop such 

 very barbarous proceedings. Do sticklebacks eat 

 snails ? I should be glad to know of any hints which 



your readers can throw out about this matter. How 

 many animals could I keep in such a space? — F.E. C, 

 Trin. Coll., Cambridge. 



Management of Small Aquaria. — Can any 

 reader of Science-Gossip give me infoi-mation as to 

 the management of small bell-shaped aquaria ? My 

 sticklebacks attacked and killed all the water-snails I 

 kept confined with them. Is this always the case, 

 and is there a preventive ? Also, has any one suc- 

 cessfully reared caddis-worms into their final stage ? — 

 F. E. C. 



Changing Aquarium Water. — In reply to your 

 correspondent "A. S." (Jan. No.) about changing 

 the water in aquaria, I would say that when I com- 

 menced keeping one, about 23 years ago, the beginner 

 was instructed to periodically change the water, besides 

 keeping it pure by means of aeration, filtration, &c. ; 

 and I well remember that, to the inexperienced it 

 seemed to require it, for at that time the list of life 

 given as suitable for aquaria was : of Plants, Vallis- 

 neria spiralis, Anacharis alsinastrum, Calliiriche 

 aittiimnalis, Ahtphar lidea, Fotaviogetonjrrispns, and 

 many others ; of Mollusks, univalves, Flanorbis 

 co7-neiis and carinatiis, Fahcdina vivipara, Lymnea 

 stagnalis, &c. ; bivalves, Anodon cygnens, Unio 

 pictoriim and tumidns; besides reptiles and fishes. 

 With a small selection from these, what with 

 decaying vegetation, death of mollusks, especially 

 bivalves, and other causes, the water, in a 

 month, seemed anything but pure. But experience 

 and observation taught \^hat to keep and what 

 to reject ; so that periodical changing of the 

 water was no longer necessaiy. The plants were 

 reduced to Vallisneria spiralis, Stratiotes aloides, and 

 Frog-bit, the latter only on account of its beautifully- 

 formed leaves and the nice cool shade it gives to the 

 water in summer (for it is a rapidly-decaying plant) ; 

 the mollusks to Flanorbis corneus, and the fresh- 

 water limpet ; reptiles were rejected ; for though I 

 have had them live twelve months, they are bad Teeders 

 in confinement, droop, get very thin, and soon 

 become objectionable objects in aquaria, I think 

 that with a dozen good plants of Vallisneria, one or 

 two Stratiotes, and some frog-bit, an aquarium con- 

 taining ten gallons of water placed at a window look- 

 ing west or north-west, where the light will fall 

 mostly at the top, sixteen fish can be kept in good 

 condition for many years without either filtration, 

 aeration, or change of water. The longest time the 

 water in my tank remained was two years, and then 

 it was only changed on account of being removed to 

 other premises ; still it was as clean and pure as when 

 first put in. But under all circumstances, water pure 

 or foul, changed or unchanged, the eel has lived ; and 

 though for his age he must lie considered small, he is 

 to-day apparently as cheerful and vigorous as if his 

 twenty years had been spent in the waters of the 

 Severn. Of the other fish I cannot speak so well ; 

 they will die from some unknown cause. Carp, 

 sticklebacks, and minnows, I find live longest — some for 

 one or two years ; but dace, roach, perch, ruffe, &c., 

 soon become unhealthy, sluggish, blind, and then die. 

 —Ben Flant. 



Potato Beetle. — Caution. — Too much care can- 

 not be taken to prevent that dreaded pest, the Potato 

 Beetle (the Colorado) from becoming an inhabitant of 

 this country. Six were carefully packed in a pill-box 

 and sent to me from Canada, and one was alive when 

 I received them and for a week afterwards. I want 

 some paste eels, and offer one or two of the beetles 

 in exchange. — A, Nicholson, Fareham. 



