114 



HA RD WICKE'S SCIENCE- G OSSIF. 



millimetre above the body-whorl. Var. canaliculata, 

 Willms. Shell white, rather solid ; suture between 

 body-whorl and preceding whorl deeply and triangu- 

 larly canaliculate ; spire depressed and very slightly 

 elevated above the upper level of the body-whorl ; 

 umbilicus somewhat wider than in type and exposing 

 more of the whorls within. Width fifteen mill. ; 

 height nine mill. The most distinctive characteristics 

 are the sub-depression of the spire, and the deep 

 triangular canaliculation of the suture between the 

 body-whorl and the spire. — J. W. Williams. 



Twice-Used Nests.— In the April number of 

 Science-Gossip, p. 93, Mr. H. G. Ward records 

 an instance of a blackbird using the same nest for a 

 second brood immediately after the first had flown. 

 I had two similar instances lately in my garden. 

 Both the blackbird and the thrush used the same 

 nest in the same season for successive broods. The 

 thrush was successful in rearing both brqods, but the 

 blackbird was unfortunately interfered with by a cat. 

 I mentioned the circumstance at the time to Mr. 

 Seebohm, who said it was very unusual. — J. Joiner 

 Weir, Beckc7iham. 



Rossendale Rhizopods. — In the last paper on 

 this subject, Fig. 59, 60, 61, should be Anncba 

 proteus. The names of Figs. 63 and 66 should be 

 transposed. 



Deep Sea Exploration in the Eastern 

 Mediterranean.— The investigations which the 

 expedition sent out by the Vienna Academy of 

 Sciences has been carrying out in the eastern portion 

 of the Mediterranean have been very successful. 

 The investigations concerning the depth and general 

 characteristics of the sea, and the presence of life in 

 it, were carried out at seventy-two distinct points. 

 The greatest depth (3700 metres, or over 2J miles), 

 was found near the great depression which runs 

 between Molla and Cerigo — a deep valley running 

 in a direction from north to south, and with a 

 depth varying from 3500 to 4000 metres, the descent 

 being much more abrupt on the Greek side than on 

 the Italian and Sicilian side. Experiments as to 

 light showed that the waters are more transparent 

 near the African coast than in the northern portions. 

 There white metal plates were discernible at a depth 

 of nearly 144 feet. Sensitive plates were still found 

 capable of being acted upon by a light at a depth of 

 nearly 550 yards {2\ furlongs), at a point 200 

 marine miles north of Ben-Ghazi ; on being drawn 

 up they were found to have been blackened. The 

 acid constituents of the sea-water seem to be the 

 same at the greatest depth as near the surface, nor is 

 any difference in the quantity of ammoniacal con- 

 stituents perceptible between the upper and tlie 

 lowest levels, with the exception that everywhere 

 close to the bottom the quantity of ammoniacal 

 ingredients is notable. The deep-sea region of the 



Eastern Mediterranean is very poor in animal life. 

 A dredge at a depth of 3000 metres brought up no 

 animal specimens at all, but at a depth of 2000 

 metres leaf-formed algse were discovered similar to 

 those found at the same depth in the Atlantic by the 

 Panton expedition. 



Ornitholological Notes from Chichester. — 

 The excessive severity of the past winter, prolonged 

 almost without intermission, save for a brief respite 

 of beautiful weather in February, from the close of 

 November to the beginning of April, caused a 

 terrible destruction of bird life. Perhaps none have 

 suffered worse than those sweet songsters the 

 thrushes {Turdus nmsieus), numbers of which, with 

 their relatives the redwings {Tardus iliacus), and 

 fieldfares {Tnrdiis pilaris), died either from cold or 

 starvation. Swarms of wildfowl visited our shores, 

 and received, alas ! poor things, in many cases 

 anything but a hospitable reception ; for, rightly or 

 wrongly, according to our particular standpoint, I 

 suppose — though as a member of the Selborne 

 Society I must enter my protest — the sportsman 

 embraced what to him was, as all cold winters are, 

 a golden opportunity for sport. Amongst other 

 common birds the following were seen, and some 

 of them shot in the neighbourhood of Chichester 

 in the months of December and January : Wild 

 Swans : Hooper [Cygnus musicus'). Of these a 

 flock of thirty-one was seen off Selsey. Geese : 

 The common Brent-goose {Bernicla Brenta) has 

 abounded. Specimens of the bean goose (Ansir 

 segetum), and of the white-fronted goose [Anser 

 albifrons), have also occurred. Ducks : Twenty- 

 eight Sheldrakes {Tadonna cornuta) were observed 

 together in Chichester Harbour, as well as a number 

 of tufted ducks {Fuligula cristata), and scaup 

 ducks [Fuligula marila). Smews : Two smews 

 {Mergiis albellus) were taken at Fishbourne, and two 

 or three goosanders [Afergus merganser). Bitterns : 

 Two bitterns. — One at Fishbourne, and one at 

 Earnley. The above communication from a capital 

 sportsman-naturalist will prove interesting to many of 

 your readers. — Joseph Atiderson,jun., Hon. Curator, 

 Chichester Museum. 



BOTANY. 



Variations of Colours in Plants. — In the 

 Black Mountains on the borders of Monmouth, 

 Brecon, and Herefordshire, the harebell, and many 

 other species of bell flowers, grow very profusely. 

 Some years ago I found a few white harebells in the 

 Grwyne Fechan Valley. As botanical friends rather 

 doubted this, during the season of 1890, I paid some 

 attention to the variations in colour of these flowers. 

 All through the Black Mountain country the harebell 

 varies from a reddish purple to a very pale shade of 

 blue, and white specimens are not infrequently met 



