HARDWICKKS SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



281 



Many of these vegetarian colossi had not much more 

 notion of self-defence than kicking. The Loelaps was 

 forty feet long, stood twenty-five feet high on its hind- 

 legs, and was built like a kangaroo. It was the most 

 astonishing jumper that ever existed, with teeth for 

 cutting and sharp claws on the front feet, evidently 

 designed for tearing out its adversary's eyes. Hardly 

 less formidable was the Stegosaur, which was sheathed 

 in armour-plates from two to three feet in width, and 

 had as weapon of offence a powerful tail armed near 

 the end on both sides with sharp spikes two feet long. 

 A peculiarity in this animal's anatomy was an en- 

 largement of the spinal cord at the end of the back ; 

 this expansion of brain material was ten times as big 

 as the brain in the skull itself, and was intended to 

 supply power for the wagging of that stupendous 

 spiked tail. Equally large and dangerous were the 

 Megalosaur and Dinosaur, with jaws armed with 

 huge sabre-like teeth, who went about on their hind- 

 legs, seeking something to devour. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



"Sporting" Clover.— Specimens of Trifolinm 

 repens have on several occasions been recorded in 

 which the sepals have developed into trifoliate leaves. 

 This summer I hape found examples of this " sport" 

 both in the Grantchester Meadows, Cambs., and also 

 in South Wales. Possibly the wet summer may be 

 accountable for them. — G. H. Bryan. 



Song of the Pied Wagtail. — As the song of 

 the pied wagtail seems to be so little known, and in 

 the books I have referred to (by Montague, Yarrell, 

 Wood, and Harding) is only noticed in one, viz., that 

 by Col. Montague, I think it may be of interest to 

 mention that so late as October 27 last, at Tunbridge 

 Wells, I heard a pied wagtail singing very prettily 

 and softly from the top of my house. The song I 

 shall describe as a gentle warbling song, something 

 like a weak and soit robin's, and having some 

 resemblance to a subdued lark's. The song was 

 continued, though of course with breaks, for some 

 two or three minutes, and 1 thought before I saw the 

 bird that it was a wagtail that was singing, as I 

 heard the ordinary short double note. I have only 

 once before heard a wagtail singing, and that was 

 about eight years ago at Southport, and on that 

 occasion the song seemed to me more like the 

 muffled song of a skylark, than the song which I 

 heard last month. — Borderer. 



Song ok the Pied Wagtail.— With reference 

 to the note on the song of the pied wagtail in a recent 

 "Field," I may state that on two occasions I have 

 heard the song of this bird, which, as your corre- 

 spondent states, seems to be little known. In fact, I 

 did not know that it possessed a song at all (except 

 the usual chirrup) until I heard one sing on March 

 19th, 1887, while perched on one of the topmost 

 twigs of a hedge. I heard another singing on March 

 2lst, 1888, though not so nicely. I have read 

 several Natural Histories by different authors, in 

 which no reference is made to the song of this bird. — 

 H. G. Ward. {North Marston). 



I observe " Borderer's " remarks upon the song 

 of the pied wagtail. I heard one sing most sweetly 



near Moulton, some five years since. I well 

 remember the circumstance. I was walking in the 

 parish of Moulton, near Northampton, when a spring 

 storm came on. I took shelter under a fence, the 

 storm passed over, and the sun suddenly shone out. 

 Just as I was about to leave my shelter a pied wag- 

 tail came and settled some six or eight yards from 

 me on the bank, exposed to the sun, and at once on 

 alighting commenced singing most sweetly. For the 

 first moment I could hardly believe it was the bird, 

 the song being like that of a robin, but more 

 subdued. I, however, watched it intently, and could 

 distinctly see its throat moving. — Wm. Tomalin, 

 Northampton, 



A Rare Visitor. — On W^ednesday afternoon last 

 a fine specimen of a seagull was] picked up from the 

 ground at Quainton, where it !had sunk completely 

 exhausted. Efforts were made to revive the poor 

 bird without success, and it died in a few hours after 

 its capture. What could have brought this rare 

 visitor, which was in good condition, and in fine 

 plumage, so far inland, it is difficult to understand. — 

 '' Bucks Herald,'" yan. llth, 1S90. 



Var. of Helix virgata. — W'hilst spending a 

 few weeks in Guernsey this summer, I came across a 

 spot near Bordeaux Harbour where the albino form 

 of Helix virgata with translucent bands occurred 

 plentifully. The translucent banding in every case 

 corresponded to that of the ordinary coloured 

 varieties with which it lived — the habitat being 

 chiefly on wild fennel, which grows there luxuriantly. 

 Next to the type, the commonest form was that 

 known as v. lencozojta, both of translucent and 

 coloured shells. The former were very conspicuous 

 on the tops of the fennel, shining in the sun. Helix 

 pisona, very fine and pale-coloured, occurs simul- 

 taneously. — B. T. 



Gigantic Puff-Balls. — In your last number 

 there is a notice of a gigantic puff-ball {Lycoperdon 

 boviata) ; but one of far larger dimensions was sent 

 me two years ago from Wortham in Suffolk, about 

 four miles from this town, and it is still in my 

 possession in its dried and " Bitllfiste'''' state. When 

 sent it measured just four feet in circumference, and 

 to my surprise I find it has now lost but one inch of 

 that measurement — 47 inches. I wish our clod- 

 hoppers, who never lose an opportunity of kicking this 

 handsome fungus to pieces knew how excellent, 

 nutritious and safe a food it is. It cannot be mistalcen 

 for any poisonous kind. — T. E. A, 



" RosE-HiPS." — Replying to the letters written in 

 SciEXCE-GossiP for this month (page 260), I tender 

 my thanks to those correspondents who have so 

 kindly furnished me information regarding the rose- 

 hips I wrote about in the September number of this 

 magazine. There seems to be little doubt but that 

 the hips in question are those of Rosa rugosa, since 

 Mr. J. \\. Fisher, Mr. G. S. S. and Mr. R. Scott all 

 state their belief in this same fact, but since that plant 

 is unknown to me, personally, I should feel most 

 deeply grateful if the latter gentleman would (as he 

 most kindly oft'ered to do) forward me some of the 

 fruits of B. rugosa for study and comparison. I must 

 also apologise for having given the position of the 

 hip, in the drawing I sent up of it, incorrectly, but 

 the error arose from the fact that the specimen given 

 me v/as totally devoid of any peduncle ; that I was 

 quite unacquainted with any hip of that kind, and 

 that by no possibihty could I obtain clearer, or more 

 satisfactory particulars concerning it than those pre- 

 viously quoted. — Miss K. E. Styan. 



