Oct. 1, 1869.J 



HARDWICKE'S SCI ENCE-GO SSIP. 



239 



the former genus. As in many cases the seeds are 

 tilted out by the curling up of the awn, the carpel 

 still remaining attached to the axis some time after 

 the seed has fallen ; and as, even when carpel and 

 seed fall off at the same time, they usually separate 

 before or on reaching the ground, I can but ima- 

 gine that Mr. Williams has confused Erodium with 

 Geranium, or] that he has met with an exceptional 

 and very remarkable phenomenon in some member 

 of the latter genus. The'rarity of such an occurrence 

 as that he describes — if it ever takes place— may 

 account for its omission by " botanical writers," as 

 well as by myself. I may add, however, that 

 Withering and other authors describe very mi- 

 nutely the phenomena connected with the carpels 

 of Erodium. — J". Britten, Royal Herbarium, Keio, W. 



Anacharis Alsinastrum. — One of the most 

 common, yet at the same time one of the most 

 wonderful sights, seen with the aid of the micro- 

 scope, is undoubtedly the cyclosis, or rotation in 

 the leaf -cells of this pretty aquatic plant. The fol- 

 lowing therefore may prove interesting informa- 

 tion : I spent some time during the spring of the year 

 over this plant with the object of discovering the 

 number of cells in each leaf, the number of chloro- 

 phyll granules in each cell, and therefore the num- 

 ber of chlorophyll granules in each leaf. I examined 

 twelve leaves from one plant with these results : — 



1. Leaves examined averaged in size -f^ of an 



inch in length, and -jfa of an inch in 

 breadth. 



2. Averaged 9,100 cells to each leaf. 



3. 20 average cells examined in each leaf, 



averaged 23 chlorophyll granules to each 

 cell. 



4. Average of leaves examined show therefore 



209,300 chlorophyll granules to each leaf. 



At another time I examined six leaves from 

 another plant, with slightly varying results : — . 



1, 



2 

 3 

 4 



The 



2 2 

 Too 



of an inch by -^ °f au i ncn - 

 9,750 cells to each leaf. 

 22 granules to each cell. 

 214,500 chlorophyll granules to each leaf. 



above are simply approximate calculations, 

 yet the two results bear a fair comparison. All who 

 know this plant are well aware what a varied ap- 

 pearance the cells and cell contents assume under 

 different conditions, at different stages of growth, 

 and at different seasons of the year. These obser- 

 vations were made upon very healthy plants, which 

 have been growing in my aquarium for two years 

 or more. — Thomas Simson, Upper Lewisham Road, 

 S.E. 



Economic Lamp-shade. — A cheap porcelain 

 shade for microscopic lamps, designed by Mr. 

 H. F. Hailes, and exhibited by him some time since 

 at the Quekett Club, can now be had at Mr. 

 Baker's, in High Holborn, for about a shilling. We 

 have used it, and consider it a decided acquisition. 

 The price too brings it within the reach of every- 

 body, and everybody should have it. 



Cats and Starfish.— Mr. Field may be interested 

 in reading what has come under my notice about 

 " Cats and Starfish." A neighbour of ours whose 

 young chickens were cnntinually eaten, and his gar- 

 den scratched by cat's,, fried pieces — about two inches 

 square — of starfish in fat, aud threw them over his 

 garden. The cats ate it and died, some at once, 

 others on their instant return home. In every case 



that he examined, the throat was swollen, as if the 

 deadly morsel still stuck in it ; the eyes also were 

 open. Sometimes the cats were stretched out as 

 cats like to do in front of a fire, other times curled 

 round as if asleep. Our neighbour many times 

 during the shrimp seasons has given Starfish thus 

 prepared to cats. — A. Y. 



Fruit and Flower Gatherer. — We have re- 

 ceived from Messrs Dick. Radcliffe & Co. a flower- 

 scissors called the "Selby flower and fruit 

 gatherer," which in cutting seizes the stem and 

 holds it firmly until purposely released : also a 

 "new charcoal flower-pot" made of charcoal, 

 moulded of the desired form. 



Insect Trap. —Can any one give information re- 

 specting the following method of catching insects, 

 mentioned by Kirby ? He speaks of the late inge- 

 nious Mr. Paul, of Starston in Norfolk, well known 

 as the inventor of a machine to entrap the turnip 

 beetle, which (adds Kirby) may be applied by col- 

 lectors with great advantage to general purposes 

 (Lit rod. to Entom., ed. 1857). Perhaps some Nor- 

 folk correspondent may be able to rescue the above 

 form of trap from obbvion. — W. W. S. 



Ladybird, Ladybird, ely away Home. 



" The hops are in danger of perishing, and the ladybirds 

 come to the rescue. Millions of these red-cased, black- 

 spotted insects have suddenly made their appearance in Kent 

 and Sussex, and have even extended their flight to the me- 

 tropolis In some places it has been impossible to 



walk without crushing numbers of these diminutive creatures 

 to death." — Standard. 



I would I were a bird, 

 A ladybird so wee ! 

 No ; I should look absurd 

 Among all fowls that be ! 



Besides, how vain in print 

 A transient fame to steal, 

 If doomed to die by dint 

 Of some plebeian heel ! 



No ; in some other shape 



I'll gain the public eye, 



And while men, wondering, gape, 



Through twenty columns fly : 



Oh, yes ! I'll be a four- 

 legged chicken, two-legged flea, 

 Huge hailstone, mushroom, or 

 Enormous gooseberry. — Fun. 



An Electrical Insect. — You are well ac- 

 quainted with the history and properties of the 

 Rata torpedo and Gymnotus electricus ; but I dare 

 aver have no idea, that any iusect possesses their 

 extraordinary powers ; yet I can assure you upon 

 good authority, that Reduvius serratus, commonly 

 known in the West Indies by the name of "the 

 wheel bug," can, like them, communicate an electric 

 shock to the person whose flesh it touches. The 

 late Major-General Davis, of the Boyal Artillery, 

 well known as a most accurate observer of nature, 

 and an indefatigable collector of her treasures, as 

 well as a most admirable painter of them, once in- 

 formed me that when abroad having taken up this 

 animal and placed it upon his hand, it gave him a 

 considerable shock, as if from an electric jar, with 

 its legs, which he felt as high as his shoulders ; and 

 dropping the creature, he observed six marks upou 

 his hand, where the six feet had stood. — Kirby's 

 Introduction. 



