ArML 1, 1S6S.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



85 



wounded soon ceases to struggle. On one occasion 

 whilst removing the web of a very large individual of 

 the geometric spider, I cast the spider herself into 

 the snare of a Tegenaria atrica, which stood over the 

 prostrate Epeira, ready to strike as soon as any 

 movement became apparent. The Epeira, with 

 legs gathered up, remained motionless — simula- 

 ting death — for some considerable time. The 

 spiders were on the margin of the web, where 

 the texture is less dense than elsewhere, and 

 either the weight of the spiders caused the liues 

 to give way, or the Epeira had been watching her 

 opportunity to escape, for suddenly she fell through 

 the meshes — the Tegenaria rushed wildly about, as 

 if in search of the savory meal which had just 

 slipped from her jaws. The unfortunate Epeira 

 only escaped the jaws of one foe to fall into those of 

 another, which I had not previously observed, whose 

 web was spread beneath that of Tegenaria No. 1, at 

 the distance of six or eight inches. Spider No. 2 

 was a much smaller individual, and the Diadem 

 seemed indisposed to yield herself a prisoner without 

 some effort to escape. The Tegenaria seized her by 

 the leg, and endeavoured to drag her into the den, 

 until with a stick I drove her away. Instead of 

 escaping, the Epeira fell over on her side, and ex- 

 hibited no movement beyond a quivering in the 

 limb wounded by the Tegenaria — a small globule of 

 fluid appearing where the wound had been made. I 

 touched the creature several times, but she was to 

 all appearances nearly dead ; and as she appeared 

 active enough before she was seized by spider No. 2, 

 I have no doubt that her loss of power was entirely 

 owing to the wound inflicted by the poisonous fangs 

 of the Tegenaria. Whilst removing the apparently 

 defunct spider from the web, the Tegenaria sud- 

 denly pounced upon her and carried her to the 

 larder. 



Possibly, you do not feel encouraged to observe 

 this creature's habits more closely. Do not, 

 however, despise it because'it presents few features 

 attractive to the eye. llemember that it is not 

 savage because of its formidable appearance and 

 solitary habits : how frequently are rich colours 

 and symmetry of form combined with seemingly 

 savage propensities. Nor is the gloomy monster 

 destitute of beauty, if by the term we mean simply 

 pleasing to the eye. Examine by aid of the micro- 

 scope the several organs of the body— how beautiful 

 their structure, and how nicely adapted to fulfil 

 the various purposes for which they were designed. 

 The disposition of the various parts displays the 

 same consummate skill exhibited in the arrange- 

 ment of the scales on the wing of the richly painted 

 butteifly, the feathers of the gorgeous humming- 

 bird, or the tinted petals of the flower ; and he is 

 no true naturalist who fails to perceive beauty in 

 even the most despised creatures. 



Brixton. Edwarb II. Robertson. 



MAINE DEPOSITS. 



FN the last volume of this journal the Diatom- 

 -*- aceous forms found in a deposit from Mon- 

 mouth, in the State of Maine, U.S., were figured 

 and described. Through the kindness of the Rev. 

 E. C. Bolles this deposit was very widely distributed 

 amongst microscopists in this country ; and, again, 

 we are indebted to the same gentleman for similar 

 deposits from other localities in the same State. 

 These sub-peat deposits are far from uncommon in 

 the United States, and to Dr. Meade Edwards we 

 are indebted for samples from other and distant 

 localities. As the Maine deposits have been sent 

 over for exchange amongst British microscopists, it 

 is to them that the first attention should be given ; 

 and it is proposed to describe and figure, when 

 requisite, the principal forms which have been 

 detected therein. One of these deposits is known 

 as the "Duck Pond," and is found at Waterford ; 

 the other as " French's Pond" or "Chalk Pond," 

 from Albany, both in the State of Maine, and 

 at least one hundred miles distant from Mon- 

 mouth, whence the deposit already described was 

 obtained. 



At present we are deficient in any precise infor- 

 mation regarding these deposits other than already 

 indicated. Many of the forms found in the Mon- 

 mouth material are more or less plentiful in the 

 other two deposits. Of these we may enumerate 

 Pinmtlariagigas, figured in Sciexce-Gossip for 1SG7 

 (p. 181, fig. 1S9), Pinnularia dactylics, Pinnularia 

 stauroneifonuis ( Science- Gossip 1SG7, p. 133, 

 figs. 142, 143), Navicula firma, variety /3 (p. 156, 

 fig. 151), Navicula rhomboides, variety (3 (p. 157, 

 fig. 15S), Sitrirella intermedia (p. ISO), Surirella 

 linearis (p. 180, fig. 1S7), Stauroneis phocnicenteron, 

 Stauroneis legumen (p. 157, fig. 1G0), and the 

 crenate Eimotue (see p. 15S). Many forms which 

 are found in 'the Monmouth material do not occur 

 in these deposits at all. Of these may be enumerated 

 Navicula, serians, variety fi, Navicula firma, variety c, 

 and Actinella punctata. The diatoms found in the 

 Duck Pond and French's Pond deposits are less 

 perfectly preserved than those in the Monmouth, 

 and are much more difficult to separate, requiring 

 the aid of an alkali to render them available for 

 microscopic examination. This circumstance would 

 seem to indicate that the present deposits belong 

 to an earlier epoch than the Monmouth. This 

 siliceous cementation is very apparent in the early 

 marine deposits, some of them requiring the aid of 

 strong caustic potash, or soda, to break up the 

 material. A Californian deposit known as " Mon- 

 terey stone" will only yield to that treatment when 

 broken up into small fragments. 



The other American fresh-water sub-peat deposits, 

 before alluded to, are those of East Stoughtou, 

 Salem, and Ipswich, in the State of Massachusetts; 



