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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[May 1, 1868. 



Venom or Toads. — The Toad, formerly con- 

 sidered as a creature to be feared, does in reality 

 possess a venom capable of killing certain animals 

 and injuring man. This poison is not as is generally 

 thought, secreted by the mouth : it is a sort of 

 epidemic cutaneous secretion, which acts powerfully 

 if the skin be abraded at the time of contact. Dogs 

 which bite toads, soon give voice to howls of pain. 

 On examination it is found that the palate and 

 tongue are swollen, and a viscous mucus is exuded. 

 Smaller animals coming under the influence of the 

 venom undergo true narcotic poisoning, soon 

 followed by convulsions and death. Experiments 

 made by MM. Gratiolet, Cloez, and Vulpian, 

 show that the matter exuding from the parotid 

 region of the toad becomes poisonous when intro- 

 duced into the tissues. A tortoise of the species 

 Testudo Mauritanica lamed in the hind foot, was 

 completely paralysed at the end of fifteen days ; and 

 the paralysis lasted during several months. Some 

 savages in South America use the acid fluid of the 

 cutaneous glands of the toad instead of the curara. 

 The venom exists in somewhat large quantities on 

 the toad's back. Heated with ether, it dissolves, 

 leaving a residuum ; the evaporated solution ex- 

 hibits oleaginous granules. The residuum contains 

 a toxic powder sufficiently strong, even after com- 

 plete desiccation, to kill a small bird. — British 

 Medical Journal. 



Corn-crake. — Could you inform me if the Corn- 

 crake (Gallinula crex) ever arrives here as early as 

 the 4th of April? Eor I certainly heard one on 

 that date in some fields totally devoid of trees or 

 hedges ; so that it is not possible for me to have 

 confused it with either the missit, thrush, or jack- 

 daw. — Samuel Drewett, Luton, Beds. 



[The latter end of April is the usual period for 

 the appearance of the Corn-crake.] 



The Three Rooks. — In 1865 a rook's nest was 

 built in a large elm-tree upon the school estate in 

 this village, three rooks taking their share in the 

 work, and two constantly occupying it when com- 

 pleted ; the third being engaged in feeding the two 

 sitting partners. They were unsuccessful with 

 heir first batch of eggs, but late in the season 

 tried again, and reared two or three young ones. 

 In the autumn of the same year the rooks removed 

 the material of the nest, and reconstructed it in the 

 next tree ; but in the spring of 1866 returned to the 

 old place, using the old material so far as it would 

 go ; the partnership again consisting of three mem- 

 bers, which were again successful in rearing their 

 young. This year the nest is being repaired, and is 

 only tenanted by two birds ; but another is nearly 

 completed in the same tree, and belongs to another 

 company of three. Can any of the readers of 

 SciENCE-Gossir inform me if this kind of eccen- 



tricity is common among birds ; or is this a solitary 

 case of hereditary peculiarity ?—A. Linuey. 



Eurze Mites. — We have received from Mr. W. 

 T. Loy, of Croydon, specimens of Furze Mites taken 

 at Croydon in August, 1867, and therefore record 

 the locality as an additional one to those previously 

 named by the Rev. WJ,W. Spicer in this journal. 



Church Service Stopped by Moths.— A re- 

 markable plague of moths fell upon Sydney and St. 

 Leonard's, Australia, last autumn. The Rev. W. B, 

 Clark, writing from the latter place under date of 

 October 10, says the moths first appeared in the 

 church on the 14th of September, and for a month 

 from that time had gone on increasing in numbers ; 

 and although several bushels had been destroyed, 

 the army was undiminished. On Sunday 6th 

 October, the state of the church was such, from the 

 accumulated dust from the moths' wings, and the 

 incessant swarms that were continually flying 

 through the building, that divine service could not 

 be held therein. On the 10th October, Mr. Clark 

 counted 80,000 on the windows alone ; and in the 

 tower and below the floor he calculated there were 

 many millions. Erom specimens forwarded to this 

 country, the creature is ascertained to be the 

 "Boogong"or "Gnarliong" moth {Agrotis spini) . 

 It is eaten by the aborigines, either baked in the 

 ground, or pounded into a paste for cakes. (See 

 also Science-Gossip, 1866, p. 45.) 



Ancient Turtle. — The Oxford Democrat tells 

 this story of an ancient turtle. Last fall, Melander 

 Eorbes, of East Buckfield, found in that vicinity a 

 Mud Turtle, about ten inches in diameter, which 

 was marked on the under shell, "J. P. 1826," being 

 much worn, which were the initials of Capt. Joseph 

 Parris, of Buckfield, deceased father of Hon. V. D. 

 Parris. Besides a cross, it bore the initials "O. P." 

 of Orren Philbrook, of Buckfield, deceased of later 

 date. It was minus one half of one of its fore legs. 

 After marking him again, he was permitted to run 

 at large. Martin Drake, now of Buckfield, saw the 

 Parris turtle, so called, in 1S10, half a mile from the 

 place where last seen, marked " J. P." 



The Californian Quail. — This is not a British 

 species, clearly, and can have only escaped from 

 some aviary. As it freely breeds in captivity, it has 

 become a common bird in Britain : it has no claim, 

 however, to be considered even a rare visitor to this 

 country.— C. O. G. Napier. 



West London Eield Club is the new title 

 assumed by the Society of Amateur Botanists, in 

 indication of its having ceased to confine its opera- 

 tions to botany, and that for the future its principal 

 feature will be field-work. The executive solicit 

 the co-operation of entomological amateurs, aud all 

 persons interested in natural history. A list of 

 excursions for the summer is in preparation. 



