May 1, 1868.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



117 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



Ants.— Have they reasoning powers? Mr. B. 

 Taylor in your last number revives this old ques- 

 tion. Of course if the question be answered in the 

 affirmative, we cannot deny these powers to other 

 animals as well, and I cannot see how any naturalist 

 in the present day can so deny them; in fact, I 

 think few of our leading men do. The subject 

 involves far too many considerations to be entered 

 upon here ; but we have only to watch these said 

 ants in their labours, the bee in its hive, the dog 

 with his master, to become convinced that the old 

 idea of blind, unreasoning instinct was a false one, 

 and that whatever instincts they may possess, they 

 certainly have also "perception, reflection, and 

 judgment." None of us know why_ they should 

 not ; we have, perhaps, imbibed the idea with our 

 growth, but we cannot tell where from. We should 

 all probably acknowledge, as in the ipstancebrought 

 before us, that they can communicate with each 

 other, and if so, they must have some ideas to 

 communicate. Can they have any ideas without 

 thought? Can thought exist without reasoning 

 faculties? There were one or two interesting arti- 

 cles on the subject in the Intellectual Observer 

 some few years back, and I, for one, unhesitatingly 

 subscribe to the opinion there expressed, that all 

 animals possess reasoning powers, differing from 

 our own, not all in kind, but only in degree.— 

 Henry Ullyett. 



House-flies. — These insects are ovaviparous, 

 and therefore deposit no eggs. I have frequently 

 examined them, and seen the living larva? in situ in 

 the abdomen of the parent.— T.G. P. 



House-flies. -If " C. H. B." will refer to 

 Science-Gossip, vol. i., p. 81, perhaps he may 

 recognize his larvae. If they were those of the 

 "viviparous housefly," probably the eggs were laid 

 in the jar, but if not, I should imagine them to be 

 of an oviviparous outdoor species, the eggs of which 

 were in the Conium when gathered. If the Ext. 

 Conii was prepared by the process of the British 

 Pharmacopoeia, the heat employed (140° F.) is not 

 sufficient to destroy their vitality. As to the 

 poisonous effect of hemlock on the lower forms of 

 insect life, so far from its hurting them, 1 never 

 remember gathering a plant of Conium maculatum 

 which did not swarm with insects, both as larvae 

 and imagines ; and, unless the herbarium specimen 

 is saturated with a preservative solution (e. g., 

 corrosive sublimate), they reappear, and inevitably 

 spoil it. Conium is not the only vegetable poison 

 which does not affect some insects. Strychnia, or 

 at least wheat "poisoned" with it, is a feast for 

 them; as also are Capsicum and the seeds of 

 Hyoscyamus.— Geo. K Rochester. 



Entomostraca — In this month's "Notices to 

 Correspondents" it is stated "that the 'Pairy 

 Shrimp' is almost always to be found in a dirty 

 little pond on Blackheath." In case "G. R. R." 

 should wish for more precise information as to the 

 locality, I have taken Branchipus stagnali\ in the 

 pond on Blackheath just across the highroad 

 leading to Charlton, opposite the principal entrance 

 at the top of Greenwich Park— W. R. T. 



Sundew. — Could any one tell me a locality in 

 Derbyshire for the Drosera rotundifolia, or Sundew ? 

 —31. M. 



New Zealand Greenstone. — This stone within 

 the last few years has become much more common. 

 The New Zealand natives (Maories) of the North 

 Island used to make a great secret of where it was 

 to be found. A large portion has been obtained 

 from the west coast of the Middle Island, which, 

 until the last few years, was quite an unexplored 

 country and inhabited by only a very few Maories. 

 Since the gold-diggings were discovered at Hokatika, 

 the whole of the west coast has been pretty well 

 explored by diggers in search of new gold-fields, and 

 large pieces of greenstone have been found. I 

 myself have seen a piece weighing about 1 cwt., 

 obtained by a digger in that locality ; but it was 

 considered to be of inferior quality, being of dark 

 opaque green and much laminated : the kind most 

 prized is of a pale green clouded ; but some is found 

 almost transparent. I have seen it wrought into 

 figures or ornaments by the Maories, which they wear 

 suspended round the neck, they also wear it in long 

 pendants fastened through the ear by a piece of 

 black ribbon. I have also seen meries (a weapon 

 about fifteen inches long) made from it. During the 

 late war the men of the colonial forces possessed 

 themselves of many valuable pieces of greenstone. 

 Whenever a Hau Hau (or rebel) was killed wearing 

 a piece, it was taken from his ear as a trophy. It is 

 difficult to purchase, for the Maories are reluctant to 

 part with it, and ask most exorbitant prices. 

 Articles made from the greenstone are handed down 

 as heirlooms from one generation to another. I 

 have in my possession a small piece about an inch 

 long obtained from a rebel shot at Tungarehu (Patea 

 district) which the Maories have valued at 30s. or 

 £2. A common ornament worn from the ear is a 

 shark's tooth also suspended.— T. R. 



Storm Glass.— Since writing to you last month 

 I have tried the following receipt with complete 

 success. Camphor, 272 drachms ; nitre, 38 grains ; 

 sal ammoniac, 3S grains ; distilled (or boiled) water, 

 9 drachms ; rectified spirits, 6 drachms. Water to 

 be added last. When mixed, warm it before the 

 fire. Add a little more water or spirit, till the 

 sediment assumes the requisite appearance. 



Volvox and Water-fleas.— I do not know if 

 it is satisfactorily settled to what kingdom the 

 volvox belongs ; perhaps the following may help. 

 Do water-fleas subsist on animal or vegetable sub- 

 stances? I have seen several fleas contain small 

 volvox, and others feeding on them, it taking some 

 minutes to get them between their shells, they 

 appearing to push the volvox against the side of 

 the aquarium. If the fleas only take animal food, I 

 think it will be sufficient to show clearly to what 

 kingdom the volvox belongs.—^. G. 



Egg within Egg.— Is it a usual thing to see a 

 duck's egg with two yolks, and inside one of the 

 yolks another small egg— a perfect egg, shell and 

 yolk— about the size of a pigeon's egg ? I have the 

 shells of such an egg by me just now.— A. Hawkins, 

 14, Fair Street, Cambridge. 



Double Egg.— Yesterday one of my servants, on 

 opening a hen's egg, found another egg within it. 

 The inclosed was about the size of a robin's egg, 

 with a well-formed, slightly rough shell. It lay in 

 the white. The parent egg was full formed and was 

 eaten. I heard of it on arriving home, and secured the 

 small one. It has not yet been opened.— E. L. S. in 

 American Naturalist, March, 1868. 



