20S 



IT ABDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[Sept. 1, 1SG8. 



ZOOLOGY. 



A retired Eagle.— Near Havre I have observed 

 one instance of truly royal nobility, and, above all, 

 of sobriety, in an eagle. A bird captured at sea, 

 but which has fallen into far too kindly hands in a 

 butcher's house, is so gorged with an abundance of 

 food obtained without fighting that he appears to 

 regret nothing. A Ealstaff of an eagle, he grows 

 fat, and cares no longer for the chase or the plains 

 of heaven. If he no longer fixedly eyes the sun, he 

 watches the kitchen, and for a titbit allows the 

 children to drag him by the tail. — Michelef 's "Bird" 



The Crow. — I saw one daily in the streets of 

 Nantes, on the threshold of an alley, which, in his 

 demi-captivity, could only console himself for his 

 clipped wings by playing tricks with the dogs. He 

 suffered the curs to pass unmolested ; but when his 

 malicious eye espied a dog of handsome figure, 

 worthy indeed of his courage, he hopped behind 

 him, and by a skilful and unperceived manoeuvre 

 leapt upon his back, gave him, hot and dry, two 

 stabs with his strong black beak : the dog fled, 

 howling. Satisfied, tranquil, and serious, the crow 

 returned to his post, and one could never have 

 supposed that so grim-looking a fellow had just 

 indulged in such an escapade. — Ilichekt's " Bird." 



Fecundity of the Queen Bee. — According to 

 the experience of the learned German apiarian 

 Dzierzon, the average duration of life in the queen 

 is four years, and that a prolific queen lays not less 

 than 1,000,000 eggs ; and this opinion is endorsed 

 by the Devonshire bee-keeper. He further informs 

 us that it is nothing unusual to see from 15,000 to 

 20,000 cells occupied by brood during three months 

 of the year. Then we are to add to this period the 

 spring and autumn months, when breeding takes 

 place ; during the first in an increasing ratio, and 

 during the latter in a decreasing ratio ; until, in 

 October or November, it entirely ceases. Then we 

 are to consider that, during this period, the tenants 

 of the brood-cells are removed every three weeks. 

 From this calculation we are enabled to form some 

 idea of the fecundity of a prolific queen. — Fred. 

 Smith, in Ent. Monthly Mag. 



Snake in London. — A short time back one of 

 the workmen of W. H. Burke & Co., sculptors and 

 marble masons, 17, Newman Street, Oxford Street, 

 reported, with much alarm, that he had seen a large 

 snake in the front slab yard. He was at first dis- 

 believed, but the affrighted appearance of the man 

 got him a hearing. A hunt for the snake com- 

 menced amongst the marble slabs, and continued 

 for some time without success, but at length it was 

 seen to shoot across the yard, enter the stock room, 

 and disappear down a hole in the floor. The men 

 went to dinner, leaving a sentry to watch the hole, 



anticipating the snake would return when all was 

 quiet, which proved to be the case, for in about an 

 hour it was seen to move very cautiously until it got 

 into the sun, where it lay basking, watched by the 

 sentry, anxiously awaiting the return of the men to 

 ensure its capture. To effect this was at the mo- 

 ment rather a difficult and dangerous proceeding, 

 not knowing the species of snake they were dealing 

 with : it was thought venomous, and kept raising its 

 head and showing its fangs as if in defiance. How- 

 ever, its capture was accomplished by oue of the 

 men dexterously placing the end of a long straight- 

 edge or flat ruler over its body, and so holding it 

 firmly to the grouud until secured in a bag, and 

 finally placed in a large empty aquarium, one of the 

 men acting as keeper. The question of food was dis- 

 cussed, and frogs were proposed as a trial. Two 

 were procured from the Highgate ponds the next 

 day and put in beside the snake, and were as 

 speedily dispatched without much ceremony. The 

 snake measures 42 inches long, and is now alive 

 and healthy, having cast its skin last week. To 

 account for its appearance in such a locality," and in 

 the centre of London, has caused many conjectures 

 and makes it worthy of note.— Robert Davison. 



[We have seen the reptile, and it is the common 

 snake Tropidonotus natrix. — Ed.] 



Hawk-Moth.— On the 6th of this month I found 

 a fine larva of the Privet Hawk -Moth at Clifton, 

 Bristol, feeding on the leaves of a variegated holly, 

 very prickly. There was no plant of its usual food 

 near, so that the egg must have been laid by the 

 moth on the holly-bush. This is the only instance 

 in my experience of the larva of a spinx feeding 

 on the holly. The finest specimen of the larva of 

 the Eyed Hawk-Moth which I ever took I found 

 ou a common laurel. — E. S. 



The Starling. — On the 4th of August, at seven 

 o'clock in the evening, I was struck at witnessing 

 several score of starlings making an awkward at- 

 tempt at hawking for insects; so much so that 1 

 observed that these birds were trying to imitate 

 the swallows, which were also ou the wing for 

 insects. The air was full of flies, and having 

 watched the birds with a binocular, I was led to 

 conclude that they were seeking food in this un- 

 usual manner, as from the parched state of the 

 meadows in this season of drought their usual food 

 must have been difficult to obtain. Be this as it 

 may, I have not observed the like action since. It 

 continued for about an hour, and I was interested 

 in watching such ungainly birds trying to vie with 

 the truly graceful swallow in his own element. 1 

 should have had one shot to examine the contents 

 of the stomach, but that they are such favourites, 

 and as insect-destroyers on the ground they are 

 among some of our most useful helpmates.—/. B., 

 Bradford Abbas. 



