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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[Oct. 1, 1S6S. 



more were filled with insects which make havoc in 

 different kinds of dry or growing timber, and 

 another contained such as trouble animals and men. 

 Those persons who are interested in the mosquito 

 question may, perhaps, be glad to know that of the 

 two species shown here, one was the common Culex 

 pipiens, the other, a somewhat larger insect, being 

 designated Culex tnaculipennis. Eor the destruc- 

 tion of hurtful insects an extraordinary number of 

 devices were exhibited ; such as bottles, fly-papers, 

 poisons, and insecticide powders, together with a 

 variety of apparatus for their effectual application. 



In the third division {Insectivora) there was an 

 excellent collection of stuffed birds, with their 

 nests and eggs, and many contrivances for the fos- 

 tering and preservation of their young. The value 

 to the agriculturist of these feathered allies, es- 

 pecially in a country teeming with insect life, was 

 demonstrated by carefully tabulated statements, and 

 by the exhibition of upwards of 300 glass tubes, 

 each of which contained the debris of cockchafers 

 and other destructive insects taken from the crops 

 of little birds. In the same class were also a num- 

 ber of live tortoises, lizards, and other insect- 

 feeders, as well as of ichneumons, and such insects 

 as prey upon their fellows. Many other items of 

 much interest in this room must remain unnoticed ; 

 I would only name some beautiful dissections of 

 insects intended for class instruction, some micro- 

 scopes by several eminent opticians, and a set of 

 well-executed microscopical drawings of parasitic 

 insects of every kind. 



In the last room to be examined I found a com- 

 plete collection of every requisite for the entomolo- 

 gist and the collector ; also a number of plants in a 

 deplorable condition from the attacks of aphides 

 and other garden pests ; and a series of oil-paintings, 

 representing the homes of insects and the un- 

 happy plight of sundry animals who had ventured 

 to intrude upon them. Here also upon a long 

 table were numerous copies of different serials and 

 books on natural history, very many of which are 

 deserving of more than a passing notice. Of these, 

 perhaps the most importaut was a work on the 

 Coleoptera of Europe, in four volumes, illustrated 

 by more than 300 coloured plates ; the published 

 price, however, £7 sterling, would no doubt much 

 restrict its sale. Two other books, "Le Monde 

 des Bois," and "Le Monde des Papillons," particu- 

 larly attracted my attention ; the latter, illustrated 

 by 50 coloured plates and many wood-engravings, 

 is well worthy of a place in the library of every 

 naturalist. Many of the diagrams exhibited were 

 also admirably got up, and were issued at a price so 

 moderate as to be within the easy reach of all. 

 Having completed my examination of this very 

 interesting exhibition, I could not help feeling some 

 regret that, with one solitary exception, English 

 entomologists were unrepresented, a circumstance 



which I endeavoured to account for to those who 

 made it a subject of remark, by the supposition 

 that sufficient publicity had not been given to the 

 preliminary announcement in England. And now, 

 by way of conclusion to my paper, perhaps I may be 

 permitted to state, for the further information of 

 those interested in the matter, that the Societe 

 d'Insectologie Agricole was established in Paris in 

 1867, for the special study of those branches of en- 

 tomology which are of practical importance to the 

 agricultural and industrial portions of the commu- 

 nity. Its affairs are conducted by a committee of 

 thirteen, with the usual officers, and all persons de- 

 sirous of joining are eligible for membership without 

 distinction of nationality or residence; the annual 

 subscription is fixed at 10 francs, in return for 

 which, members are entitled to attend the meetings 

 of the society and to receive such publications as 

 may be issued by it. R. T. Lewis. 



DOUBLE EGGS. 



DURING one of our natural ^history explora- 

 tions last year (1867) we found in a wood 

 near Eule, Staffordshire, a blackbird's nest in 

 which was one unusually large egg, fully as big as a 

 pigeon's egg. The prize was carried away as a 

 curiosity on account of its size, but shortly after, 

 the shell being accidentally broken revealed a still 

 greater marvel,— "a second egg within the first." 

 This latter was slightly smaller than usual, had the 

 usual colour-markings, and when blown was found 

 to contain both "white" and yolk, the latter with a 

 well-developed cicatricula. 



At the time we supposed the discovery unique ; 

 but on referring to Hardwicke's Science-Gossip 

 for 1S67 we found no less than five similar instances 

 recorded ; all the eggs, however, were either hens' 

 or ducks', no doubt from these coming under more 

 frequent observation than other birds' eggs. 



In each of these instances there seems to have 

 been only one yolk, and that always in the inner egg. 

 In one or two of the cases the inner egg was ex- 

 cessively small— the size of a wren's ; these were, in 

 fact, mere abortions, and of course no chicken could 

 be hatched therefrom. 



But in the double egg we discovered, both shells 

 contained white and yolk in a perfect state, so that 

 two chicks might have been hatched, as is the case 

 when two yolks are contained in one and the same 

 shell. 



As George the Third marvelled how the apple 

 got into the midst of a seamless dumpling ; as Pope 

 marvelled at the trifles found in amber— 



" Pretty ! in amber to observe the forms 



Of hairs, or straws, or dirt, or grubs, or worms : 

 The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare, 

 But wonder how the devil they got there j" 



so we marvel at double eggs ! It seems as if one 



