Nov. 1, 1S68.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



263 



Terror at a Bat. — The paragraph in your 

 October number, headed " What's in a Name ? " 

 reminded me of an incident which may perhaps 

 amuse some of your readers. One night, in the hot 

 weather last summer, I was sitting alone, reading, 

 when I was suddenly interrupted by the cook, who 

 informed me, in terrified accents, that there was a 

 Horse-stinger in the kitchen. Unable for the instant 

 to comprehend what she could possibly mean, I 

 proceeded to the spot, and found that the dreaded 

 monster was nothing more than a poor bat, that had 

 probably entered by the open door, and not at all 

 relishing its new quarters, was wildly flying round 

 and round the gas-light. I easily captured it, and 

 found it to he one of the long-eared species, Plecotus 

 communis ; but it was some time before I could pre- 

 vail upon the awestruck cook to approach it, and 

 even then she was by no means sure that the beau- 

 tiful little creature was not after all a Horse-stinger. 

 I did my best to point out to her its wonderfully 

 delicate structure, and at last wrung from her the 

 remark, " Well, there is queer things as flies about 

 at nights, to be sure ! " I think that there is scarcely 

 anything more painful to a lover of nature than 

 to see some of the choicest gifts of our Creator 

 regarded by the ignorant with superstitious and 

 uncalled-for fear. The evil is, no doubt, gradually 

 diminishing, but it is still deeply rooted and wide- 

 spread among the lower orders of our population.— 

 Edward Banks, Tettenhall, near Wolverhampton. 



Harvest Mites. — Answerto M.D.P. in Science- 

 Gossip of October 1st, 186S.— I also, like your cor- 

 respondent in last month's Science-Gossip, have 

 had a not very pleasing experience of Harvest Mites 

 when visiting in Lincolnshire, but have always 

 found the application of a little diluted liquor am- 

 moniac effect a cure at once. — /. S. 



Stickleback. Disease. — In one part of the river 

 Itchen, enclosed between locks, there are great shoals 

 of the Three-spined Stickleback {Gasterosteus acu- 

 leatus). These fish are almost universally affected 

 with a disease which appears in the form of round 

 white excrescences, minutely veined, and varying 

 in size from a pin's head to a pea. The disease 

 attacks the head, gill-plate, and caudal extremity 

 of the spine. These balls are soft and sensitive, 

 and quite impede the movements of the fish. The 

 stream runs on a chalky bottom, and contains abun- 

 dance of stone loach, — but these are quite healthy. 

 Can any reader explain the disease, and its partial 

 occurrence ?—A. H. E., Southampton. 



Insects on Ferns. — The insects on the ferns 

 mentioned by "A. A." must be the "Thrips." 

 The best means of destroying them, according to my 

 experience, is by the use of tobacco dust, which is 

 sold at most of the seed-shops. The way I use it is 

 as follows .- — I f get a piece of fine muslin about 

 three inches square, and place some of the dust in 

 the centre ; then draw up the corners of the muslin, 

 and tie them round, forming a loose pad; I then 

 get the plant and jerk the pad over the part affected, 

 which soon gets covered with the dust, and leave it 

 until the next day, then syringe it well. I keep the 

 pad in a tin box, so that it is always ready for use. 

 — J. Morley. 



Local Names of Birds and other Animals. 

 — Any lists will be acceptable towards preparing a 

 communication for this journal. To be sent either 

 to the Editor, or B. Holland, Mobberley, Knutsford, 

 Cheshire. 



Spider Maternal Affection.— For some time 

 past the pages of Science-Gossip have been replete 

 with what doubtless has proved, to some of its 

 readers at least, interesting information concerning',' 

 the structure, character, and habits of Spiders. 

 Some of these communications have not been of a 

 kind likely to increase the popular esteem for the 

 creatures that have been their subject. If any of 

 the readers of Science-Gossip experienced a re- 

 vulsion of feeling at the sight or mention of these 

 " horrid " creatures, before perusing some of the 

 notices in question, they must have had their sen- 

 sations considerably intensified by the reading of 

 not a few of them. This is a feeling, I confess, I 

 have from early youth shared with many, very many 

 persons. Spiders alvyays appeared ugly and repul- 

 sive to me, until an incident which came under my 

 observation demonstrated that within their un- 

 sightly exteriors there resides a spring of genuine 

 parental solicitude and affection that would be well 

 if found more frequently in the possession of many 

 who boast a vastly higher position [in " being's end- 

 less chain." In the course of last summer, when 

 out for a naturalist's " constitutional," the circum- 

 stance alluded to above came under my notice, 

 which, in justice to the " poison-fang " fraternity, I 

 have thought ought to be told. In an old hedge, 

 dry as dust, I found a great many varieties of 

 spiders, which (not being acquainted with Staveley 

 or any other of their friends) 1 unfortunately can- 

 not name. One of these, a dark-coloured, grizly- 

 looking jade, I captured, with a view to our 

 becoming better acquainted. Under, and in imme- 

 diate contact with, the abdomen, she carried a 

 cocoon, containing (I presume) eggs or baby- 

 spiders. In form and size it resembled a small 

 grain of hempseed, and was kept in its place by the 

 first pair of legs clasping it. When the cocoon 

 was severed from her, the mother would not leave 

 the palm of my hand on which I held them, but 

 stood at a short distance, apparently watching in- 

 tently her precious load, towards which she several 

 times made a rush,'and with a rapidity that eluded my 

 sight, picked it up, and attempted to make off with it. 

 I several times deprived this dutiful mother of her 

 charge, and as often she proved that she valued her 

 own life less than its loss. Indeed the " first law of 

 nature," self-preservation, seemed in her case to 

 have been suspended. — B. Taylor. 



To Kill House Ants.— For about six years I 

 was troubled with them. The little pests used to 

 eat up everything they could get at ; but I got rid 

 of them at length by the following means, which I 

 recommend to " H. E. M." : — Put some sort of bait, 

 such as a piece of bloater, into an old teapot, and 

 close the lid ; the ants will get down the spout, and 

 find their way to the piece of fish, where they will 

 stop for days together. About every other day pour 

 boiling water into the teapot, clean it out well, and 

 set the trap again. — P. T. Palmer. 



Ailanthus Moth. — I had some young larvae of 

 Alianthus moth given me this summer. They 

 changed into pupa? about the end of July, in which 

 state I expected them to remain until next spring, 

 but the moths came out at the beginning of Sep- 

 tember. Is that the usual time for them to remain 

 in the pupa state, or is it on account of the hot 

 weather ? — B. B. Scott. 



Privet Sphinx Larva.— In reply to W.Bradford, 

 [ beg to state I have often seen the larva of the 

 Privet Hawk-moth feeding on dogwood. — H. 



Chalwin. 



