Dec. 1, 1868.] 



HAEDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



279 



abnormal in the caudal fin of one of the gold-fish. 

 On closer examination, I found that the fin, instead 

 of being homocercal, has part of the under lobe cut 

 off, as it were, while another] fin, similar to the 

 caudal, but bent in an ungulate form, is attached to 

 its lower edge, giving it a strange and rather awk- 

 ward appearance. The accompanying sketch will 

 perhaps be more descriptive than letter-press. This 

 fish, like many more, has the slight boss in place of 

 the dorsal fin as described by " W. H. D." in last 

 month's Science-Gossip, and the anal is mal- 

 formed.— & Morris. 



them. — W. Wykeliam Terry, H. M. S. " Caledonia," 

 Naples, UtA October, 1868. 



Your correspondent, Mr. Perry, has not observed 

 that I was speaking with the cautious precision 

 needful in stating scientific facts. My animadversion 

 on Mr. Bennett's remark was on the circumstance 

 that he asserts what (though in the highest degree 

 probable) is not yet proven by actual optical evidence, 

 viz., the injection of a fluid. Mr. Perry imagines 

 that I doubt the discharge of this fluid ; but I 

 do not, morally ; yet I say again, it rests on in- 

 ference rather than actual observation. Mr. Perry 



Fig. 258. Monstrosity in Gold Fish. 



Portuguese Man-of-War. — Looking through 

 Vol. III. of Science-Gossip, I was struck by a re- 

 mark of Mr. P. H. Gosse, E.R.S., at page 184, that 

 "the injection of a poisonous fluid" from the sting- 

 ing weapons of the Portuguese Man-of-War "is 

 rather a plausible inference than a matter of sen- 

 sible observation." It reminded me of an incident 

 that occurred to me while bathing, about a month 

 ago, in Augusta Bay, Sicily. Avery large specimen 

 of the Portuguese Man-of-War was floating along- 

 side of the ship. We caught it in a bucket, in which 

 it lay exposing the whole surface of its gelatinous 

 disc above water. I moved it about with my finger, 

 taking care only to touch the bladdery part, and, 

 having finished a short inspection, returned it to 

 the sea. Having done this, I unconsciously put 

 the same hand to my nose and face. In a few 

 minutes the part I had touched became red and 

 swelled, and I experienced the horrible irritating 

 pain that one feels when "stung" by coming in 

 contact with the common sea-nettle (Cyanea capitata) 

 — a sensation to which I am no stranger after four 

 years' constant bathing in the harbours of the Medi- 

 terranean. I have troubled you with this little 

 incident, as I fancy it rather supports Mr. Bennett's 

 statement (quoted at page 161, vol. iii.), which Mr. 

 Gosse appears to doubt, that the "sting" of this 

 Physalia is occasioned by the discharge of an acrid 

 juice (with or without the penetration of any barbs), 

 which would seem to be emitted, not only from 

 its tentacula, but from the whole surface of its 

 body. I would also mention that two small fish 

 escaped from among the tentacula of my Physalia, 

 but were overboard before I could secure or identify 



does not add "an item, not an iota of evidence on 

 this point. We had before abundant proof that 

 contact with the Physalia produces severe irritation 

 of the skin, and many of the symptoms of irritant 

 poisoning; and he goes no farther than this. If 

 he had consulted my " List of Sea-anemones (loc. 

 cit.)," he would have seen that I have gone not 

 only thus far, but much farther, in adducing grounds 

 for believing that the symptoms are due to an in- 

 jected poisou. But still I believe it merely, I 

 cannot assert it. Some excellent observers seem 

 unable to apprehend the nature or the need of pre- 

 cision in language. — P. H. Gosse. 



Tee Heart of Daphnia. — Since the publication 

 of the article on this subject in the October number 

 of Science-Gossip, I have seen a work on the 

 Daphniadse by Dr. Franz Leydig, in which the "slit- 

 apertures " (Spaltbffmingen) or " side-slits " {Ssiten- 

 spalten) are described and figured. The monograph 

 was published at Tubingen in 1SG0. This fact at 

 once disposes of any claim on my part to being the 

 first observer of the heart-action of Daphnia. In 

 making this acknowledgment, I have still the 

 satisfaction to find that my observation of the organ 

 and its homology, as well as the general view I have 

 given of the circulation, although in entire ignorance 

 of Dr. Leydig's work, exactly coincides with the 

 carefully elaborated description to be fouud in his 

 chapter on the circulation of Daphnia. — H. C. Richter, 

 Kensington. 



Gill oe Sword-fish. — The outer, or epidermal 

 layer of the gills of the Sword-fish, is punctured 

 with lines of rounded or elliptical pores or openings. 



