HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



7i 



would expect leonine cubs to show traces of markings, 

 although I cannot say without reference whether 

 they do so or not. Lastly, placing the lion and tiger 

 in the same genus (Felis) is not attempted, as the 

 lion constitutes the genus Leo, the tiger Tigris, and 

 the wild cat and its congeners Felis, all three genera j 

 making up with others the cat family. — Ernest G. 

 /farmer. 



Hybernation of Cuckoo.— I see that W. P. is 

 exercised about the hybernation of a cuckoo. Such 

 a hybernation has been known before. I remember 

 having read somewhere (I believe in White's 

 " Selborne "), that a bundle of sticks was on a certain 

 •occasion brought into a room, and the heat roused a 

 cuckoo which was hybemating in the bundle. This 

 is even a more extraordinary case than that mentioned 

 by W. P., and goes to confirm the truth of his 

 statement. — F. II. Perry Coste. 



Bats. — As another correspondent mentions the 

 fact that bats are seen flying in Maidstone in mild 

 weather in winter, it may interest him to know that 

 according to White, bats fly whenever the temperature 

 is above 56 degrees. (I quote from memory, but 

 believe I am right in the number.) — F. H. Perry 

 Coste. 



Flint or Stone Implements. — I should be 

 greatly obliged if any of your readers can inform me 

 if any such implements were found in the peat on the 

 wild moors of Allendale, Northumberland ? Where 

 were they found, and what kind of stone were they 

 composed of ? — J. R. Hewitson, Mirfield, Yorks. 



Stickleback. — Can any readers kindly enlighten 

 me as to the cause, or probable cause of this fish turning 

 an iridescent colour after death ? The reason the 

 bodies of sticklebacks become such beautiful colours 

 during life, I believe is due to the excitement which 

 at such times is generally prevalent. As to how these 

 colours, the predominant of which is brilliant red, 

 are exhibited by the fish, full particulars concer- 

 ning it will be gratefully accepted by me. — A. II. 

 Fry. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Exchangers. — As we now 

 publish Science-Gossip earlier than heretofore, we cannot 

 possibly insert in the following number any communications 

 which reach us later than the 8th of the previous month. 



To Anonymous Querists. — We receive so many queries 

 which do not bear the writers' names that we are forced to 

 adhere to our rule of not noticing them. 



To Dealers and others. — We are always glad to treat 

 dealers in natural history objects on the same fair and general 

 ground as amateurs, in so far as the "exchanges " offered are fair 

 exchanges. But it is evident that, when their offers are simply 

 disguised advertisements, for the purpose of evading the cost of 

 advertising, an advantage is taken oi out gratuitous insertion of 

 '• exchanges " which cannot be tolerated. 



We request that all exchanges may be signed with name (or 

 initials) and full address at the end.. 



Investigator. — Harvey's "Phycologia," 3 vols., with 

 coloured illustrations of species, deals with British marine algae ; 

 the " Phycologia Australis " deals similarly with southern 

 species. The " Treasury of Botany," 2 vols., is a work such as 

 you require, each short paragraph being written by a specialist. 

 No dictionary of natural history is out, except that of Beeton's, 

 which would not come up to your requirements. Get Cassell's 

 "Natural History," 6 vols., edited by Prof. M. Duncan. 



H.W. D. — The best wav of killing the small animals you 

 mention is by means of chloroform. 



W. Boardman. — The " Botanical Gazette" is an American 

 periodical, published at Indianapolis. 



Arion. — Address Mr. J. W. Taylor, St. Ann Street, Leeds, 

 for information as to the Conchological Society. 



R. F. Z. — The theories about the American gas and oil wells 

 have been published in various American Geological Survey 

 works. There is little doubt they originate from rocks rich in 

 organic matter, and the latter is distilled by the heat in the 

 interior of the earth. 



A. E. Hudson. — For all details concerning the Botanical 

 Record Club, inquire of Mr. Charles Bailey, F.L.S., Ashfield 

 College Road, Whalley Range, Manchester. For Botany of 

 Switzerland, see the articles by Dr. De Crespigny, published in 

 Science-Gossip four years ago. 



A. P. — In spite of the terracotta representation of a stork 

 carrying off a child, we do not think those birds are guilty of 

 the trick ! It would have to be a much more powerful stork 

 than any we know of to carry off a child. 



J. Hamson. — Get Mr. English's book (price is. 6d.), on 

 " How to Preserve Fungi with all their Colours." Address him 

 at Epping, Essex. 



G. E. A., jun.— The volumes of the Pateontographical So- 

 ciety are published annually to members, who subscribe one 

 guinea a year. Applv to the honorary secretary, the Rev. 

 Thomas Wiltshire, 25 Granville Park, Lewisham, London, S.E. 

 J. S. H. — From your description, we have no doubt the 

 object you mention, obtained during your friend's voyage, is 

 the glass rope-sponge {Hyalonc/ua mirabilis). 



Ledaig. — The specimen you sent is purple sandpiper (Tringa 

 maritima). 



J. Hart. — We thank you for your kind offer. 

 James Sims. — Your letter to hand, but the moss is missing. 

 F. M. P. — See Science-Gossip, 18S3, Nos. 225 and 226, for 

 "A New History of the Sparrow." 



C. A. M. — You cannot do better than get Shuckhard's 

 " Briiish Bees" (with illustrations), published by Lovell Reeve 

 and Co., at 10s. 6d. 



R. Cairns. — Davis's monograph, "On the Fossil Fi ? hes of 

 the Carboniferous Limestone,'' may be obtained, we should 

 imagine, of the secretary of the Royal Dublin Society. Apply 

 to him. 



W. H. B.— Your specimens are : (1) Filago Gallica; (2) Tri- 

 folium procumbens ; 13) is too obscure even to guess at. 



J. Challis — Your specimens (from Broomfield, &c.) are not 

 from the Boulder clay at all, but from the London clay. No. 1 

 is a phosphatic nodule, just as formed in the London clay. 

 These nodules, when washed out of the London clay and re- 

 deposited in the crag beds, form the well-known " Coprolites " 

 of the latter formation. No. 2 is a fragment of hardened sand, 

 whose particles are coated with manganese. No. 3, a cluster 

 of macled crystals of Selenite, from the London clay. 



EXCHANGES. 



Good botanical, histological, crystals, polariscopic, diatoms, 

 fish scales and miscellaneous, microscopic slides for others as 

 good of bacilli, entozoa, algae, desmids, zoophytes, rocks, fossil 

 woods. — B. Wells, Dalmain Road, Forest Hill. 



Offered, specimens of Cynomorion coccineum in exchange 

 for works on natural history. — Cajetan Platania Platania, Yia 

 S. Giuseppe 14, Acireale, Sicily. 



Duplicates : Helix scabriuscula, Fissurclla neglecta, Ha- 

 liotis lamellosa, and many other Sicilian land and marine 

 shells. Desiderata : British and foreign land and marine 

 shells. — Cajetan Platania Platania, Via S. Giuseppe 14, Acireale, 

 Sicily. 



Offered, six-chambered pin-fire revolver, nearly new, and 

 cartridges. Wanted, skates (full size"), good coins, or other 

 things. — A. W. Harrison, Edith House, Parchmore Road, 

 Croydon. 



Offered, mounted specimens of the wonderful and beautiful 

 lichen Ramalina reticulata, also specimens of Usnea barbata, 

 in exchange for rare lichens, ferns, or shells. — J. Reed, Santa 

 Clara, Santa Clara Co. California, U.S.A. 



A very good collection of English lepidoptera, well set and 

 'n fine preservation, including several hawk-moths, for sale or 

 in exchange for works on Natural History. List sent on appli- 

 cation. — F. Hayward Parrott, Walton House, Aylesbury. 



A very fine and complete collection of fossils from the chalk 

 of Surrey and Kent (specially rich in sharks' palate teeth, both 

 in variety and number) together with a collection of minerals 

 and crystals (including a group of amethyst crystals 40 inches 

 in circumference, and a slab of flexible sandstone) will be ex- 

 changed for English coins in fine preservation. — A. B., 97 Burton 

 Road, Stockwell, S.W. 



Specimens of Urania Sloanci in exchange for good micro 

 camera lucida, or good photographic wide angle lens, or 

 offers. — J. Hart, Gordon Town, Jamaica. 



Hugh Miller's "Old Red Sandstone" (1882) and Science- 

 Gossip in part, complete from i88r to 1884 for good rock-sec- 

 tions. — E. Halse, 15 Clarendon Road, Notting Hill, W. 



Thirty different starches mounted in balsam, for exchange. 

 Desiderata : insects' eggs, parasites, pollens, gorgonias and 

 histological sections. — N. Irving, 16 Acomb Street, Manchester. 



Last six years' numbers of Science-Gossip for exchange. 

 Offers wanted in slides, books or micro-material. — J. Beaton, 

 M.A., 219 Upper Brook Street, Manchester. 



