HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



21 



Fleas in Rabbit. — Some time ago I shot a three 

 parts grown rabbit, the upper part of the head and 

 ears of which were so thickly coated with fleas, that 

 the fur on the former and skin on the latter were 

 completely hidden. The fleas did not run up to these 

 parts after the animal was dead (as might be con- 

 jectured), for I went up to it while still alive and 

 kicking, and there were the fleas — all alive, but 

 motionless — forming a shining beady covering on the 

 head and ears. A more disgusting sight I have 

 seldom witnessed. How is it to be accounted for ? — 

 A. Malan. 



Mortality of Shrewmice. — Will some learned 

 correspondent inform me why it is that shrewmice are 

 so frequently found dead, but unmangled, in garden 

 paths, carriage-drives, &c, especially after a heavy 

 rain ? From what cause do they die, and why is it 

 that cats, owls, and other nocturnal depredators do 

 not eat them when in such conspicuous situations ? — 

 A Malan. 



Flight of Woodcocks. — Is it not a curious fact 

 that woodcocks, when leaving the covers at dusk, 

 wide-awake and hungry, as a rule fly slowly, in a 

 more or less lazy, careless "owly " manner ; whereas, 

 at dawn, when returning from the meadows, gorged 

 and sleepy, their flight is most hurried, straight, and 

 rapid — the birds then flying low, just clearing the 

 hedge-rows, and showing every sign of being cautious 

 and eager to avoid danger ? This I have often 

 noticed.— A. Malan. 



The Largest Tree in the World. — There is 

 at present on exhibition in New York a section of an 

 immense tree which has been brought from California. 

 The New York Herald says: — "This wonderful 

 specimen of nature's handiwork was discovered in 

 1874. It was growing in a grove near Tule river, 

 Prulare county, California, about seventy-five miles 

 from Visalia. Its top had been broken off, probably 

 at some remote period, and when discovered it was 

 still 240ft. high. The body of the tree where it was 

 broken was 12ft. in diameter, and had two limbs, 

 measuring respectively 9ft. and 10ft. in diameter. The 

 trunk measured below I lift. This ancient monarch 

 of the forest is called ' Old Moses,' after a mountain 

 near which it stood. It is supposed to be 4840 years 

 old, and it is the largest tree that has ever been dis- 

 covered. The section on exhibition is 75ft. in cir- 

 cumference and 25ft. across. It is capable of holding 

 150 people in its interior. The interior, as it is now 

 fitted up, is arranged like a drawing-room. A carpet 

 has been laid down ; there are a piano, sofa, tables, 

 and chairs, with scenes from California hung around, 

 and people move about quite freely." 



Abundance of Vanessa Cardui in 1879. — 

 We may hope one result of this will be some more 

 light on what is now obscure in the life-history of the 

 species. The summer emergence was, in Kent, 

 certainly heralded by a spring appearance of hybernated 

 specimens ; the more remarkable, considering the 

 severity of the winter. — J. P. S. C. 



Insect Swarms.— The northern part of Wales has 

 been visited this year, not only by an unusual swarm 

 of V. cardui and P. gamma, but also of the pretty 

 little swift Hepialus hectus. In the woods along the 

 coast line from Rhyl to Bangor this swarming was 

 something miraculous, more especially about the 

 Conway valleys. I noticed Hectus in the Park Lake 

 Wood (Llanrwst), not in thousands, but in millions. 

 At rest on the rocks, on blades of grass, flying about 



two or three feet from the ground, " found drowned " 

 in the ditches, a dozen males paying their attentions 

 to one female, some flying swiftly, others hovering 

 about one spot, in quest perhaps of lodging for the 

 night. I sat upon a stone watching them for nearly 

 an hour (at dusk), when suddenly // hectus became 

 to the vision non est. I was delighted with my visitors 

 and there and then swore eternal friendship. Butter- 

 flies, especially T. rubi, members of the family Satyrus, 

 P. brassica and P. raj><c were conspicuous by their 

 absence. A. car da mines, A. selene, and the usual 

 Blues condescended to appear and that is all, whilst 

 V. io and V. cardui were common. Some species of 

 sawflies and ichneumons appeared abundantly. — Ess 

 Dee Bee, Huddersfield. 



Supposed Pit Dwellings on Hayes Common. 

 — Some readers of Mr. Clinch's admirable article on 

 the geology of the above place may feel, like myself, 

 desirous of having more particulars concerning the 

 "pit-dwellings" mentioned. Are they at all like 

 those antique remains found in many parts of Kent and 

 Essex, called " Dane holes" by some, and which are 

 usually connected with underground chambers? 

 According to one authority, these are borings made 

 by the Romans for the purpose of obtaining chalk, 

 but it has been conjectured they were primitive 

 dwellings. As the "hole" is usually a shaft with 

 smooth sides offering uncertain foothold, we can 

 scarcely suppose that if these were habitations the 

 shaft or .well was the ordinary entrance, though it 

 served to admit light and air to chambers or passages 

 below, to which we may suppose access by some 

 other opening that has been closed up in course of 

 time. It has been supposed that these "Dane holes " 

 might be retreats in time of peril, even if they were 

 not dwellings, the mouth being then covered with 

 leaves and twigs. — J. P. S. C. 



Ages of Stags. — Can any of the readers of 

 Science-Gossip tell me what is the greatest age to 

 which a stag attains ? — E. C. T. 



Tomtit's Nest. — A gardener whose grounds are 

 near the Stamford Hill Railway Station, told me that 

 one day as he was leaning against a lamp-post on the 

 platform waiting for a train, he observed a tomtit 

 flying near him, and on looking up he found that just 

 under the lamp in the fork at the top of the post a 

 pair of tomtits had built a nest. As he frequently 

 observed them afterwards he believes that the little 

 birds brought up their family in safety. — H. Pudge. 



Natural History Society. — Would any of your 

 correspondents kindly assist in starting a club or 

 society in the south of London to promulgate the 

 study of Natural History, and to meet the wants of 

 amateurs by naming specimens, &c. ? We have not, 

 I believe, any institution of this description in either 

 Southwark or Lambeth, although the population is 

 far above that of many country towns that have a 

 society of this kind. Certainly there is a South 

 London Entomological Society, but this scarcely 

 meets the want which exists. It would not require 

 many to start such a society, and its ultimate success 

 would depend more on the energy and perseverance 

 of its members than on their number. — Stuart Taylor. 



Phosphorescence of Shore-sand. — Can any 

 one give me the latest information with regard to 

 the tiny originators of specks of light which flew 

 from under the foot every now and then, whilst I 

 was walking recently on the sands at Whitby, under 

 a beclouded moon? One light, larger and more 

 permanent, I had the opportunity of examining, and 



