i3 2 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



an interference with the ordinary processes of nature, 

 inducing a sudden and abnormal development of some 

 putrefactive vegetable ferment which breaks out in a 

 predominant form of disease. 



Hospital gangrene was supposed by Berkeley to be 

 of this nature. This much is certain, that the salmon 

 by its environments is subject to conditions of so 

 artificial a character as to render it improbable that 

 any indigenous wild animal can submit to, without 

 impoverishment, or adapt itself to the rapidly alter- 

 ing circumstances ; hence, unless there is a general 

 reversion to natural conditions, only those will 

 remain, which can survive amidst the increasing 

 pollution consequent upon trade extension and the 

 development of mineral resources. 



It therefore follows that all available means should 

 be adopted in order to conform to natural require- 

 ments and that the fish should be permitted to follow 

 their habits without the interposition of barriers, which 

 interfere with tendencies and instincts that are 

 actually bound up with the creature's existence, and 

 which may be justly regarded as so many inflexible 

 laws laid down by nature for the preservation of a 

 species. 



NOTES ON THE LUCERNARIAD^. 



THIS family of the order Anthozoa Jielianthoida 

 is of great interest, yet probably less known 

 than most of the huge class of marine zoophytes. 

 From my experience in the Isle of Wight, the 

 Lucernariae are easily met with, being generally 

 distributed about low-water mark, visible to the 

 naked eye, and easily transferred alive from the 

 Algae to which they attach themselves to the 

 aquarium ; they are hardy, and will live for a long 

 time if the aquarium is maintained in a healthy 

 condition. Johnston gives the following description 

 of the Lucernaria : — " Body campanulate, fixed, when 

 at rest, by a narrow disk or stalk : mouth quadran- 

 gular, in the expansion : tentacula disposed in tufts at 

 regular distances on the margin, oviparous, having 

 internal ovaries." 



I. Lucernaria fasckularis. This is the common 

 form, found generally attached to Algae at extreme 

 low-water. It has the power of attaching itself to 

 any object either by the base or the tentacles. If the 

 hand is placed on a specimen in the clear pool it will 

 immediately adhere to the finger, leaving the weed. 

 Fascicularis is from a quarter to one inch in length, of 

 an orange or brown colour. In full-grown specimens 

 the stem is wrinkled, the bell of about equal length 

 with the stem ; the tufts or tentacles are eight in 

 number, occasionally nine ; they are said to have 

 about a hundred tentacles in each pair of tufts. 

 Many specimens have quantities of ova within the 

 cup. The animal has the power of assuming very 



i different shapes, but when fully expanded is exactly 

 like the figure. Like most zoophytes the Lucernariadae 

 are extremely phosphorescent. The larger specimens 

 are well suited to an aquarium ; some attach them- 

 selves immediately, others remain free. The figure 

 is given of natural size, and under one inch power. 



Fig. 79. — Lucernaria fascicularis (magnified). 



Fig. 80. — Lucernaria campanulata. 



2. L. auricula. This is far from a common species, 

 easily recognised by a globular tuft growing on the 

 rim of the cup between the tentacles. The stalk is 

 much shorter than in the preceding species. The 

 ova are distinctly visible, giving the animal a mottled 

 appearance through the semi-transparent substance. 

 I believe the vesicles between the tentacles to be 

 always present. The mouth is quadrangular, as in 

 the other species. The colour is of various shades 

 of brown, but it has been found pure white. Found 

 at Ventnor at extreme low-water mark, adhering 

 to algae. 



L. campanulata. This species has hardly any 

 stem, and is liver-coloured, about an inch high. 

 Pedicle quite flat ; the tentacles are brighter coloured 

 than the rest of the body, each tipped with a peculiar 

 gland ; the interior is singular, a formation like fine 

 oak leaves coming from the mouth in the shape of a 

 Maltese cross. When taken from the water all the 



