HARDWICKE'S SC1E N CE- GO SSI P. 



39 



and are confined in various places, and do not escape 

 from the body. 



Thus I have traced A. Eichhornii through the 

 circle of its life-history, which has occupied five 

 months. It appears that the more general way of its 

 multiplication is by fission or self-division, and that 

 this mode of reproduction (which I have endeavoured 

 to follow out and explain in this paper) is some- 

 thing similar or analogous to the Ephippia or winter 

 eggs of the Duphnea, the egg of the Hydra, or the 

 statoblast of Lophopus crystallina, Flumatella 

 repens, and other polyzoa, which are intended for 

 a purpose to lay for some time before they are 

 developed into life. 



This paper is an abstract of a more extended 

 communication, illustrated by diagrams, read at a 

 meeting of the East Kent Natural History Society 

 at Canterbury, Oct. 6th, 1S75. 



Canterbury. James Fullagae,. 



LOCAL NAMES OF PLANTS. 



IN the interesting paper on the " Local Names of 

 Plants " in the December number of Science- 

 Gossip, " C. B." mentions having seen " Reckless " 

 used in Covent Garden Market as a corruption of 

 auricula. It may interest your correspondent and 

 others to know that Reekless is the common name 

 for the auricula in several localities on the eastern 

 borders. "Dusty miller" is another name fre- 

 quently used iu the same district for the " mealy-" 

 leaved varieties. 



The following names are used in the neighbour- 

 hood to designate some of the common wild plants : 

 — Ranwiculus flultans, R. aquatilis, and several 

 pond weeds are known as " eel-beds." The various 

 scarlet poppies are " cocks'-kames " (combs); Ra- 

 phanus raphanistrum is the "runch" of the farmer, 

 although both the white mustard and the charlock 

 are sometimes so called. The different species of 

 Malva are "maws." Ononis arvensis is called 

 "liquor-stick," from its taste somewhat resembling 

 that of liquorice [Glycyrrhiza glabra). According 

 to Johnston's "Eastern Borders," p. 70, quoting 

 from Thomas Aird, brambles are called " ladies' 

 garters " in Roxburghshire. I have never heard 

 that name applied to any of the Rubl in the part of 

 Roxburgh that I am acquainted with, but frequently 

 to the variegated variety of Digraphis arundiuaeea. 

 About Bowden, the poet's birthplace, it may be one 

 of the local names. "Ar-nut," or "er-nut," is a 

 corruption of "earth-nut" (Bunium Jlexuosum). 

 Sedtcm telephium is the " orpy-leaf," and Semper- 

 ■aivum tectorum is called "Fu-its" (both are popular 

 remedies for cuts, &c). The latter will soon be a 

 thing of the past in this district, as it is fast dis- 

 appearing, along with the thatched cottages, on the 

 roofs of which it was generally seen. Saxifraga 



umbrosa is changed from "None-so-pretty "to "Pretty 

 Nancy," and the hemlock becomes "humly." 

 " Robin-rin-the-hedge " is a very characteristic 

 name for Galium aparine. " Dishy-lagy," the 

 common name for Tussilago farfara, is evidently a 

 corruption of the generic name. " Feather-fooly," 

 the local name of fever-few, has probably been given 

 to it on account of its featherlike foliage. Vero- 

 nica hederifolia is named by farmers the " mother- 

 of-wheat" ; and Galeopsis versicolor and G. tetrahit, 

 are " day " or " dey -nettles." Polygonum aviculare, 

 owing to its toughness, has earned the name of 

 "deil's lingels" ; and on account of its acid taste, 

 Rumex acetosa gets "sour leeks," "little guid." 

 Euphorbia helioscopia is used for removing warts. 

 The tremulous-leaved poplars are honoured by the 

 appellation of " auld-wives'-tongues," possibly from 

 their constant motion. But why auld (old) wives? 

 Many young ones have the same gift. "Silver- 

 shakers " and " silver-ginglers," are children's names 

 for the elegant Briza media. Frequently different 

 species of the same family get a common name, e.g., 

 Fumaria Bomi, F. densiflora, and F. officinalis, are 

 all "fumitory," or, as an old man whom I knew 

 used to call them, " Flumistery." Likewise " bull- 

 grass " may be either or all of the following : Bromus 

 mollis, B. racemosus, or B. commuted us. 



A. B., Kelso. 



MICROSCOPY. 



Glycerine Mounting. — As an addition to the 

 subject of glycerine mountings, and the best cement 

 for preserving them for some time past noticed in 

 SciENCE-Gossir, it may be that my experience 

 with the same may not prove uninteresting to your 

 readers. I have used this medium for many years 

 in the mounting of vegetable and insect prepara- 

 tions, and have very rarely lost a slide from leakage. 

 I have used every description of cement with which 

 I am acquainted that could be employed with such 

 a medium, and have found the white zinc cement, 

 when properly prepared, to be by all odds the most 

 satisfactory, on account of the facility with which 

 it can be used, and its permanence. I usually keep 

 a supply of cells ready made, with one or more 

 coats of the cement, according to the thickness of 

 the specimen to be mouuted. A thin coat of the 

 zinc is then to be applied by means of the tin 

 table, the cell filled with glycerine, and the object 

 placed therein as usual ; the cover is then applied 

 at one edge to the ring of cement, aud gently 

 loosened until it touches all around its circumference 

 when, being slightly pressed, it will be found to 

 adhere quite firmly! A delicate spring compress is 

 then to be applied, to prevent possible displace- 

 ment of the cover, and the whole slide thoroughly 

 washed in cold water with a brush, to remove every 



