HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



41 



of many North- American forms, which, as it appears, 

 have not been found eastward of the meridian of 

 Cape Chidiey, in Labrador. A remarkable mollusk, 

 previously dredged at a depth of about 1,000 

 fathoms off the coast of Portugal by the Porcupine, 

 and which, when first found in a fossil state in the 

 newer tertiaries of Sicily, was supposed to be an 

 extinct type, reappears in the deep waters of Davis's 

 Straits ; and a Campanularia was found, specifically 

 identical with one discovered this year iu the 

 opposite hemisphere, viz., in Kerguelen's Land, by 

 Mr. Eaton, the naturalist of the Transit of Venus 

 Expedition to that island. A most singular sponge- 

 like diatom, named by Dr. Dickie Synedra Jeffrey si, 

 with living Globigerince entangled in the colloid 

 collecting-matter of its frustules, was taken in the 

 towing-net. 



Plack-throated Diver in Essex. — A specimen 

 of the male black-throated diver {Colymbus arcticus), 

 in fine plumage and condition, was shot in the river 

 Blackwater during the last week of December, near 

 Maldon, Essex. 



The "Challenger" Expedition.— This im- 

 portant expedition is now approaching its close. 

 The Challenger has arrived at Valparaiso, and was 

 to sail thence to the Falkland Islands by way of the 

 Straits of Magellan. The scientific party had ex- 

 plored a scries of active volcanoes in an unfrequented 

 island of the North Pacific, and were rewarded by 

 the magnificent spectacle of surging waves of molten 

 lava and spray of brilliant fire. The party stayed a 

 fortnight at Tahita, exploring everything of interest 

 there. After leaving Tahita, forty days were spent 

 voyaging to Chili, sounding and dredging pro- 

 ceeding with most satisfactory results. The island 

 of Juan Fernandez, which was first reached, was 

 unanimously declared to present the most beautiful 

 scenery of any throughout the travels. Several new 

 varieties of birds and twenty-four novel species of 

 ferns were here obtaiued. From Monte Video the 

 Challenger will make a straight course for home, 

 deeply laden with the spoils of the longest con- 

 tinuous voyage on record. 



Pare Bird.— On the 25th of August last, a fine 

 specimen of the Hyacinthine Gallinule {Porphyrio 

 veterum) was taken in this neighbourhood. It was 

 found in one of our "rheins," or running ditches, 

 unable to fly, having apparently been shot at. By 

 the help of a dog, it was chased to a hedge, and 

 there captured. It pecked savagely at the faces of 

 all who came near it, and one boy whose curiosity 

 got the better of his caution, received a blow which 

 pierced the lip and wounded the gum. Iu fact, its 

 bill, when wielded with such hearty good— I should 

 rather say ill— will, was a formidable weapon. The 

 blue on the neck, breast, and belly of the bird is of 

 -a very lovely hue. I shall be glad if any of your 



readers could inform me whether the bird is often 

 found in this country. I have never seen one before. 

 Its wings do not seem to be well adapted to long 

 flights, and it may have escaped from some private 

 collection. After a day or two's captivity it was 

 killed and stuffed, and is now in the possession of 

 its captors. — //. M, M., Badgworth, near Weston- 

 super-Mare. 



Pare Pirds. — Rara Avis, Eastwell. — A splendid 

 eagle was shot in Eastwell Park, a few r days ago, by 

 one of the Duke of Edinburgh's gamekeepers. It 

 measured 7 ft. 2 in. from tip to tip of wings. The keeper 

 saw the huge bird strike down a pheasant and eat 

 it completely, leaving only the tail-feathers. It is 

 stated that three or four eagles have recently been 

 seen in the neighbourhood.' — Henry Lamb, Maid- 

 stone. 



Montrose Museum. — Egyptian Geese {Chena- 

 lopex .Pgyptiacus). — Fine specimens, male aud 

 female, of this rare aquatic bird were obtained by 

 the Natural History Society last week, having been 

 shot in the tidal basin. This bird, according to 

 Herodotus held sacred by the Egyptians, is a 

 native of Northern Africa. The pair, doubtless 

 disgusted at the alienation of the Suez Canal, were 

 about to adopt the South Esk Estuary as their 

 future home, when met by this cruel reception. — 

 R. B. 



BOTANY. 



Variations in Colour op Flowers.— Many 

 of your correspondents have given localities where 

 plants have been found ' varying in their normal 

 colour, but as yet I have observed that none have 

 been in the county of York. I therefore wish to 

 inform your readers that the following variations 

 in colour have been seen by me in that county 

 during the last five years. I found at Settle a 

 white specimen of the Malva moschata. At Pram- 

 hope and Pool I found white specimens of Campa- 

 nula rotundifolia and Campanula rapunculus. At 

 Ossett I found a white specimen of Digitalis pur. 

 purea ; and at Horbury I found one plant bearing 

 flowers of a light blue tint, and dotted at the edges 

 with white. At Settle I collected a rose-coloured 

 specimen of the wild hyacinth which Hooker and 

 Arnott say is rare. In many places I found white 

 specimens of the same plant. At Swillington I 

 found a white specimen of the Ballota nigra. At 

 Adel a white specimen of Ajuga reptans, and at the 

 same place several white specimens of Cardamine 

 pratensis. At Kippax I have found two white spe- 

 cimens of the Cichorium intybus. At Harewood I 

 have found several white specimens of the Veronica 

 officinalis. At Arthiugton I found a white specimen 

 of the Veronica Beccabunga. At Corkridge a blue 

 specimen of the Anagallis arvensis (Poor man's 



