238 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GO SSIP. 



M. Despretz, as the result of a series of carefully- 

 conducted experiments, which have since been fre- 

 quently repeated and verified, that sea water, as a 

 saline solution, contracts and increases steadily in 

 density down to its freezing-point, which is, when 

 kept perfectly still, about 3° 67' C. (25° 4' Fall.), 

 and when agitated, 2° 55' C." From this latter 

 statement it appears that it takes less cold to freeze 

 water when agitated than when perfectly still. I 

 nad always supposed the reverse to be the case. — 

 /. F. James, Cincinnati, 0., U.S.A. 



Local Names. — Since you are opening your 

 columns to the derivations of local names, may 1 

 ask that of " Clevel "—as a clevel of wheat ? The 

 word is well known in this part of the country, as 

 meaning the corn itself, but I can find no mention 

 of it in books of reference, so suppose it is a local 

 term. If any of your numerous readers can tell 

 me its origin I shall feel much obliged. — Brian 

 Rigden, Canterbury. 



Colias Edusa. — With reference to what 

 "J. R. S. C." says respecting this insect, I have my- 

 self noticed how common it is some seasons in 

 certain localities ; and I remember with what plea- 

 sure I once came across a lucerne field in Wiltshire 

 over which numbers of this beautiful insect were 

 Hying ; they were, in fact, commoner in this spot than 

 any other butterfly, and from what I have noticed I 

 should say that they decidedly do not hybernate, 

 but may be met with (generally very much worn) 

 as late or later in the autumn than any other of 

 our butterflies. — Ed. Lovett. 



Crawfish. — I have just had some of these 

 fresh-water Crustacea? brought me from Wiltshire, 

 where they are caught in great numbers in some 

 seasons by means of small nets stretched on iron 

 hoops and baited with a piece of liver, or even a 

 minnow. As I wished to preserve some of them, 

 and thinking to keep them alive a short time, I put 

 them into water, but in a few hours they nearly all 

 died : so I placed the survivors in a dry vessel, with 

 stinging-nettles, which, I have heard, keeps them 

 alive, and, strange to say, although 1 have had 

 them now over a week, they are as fresh and lively 

 as when first caught : how is this to be accounted 

 for?— Ed. Lovett. 



Herring Gull. — A herring gull belonging to 

 Miss Ross, Limavady, was taken from the nest in 

 1832, which makes the bird 44 years old, — a rather 

 patriarchal age for a gull. — S. A. Brenan, Cloughban, 

 Pomeroy. 



A Group of Answers. — I have ventured to 

 answer a few queries which I observed in Science- 

 Gossip, the answers to which have not yet appeared. 

 I should have done so before, but thought some of 

 your older correspondents would do so. First, 

 then, " A. J. A.," writing from Brisbane, mentions 

 a very interesting example of the sudden appear- 

 ance of plants, at page 162. No doubt, Mr. Lees is 

 quite capable of taking his own part, but to me the 

 following seems to be an explanation of the facts. 

 In speaking of the soil, he says it is formed " from 

 the dropping of the leaves of many centuries." Now 

 the explanation appears to be this : — The (ire having 

 burnt the semi-decayed leaves, leaves the subsoil, 

 rich in seeds, exposed to heat, light, and moisture ; 

 these seeds being thus placed under circumstances 

 favourable for germination, vegetate and produce 

 plants, whose seeds may have been buried for years. 

 2. On page 118 there is a query as to whether 



geese ever eat Galium, Aparine. A letter on 

 page 166 throws no light on it. Now, although I 

 have never seen geese eat it from choice, yet in this 

 part of Surrey, in confinement, they are commonly 

 fed with it, and they take to it readily ; but this 

 may be a local custom, and, if so, would scarcely 

 account for the widespread use of the name " goose 

 grass." 3. On page 167 is a letter concerning the 

 phosphorescence of centipedes. I have several 

 times seen them leave a long trail of phosphorescent 

 light behind them, themselves appearing luminous 

 at the time ; but as I never killed them, I cannot 

 say whether they would continue to do so after 

 death. The fact of their emitting a light seems 

 well established. At page 509 of Kirby and 

 Spence's " Entomology " is a description of the 

 light emitted from Geophilus electricus, and un- 

 doubtedly the myriapod in question was of that 

 species. 4. At page 167 is a letter relating to the 

 scarcity of the Hawfinch. It must be that it is not 

 so scarce here as in other parts, for I generally see 

 one or more every year in my immediate neigh- 

 bourhood. On Horsley downs, and about Clauden, 

 I have known four and five to be shot in a day, 

 many of which have been sent to me ; and it is not 

 uncommon about here to see one in cases of stuffed 

 birds. A neighbour of mine also kept one for many 

 years iu his aviary. — W. H. Gaze. 



Double Eggs. — I had a very remarkable speci- 

 men of a double egg of the Hedge Accentor (A. 

 modular is) brought to me in May last. I have 

 called it a double egg, but in reality it was two 

 eggs joined together transversely, with no internal 

 connection between the two. Each egg contained 

 the yolk and albumen. The query is as to whether 

 the bird had laid the two eggs in that state, the 

 eggs being quite firmly joined, or whether the eggs 

 had been laid in the nest in a soft state and after- 

 wards united ? I should be pleased to know if any 

 of your readers have met with similar specimens, 

 and how they can be accounted for ?— C. D. Wol- 

 stenholme. 



Deer and Snakes. — A friend of mine living in 

 the country, a keen observer in natural history, 

 noticed a number of deer in the Park at Castle 

 Howard following each other in single file in a 

 circle, aud on coming to a particular place they in 

 turns jumped. After watching them a few minutes, 

 and wondering at their unusual movements, he 

 went up and found a large snake (Coluber natrix), 

 quite dead and perfectly flattened, having been 

 jumped upon by all the animals in turn, who had 

 evidently killed it knowing it to be an enemy. — 

 C. D. Wolstenholme. 



Midges. — What are midges ? Iu what division 

 of the insect world are they classified? Are they 

 the same as what are sometimes called thunderflies ? 

 During the late sultry weather (notably on the 7th 

 and 8th August) there was an irruption of them 

 iu the south-east of Kent. — C. H. 



Drying Ferns, &c. — There is a method of 

 drying leaves and ferns (so as to retain their natural 

 appearance) in blotting-paper. What chemical is 

 used on the blotting-paper, and what varnish ? — 

 E. M. P. 



The Swallow-tailed Butterfly.— This butter- 

 fly need not be looked for in Kent. Newman, in 

 his work, says " Kent." At p. 159 of the fourth 

 volume of the " Entomologist," Mr. W. C. Ham- 

 mond writes thus in October, 1868 : — "A young lady 



