HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



243 



to us some idea of the birds that may be assumed to 

 have inhabited the British area during Miocene times. 

 Passing on to the English Pliocene strata, exceedingly 

 fragmentary evidence of bird-life has been found, 

 and only one bone appears to have been even 

 approximately identified. This single specimen is a 

 humerus from the Norwich Crag, which Professor 

 Owen considers to belong to a nocturnal bird of the 

 size of the barn-owl. 



In conclusion, it is scarcely necessary to detail all 

 the birds whose remains have been recorded from 

 Pleistocene and recent formations. Fluviatile 

 deposits (as at Grays, Mundesley, and other localities), 

 peat-bogs (as the fens of Cambridgeshire), and cavern 

 accumulations (as the celebrated hya?na den of 

 Kirkdale), have all yielded relics of the avian class. 

 But, with scarcely any exceptions, the bones have 

 indicated species now — or until lately — inhabitants of 

 the British Isles. One notable exception, however, 

 cannot be passed over altogether, namely, the 

 occurrence of the pelican in the fens of Cambridge- 

 shire, as determined by Professor Milne-Edwards. 

 This determination is based upon a few wing-bones 

 which the learned Professor considers to be sufficient 

 for the foundation of his conclusions as to the genus, 

 although enough evidence is not yet forthcoming to 

 decide whether or not this pelican was of an unknown 

 species. Still, whatever may have been its specific 

 relations, it is clear that the bird was not a 

 "straggler" in these regions, carried away from its 

 native land by the winds, for the bones are those 

 of a young individual which would be too weak 

 to survive so long a voyage. 



THE MICROSCOPIC GLASSES. 

 (a chapter in advance.) 



ABOUT the year nineteen hundred, having just 

 heard of the new and wonderful discovery, by 

 which spectacles were manufactured of such a power 

 as to enable the wearer at a distance of a few feet to 

 distinguish the minutest object as clearly as with a 

 first-rate microscope, I resolved to purchase a pair of 

 these wonderful glasses, and, having done so, as a 

 means of testing them, to proceed to the north of 

 Lancashire, and there try their power upon one of the 

 so-called " Insectivorous plants " found in the 

 mountain-bogs of that district. I was very anxious to 

 satisfy myself that the plant really was insectivorous. 

 'Tis true I had read about it, and knew that it was 

 generally believed to be so by scientific men, but still, 

 as there is nothing like personal knowledge of an 

 alleged fact, I now determined to gain it for myself. 

 So, after some difficulty, both on account of the high 

 price of the spectacles, and their comparative rarity, I 

 at length procured a pair, and started for the north. 

 When I arrived at my destination, the weather was 



perfect, still, clear, and bright, and as this was very 

 favourable for the object I had in view, I at once 

 resolved to put the " Microscopic glasses," as they 

 were called, to the test. As soon as I could, there- 

 fore, after my arrival, I proceeded to the desired spot, 

 seated myself at a distance of a few feet from a speci- 

 men of the " drosera," or "sundew," as the plant 

 is called, and, putting on the "glasses," fixed my eyes 

 upon it, and anxiously awaited the result. I had not 

 long to wait ; in the course of a few minutes a small 

 fly alighted on one of the leaves of the plant, and of 

 course pressed against one of those long, hairy append- 

 ages, with small protuberances at their base and 

 summit, with which the leaf is covered. 



The effect was intensely interesting. I distinctly 

 saw a communication, apparently of the nature of a 

 constriction, take place between the protuberance or 

 gland at the base, and that at the summit of the hairy 

 appendage or tentacle, and then again with the gland 

 at the base, which now poured a sticky-looking fluid 

 upon the body of the insect ; while, at the same time, 

 all the tentacles upon the leaf bent towards the one 

 first affected, and the leaf itself slowly curled inwards 

 over the body of the insect. After the lapse of some 

 time, it again opened, when the fly had completely 

 disappeared, or, at least, all but the hard outer parts. 

 Now, although I had both read and heard that this 

 was the case, I had not hitherto been able to realise 

 it, and to have it thus brought before my eyes was 

 very interesting. What had become of the fly ? was 

 its tissue indeed absorbed by the plant, and, if so, 

 how ? As I walked homewards — for I had taken 

 lodgings in the neighbourhood, the better to investigate 

 the matter — I pondered much upon this question, and 

 it seemed to me that there could be only one answer. 

 The plant had, somehow or other, absorbed the body 

 of the insect into itself, but still the question remained, 

 How was this effected ? Again, but one solution 

 presented itself, the body of the insect had been 

 decomposed, and to enable it to do so, some peculiar 

 property had probably been added to the sticky fluid 

 above named. What was this ? I had read that it 

 was exactly similar to our gastric juice, and there the 

 matter rested. I was, however, very anxious to see 

 for myself this alleged decomposition and absorption 

 of the fly's body, and so determined, if the following 

 morning proved favourable, again to try the " micro" 

 scopic glasses," and, if possible, be a witness of this 

 wonderful phenomenon. Accordingly, the weather 

 being all that could be desired, I repaired in good 

 time to the place, and having put on my " glasses,'' 

 again saw a fly alight upon the leaf of the plant, and 

 by a careful adjustment of the " glasses " to the exact 

 spot to be examined, aided by a small aperture in the 

 leaf, to my great delight, was fortunate enough to 

 witness that which I so much desired. What I now 

 saw filled me with amazement and admiration. It 

 seemed, as I had suspected, that the composition of 

 the sticky fluid was changed ; gradually the softer 



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