HARDWICKE S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



2 53 



nor so; much esteemed, is the leaf of one of the 

 Ericaceae, the heath family, viz. the Prince's Pine, or 

 Pipsifswa {Chimaphila umbellata). 



Having had a favourable opportunity afforded me 

 of sketching some genuine Indian pipes, and, as they 



Fig- 137. — This pipe is made of blackstone, and 

 weighs 8J5 oz. It belonged to a Red Lake Chippewa 

 Chief. 



Fig. 138. — This pipe came from Fort Garry, and 

 belonged to a half-breed ; it weighs 14J oz. It is 

 made of Soapstone or Saponite. The ornaments, 

 of metal, consist of three turtles, a bird, five horses' 

 heads, &c. The artist was a Sioux Indian. 



Fig. 139. This pipe was purchased from a half- 

 breed of Mackenzie's River, and was made by an 

 Indian of that district. It is of green marble, 

 blotched with red very much after the manner of 

 the blood-stone ; it weighs 8| oz. 



All these pipes are two-thirds the exact size of the 

 originals, except Fig. 136, the stems only being 

 omitted. 



Fig. 138. 



Fig- i3> 



are exceptionally good types, I enclose my sketches, 

 thinking a representation of them in your periodical 

 may not prove uninteresting to your subscribers. 



Description of the Pipes. 



Fig. 136. — This pipe, made of stone, and weighing 

 —as it appears, without the stem — 2 lb. 5 oz., was 

 smoked by the Red River half-breeds and the Sioux 

 Indians, on the Plains, when effecting a treaty of 

 peace. 



EDUCATIONAL COLLECTION OF INSECTS. 



By W. Harcourt Bath, Author of Handbook 

 of Insects, &c . 



IT may be stated without any fear of contradiction 

 that the loss occasioned by injurious insects — in 

 the British Isles alone — amounts to millions of 

 pounds annually. 



Notwithstanding this, strange to say, our govern- 

 ment has not hitherto recognised in any form what- 

 ever, the researches of the enthusiastic individuals 

 who have undertaken the arduous task of elucidating 

 the economy of the injurious insects, indigenous to 

 these islands, with the commendable object in view of 

 discovering some means for preventing the immense 

 .ravages which are periodically committed by them. 



Now nearly every government on the Continent 

 wisely recognises the necessity of assisting, in a 

 pecuniary manner, researches of this description by 

 scientific specialists. 



The consequence is that the investigations are, as a 

 rule, more thoroughly undertaken, and better results 

 ensue than where they are performed in a private 

 capacity. 



This is indeed what we want and ought to have in 

 this country. The multifold advantages attending an 

 official staff of entomological specialists would well 

 repay the small sum which might be annually drawn 

 from the Treasury. 



The work of such officials would of course be to 



