HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



7i 



by no means of common occurrence, but Louis 

 Jarman may rest assured they are not so rare as is 

 generally supposed. — Stephen II. Davey, Ponsanooth. 

 Cornwall. 



The Electrical Eel. — I was' much interested, 

 on looking through the current number of Science- 

 Gossip, to see a fact recorded by Professor du Bois 

 Reymond which I have never seen in print before, 

 but which I observed myself a few years since ; 

 namely, the power the electrical eel possesses of 

 delivering its blow without actual contact with the 

 object struck. I have seen it stated that no shock 

 can be delivered unless the eel is touching the object 

 in two places so as to complete the circle, but, so far 

 from this being the case I have no doubt the eel can 

 send the shock through several inches of water. The 

 last time Frank Buckland was at Southport, we were 

 examining the various creatures in the Aquarium, 

 and among others some fine electric eels. We 

 wanted to try whether the shock was fatal to a fish 

 of a size suitable for food for the creature, or whether 

 it was only stunned. We therefore put a fine roach 

 into the tank. The eels became much excited, and 

 one big fellow sailed alongside and delivered its shock. 

 The roach instantly turned belly up without even a 

 quiver of its fins ; but what struck us both was that 

 the eel was certainly several inches off the fish when 

 the latter was struck. We repeated the experiment 

 with another roach and another eel, watching care- 

 fully to see the exact distance, and were both satisfied 

 that the eel was at least three or four inches distant. 

 We could not get another experiment, as the eels 

 would not use their power, or else had exhausted it. 

 Buckland was highly pleased, but did not want to 

 say anything about it without trying again to ascertain 

 more about it if possible, expecting very soon to 

 have an opportunity of verifying the observations. 

 His illness, and the death of the eels shortly after, 

 prevented the further observations being made. I 

 do not profess to be an electrician, but I cannot under- 

 stand how the shock can be sent through several 

 inches of water, which we were both convinced it 

 was. The two unfortunate roach, though so com- 

 pletely paralysedj as not to exhibit the slightest sign 

 of life, both recovered, having been removed from 

 the tank before the eels could seize them. These 

 creatures proved to be, like many other fishes, 

 cannibals. We had three in the tank, one rather 

 smaller than the others. One day the smallest was 

 missing, and the bloated appearance of one of his 

 companions showed only too clearly what had be- 

 come of him. — Charles L. Jackson, F.L.S., F.R.M.S., 

 &*c., Honorary Naturalist to the Southport Aquarium. 



"The Shard-borne Beetle" of Shakespeare is 

 in all probability Geotrupes stercorarius, the large 

 dung-beetle. It flies very much in warm weather in 

 search of dung, through which it bores, and deposits 

 its eggs. Not unfrequently it flops into our faces in 

 the dusk in rather a startling manner. Some people 

 have thought the poet meant the cockchafer (Melo- 

 lontha vulgaris) ; but the other insect is certainly 

 more obtrusive and, in most British localities, more 

 abundant, and therefore more probably intended. — 

 Rev. W. C. Hey. 



The Shard-borne Beetle. — "The shard-borne 

 beetle, with its drowsy hum," is evidently meant for 

 one of the "Dor " beetles, G. vernalis most probably, 

 they being the ungainly, dignified gentry that fly in 

 all our country lanes on a summer's evening, and so 

 thoroughly ignore the presence of any intruder on 

 their happy hunting-ground as to think it unworthy 



of their dignity to get out of the way, and endeavour 

 to fly through them or knock them over. — Louis 

 Jarman. 



Mimulus luteus. — In August, 1885, I also 

 found the above plant growing in a stream (Whittey 

 Brook), in the village of Stockton, near here. It 

 covered the stream for a mile or more. — William 

 Weaver. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Exchangers. — As we now 

 publish Science-Gossip earlier than formerly, we cannot un- 

 dertake to insert in the following number any communications 

 which reach us later than the 8th of the previous month. 



To Anonymous Querists. — We must adhere to our rule of 

 not noticing queries which do not bear the writers' names. 



To Dealers and others. — We are always glad to treat 

 dealers in natural history objects on the same fair and general 

 ground as amateurs, in so far as the "exchanges" offered are fair 

 exchanges. But it is evident that, when their offers are simply 

 disguised advertisements, for the purpose of evading the cost of 

 advertising, an advantage is taken of our gratuitous insertion of 

 " exchanges " which cannot be tolerated. 



We request that all exchanges may be signed with name (or 

 initials) and full address at the end. 



H. E. Quilter. — We shall be glad to hear from you on the 

 subject you mention. 



T. W. M.— Dr. McNicol, of Southport, has published a 

 " Glossary of Natural History Terms." A cheaper book, how- 

 ever, is Rossiter's " Dictionary of Scientific Terms," published 

 by Messrs. William Collins and Sons, Publishers, London and 

 Glasgow. 



H. P. M. — We are sorry to say your box of shells never 

 reached us. Your note is the first we have heard of them. 



W. Hambrough.— Your specimens are unquestionably the 

 eggs of some lepidopterous insect, the species of which we wil 

 ascertain for you. 



G. Forbes. — Stark's " British Mosses," and Lindsay's "Bri- 

 tish Lichens," each price ios. 6d., are the best you could get. 

 You may get them second hand, very likely.jof Mr. W. Collins, 

 Scientific Bookseller, 157, Great Portland Street, London, W. 



A. S. — Stark's "British Mosses" (price ioj. 6d.), with beau- 

 tiful coloured plates, will admirably meet all your requirements. 

 See also article in Science-Gossip, vol. 1872, on " Collecting 

 and Preserving British Mosses." 



P. E. G. — Mr. John E. Robson, Hartlepool, has published a 

 book of labels for British plants, with space fur filling up such 

 as you require ; price, we believe, 4J. 6d. 



W. Smith. — The "Torrey Bulletin," published in Indiana- 

 polis, deals with American Cryptogama. 



EXCHANGES. 



Wanted, a good breech-loading double-barrelled gun, any 

 gauge between 12 and 16, either pin or central fire ; 16 pin-fire 

 preferred. Will give in exchange collection of eggs, 100 species, 

 also a few skins and books. Apply for list to C. Forge, South 

 Sea Farm, Flamboro', Yorkshire. 



A few good specimens of Unio tumidus, var. i>onderosa, 

 Pascal (new British variety), U. pictorum, var. rostrata, Lam., 

 and Anodonta cygnea, var. Zellensis, for exchange. — H. E. 

 Quilter, 4 Cedar Road, Leicester. 



Wanted, a clean copy of " Forms of Water," by J. Tyndall, 

 vol. i., or "The Crayfish," by T. H. Huxley, vol. xxviii., or 

 "Volcanoes," by John W. Judd, vol. xxxv. (International 

 Scientific Series), crown 8vo, cloth, price $s. each, in exchange 

 for "The Doctrine of Descent and Darwinism," by Professor 

 Oscar Smidt, vol. xii., same series, price $s. — T. Fielding, 

 Constable's Tower, Dover, Kent. 



A Williams freezing and imbedding microtome, by Swift & 

 Son, for good high-power objective or other offers. — W. Jenkin- 

 son, 9 Surrey Street, Sheffield. 



Wanted, to exchange good typical Liassic specimens from 

 the Midland counties for similar specimens from other districts. 

 — W. D. Crick, 7 Alfred Street, Northampton. 



Wanted, parasites and their eggs, either mounted or un- 

 mounted, in exchange for good slides and objects. — J. W. 

 Wilshaw, 455, Shoreham Street, Sheffield. 



Wanted, vols. i. and ii. of " Proceedings of Geologists' As- 

 sociation." — B. H. Woodward, 80 Petherton Road, London, N. 



Fertile eggs of Dispar from fern. 2^ inches across, to ex- 

 change for fertile eggs of Caja, Villica, and Ulmata. — L. Jarman, 

 304 High Holborn, London. 



Well-mounted micro-slides to exchange for other good 

 micro or lantern slides. — Dr. Moorhead, Cootehill, Ireland. 



