HA RD WICKE 1 S SCIENCE- G OSSIP. 



153 



The last specimen obtained was a very small one, 

 and broke in getting it from its mesh. The head 

 was only 2 ' 5 th of an inch across ; but I dissected out 

 the mandibles and photographed them — a print is 

 enclosed together with a sketch from the microscope 

 with the aid of a Beale's reflector. Although incom- 

 plete, the illustration may be an aid to identification ; 

 and I shall be glad to learn anything that is known 

 concerning this humble artificer of silk. 



M. H. Robson. 

 Newcastle-upon- Tyne. 



GOSSIP ON CURRENT TOPICS. 

 By W. Mattieu Williams, F.R.A.S., F.C.S. 



HOPS AND MORPHIA.— A. Landeberg, who 

 has been working upon the extract of hops, 

 tells us that hopeine is identical with morphine. 

 Does this explain the popularity of hopetta, hop 

 bitters, etc., among reclaimed inebriates and other 

 "abstainers." It has long been known that hops 

 supply, without fermentation, a stimulant, the exact 

 composition and character of which has been a subject 

 of some discussion among chemists. 



If Landeberg is right, the more drowsy character 

 of the intoxication produced by malt liquors as 

 compared with wines is partly explained, as well as 

 the general preference given to this particular bitter 

 over any of the many substitutes that have been pro- 

 posed and actually used in making beer. 



Hop-stems and Foliage as Food. — In the same 

 number of the Chemical Society's "Journal" as that 

 from which I derive the above is an abstract of a 

 paper by Wein, on the feeding value of hop foliage, 

 which he finds to closely approximate to the compo- 

 sition of meadow and clover hay and rye, and as 

 regards percentage of nitrogenous nutritive material is 

 not far behind wheat and rye bran. It is superior 

 to ordinary green fodders. An important element of 

 information is omitted in this abstract, viz., the age 

 of the plants supplying the foliage upon which the 

 experiments were made. As the age of the plant 

 advances, its foliage becomes more and more woody, 

 and the flower and seed in the course of their 

 development rob the foliage of some of its nutritious 

 material. I have tried the experiment of cooking 

 the young shoots of hops after the manner of asparagus, 

 and find that they make a very respectable substitute, 

 provided they have not advanced too far. They are 

 very good when from six to twelve inches high or 

 thereabouts, and the leaves yet but partially developed. 

 When, however, they are much further advanced, 

 and the leaves are full-sized, the stem, instead of 

 being tender and succulent, becomes fibrous, woody, 

 and indigestible. 



Effects of Cold on Microbes. — My old friend 

 J. J. Coleman, to whom we are all so much indebted 

 for the work he has done in overcoming the difficul- 

 ties of preserving antipodean meat by freezing it 

 economically, has, in conjunction with Professor 

 J. G. McKendrick, made some interesting experi- 

 ments on the effects of extreme cold on microbia, 

 especially those concerned in transacting the business 

 of putrefaction. The general result of these researches 

 shows that the living developed organisms are killed 

 by such reduction of temperature (8o° to 120 below 

 zero), while the germs retain their latent vitality. 

 All the proceedings of these creatures — microphytes 

 or microzoa — are suspended during the exposure to 

 cold, but, on raising the temperature of the infusions 

 containing them the germs become developed, and 

 putrefaction proceeds by their agency. 



Frogs and their Enemies. — The old stories, 

 old pictures, and old stuffings, that represent battles 

 between frogs and mice are justified by the observa- 

 tions of Mr. August Carter, of South Norwood, who 

 has watched the pursuit of frogs by mice, the general 

 result being that the frogs escape again and again 

 after considerable shaking of their antagonists while 

 held by them ; at last, however, the wounds and 

 frantic efforts of the frogs render them incapable of 

 further effective resistance, and they become over- 

 powered and partially eaten. 



Few animals have more enemies than the frog. 

 This is proved by the vast number of tadpoles that 

 are hatched from the spawn of one mother, and 

 which reach the stage of jumpers, but which some- 

 how disappear, with the exception of a very small 

 residuum. I have domesticated frogs in a large box 

 or " froggery," having a basin of water in the centre 

 let down to the level of a surrounding plain of turf. 

 So long as they were liberally supplied with worms 

 they lived together peacefully, grew rapidly, and all 

 continued in robust health ; but I found on my 

 return after a summer vacation that their numbers 

 were seriously diminished, and was unable at first to 

 discover the enemy, until one day, while working near 

 the froggery (it was in the laboratory of the Birming- 

 ham and Midland Institute), I heard a scream 

 proceeding from it, and was greatly shocked at 

 finding that the largest member of the family had 

 caught one of the smallest by its hind-legs, and was 

 proceeding to swallow it. The screams of the victim 

 were cries of horror rather than of pain, as the 

 cannibal had no biting teeth, and had not taken in 

 more than half the length of the hind legs. 



The demoralisation of the larger specimen was so 

 complete that when I offered him the choice between 

 a fat worm and a little frog he pursued the latter in 

 preference. He ultimately expiated his crimes by 

 becoming a martyr to science. Query — Was the 

 depravity in this case due to artificial corruption, 

 such as irregular feeding depending upon my presence 



