HARD WICKE 'S S CIENCE - G OS SI P. 



67 



of both the Silurian and Cretaceous strata of the 

 Scottish Highlands and those of the North American 

 Continent. But he more especially insists on the 

 proofs, which we now have, that the Highlands of 

 Scotland, as well as the greater part of the remainder 

 of the British Islands, were once covered by great 

 deposits of Secondary strata, and that the area has 

 been subjected to enormous and oft-repeated denu- 

 dation. He dwells on the evidence of the vast 

 quantities of material which have been removed 

 subsequently to the Mesozoic and even to the Miocene 

 period, and he maintains the conclusion that many, if 

 not all, of the great surface-features of the Highlands 

 must have been produced during the very latest 

 division of the Tertiary epoch, namely the Pliocene. 



The Fossil Fungus. — I have frequently observed 

 that, in being called upon to answer criticisms of my 

 work, I have more commonly to reply to statements 

 I have never made (or even thought of) than to defend 

 the position I have really taken. In your January 

 number (p. 21) P. Martin Duncan combats the idea 

 that Peronosporites "is perhaps the oldest fungus on 

 record. " I have never made any such statement, so 

 I need not reply. Your correspondent then quotes 

 instances of Algae being found in older rocks than the 

 Palaeozoic, but as my description refers to a fungus, 

 and not to an alga, the instances brought forward by 

 P. M. Duncan, though of the greatest value and in- 

 terest, refer rather to true algce than fungi, i.e., if the 

 distinguishing characters between the two, and now 

 generally received, are to hold good. The letter in 

 your February number (p. 41), signed "John Butter- 

 worth, Goats Shaw, Oldham," is of a very different 

 character, and hardly demands an answer. This 

 gentleman writes to "dispute " my " claim to its dis- 

 covery," because he " discovered " it {i.e., the Pero- 

 nosporites), and read a paper upon it (at Manchester) 

 which was not published. Now, I have never set 

 myself up as the "discoverer " of the fossil fungus ; I 

 claim to be nothing more than the humble drudge who 

 pored over the fungus preparation for some weeks, 

 made out the structure of the mycelium and fruit, its 

 affinity with living plants, and then attempted a de- 

 scription and illustration. If J. Butterworth did all 

 this in 1874-5, I re g r et, with him, that some per- 

 manent record was not made of his work " in some 

 leading journal." In my paper I distinctly stated 

 that Mr. W. Carruthers, F.R.S., the Keeper of the 

 Botanical Department of the British Museum, was 

 the "discoverer" of the plant, as he certainly was — 

 and something more. The parasite has been known 

 by this gentleman for many years. J. Butterworth 

 states that a member of his Society identified his 

 fungus "as Peronosporites" in 1874-5. How this 

 learned "member" did so, I am at a loss to know, 

 as no such genus as Peronosporites existed before last 

 year, when the name was given by me to the parasite 

 in question. I have certainly had something more 



than a " casual " view of the slide, as I have had it in 

 my own house for six months, and have it now. — 

 Worthington G. Smith. 



The Fossil Fishes of Sussex. — At a recent 

 meeting of the Eastbourne Natural History Society, 

 Dr. Ward read a paper on ' ' The Fossil Fishes of the 

 District." They are met with chiefly in the Upper 

 and Lower Chalk strata of the Downs at Holiwell ; 

 others in the Greensand and Gault ; and a few in the 

 Wealden beds. Dr. Ward's paper was illustrated by 

 specimens. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



The Importation of Humble Bees into New 

 Zealand. — Perhaps some of your correspondents 

 could give some valuable hints as to the best method 

 of importing humble bees into New Zealand. The 

 farmers there are anxious to introduce them, as they 

 are said to be necessary for the successful cultivation 

 of clover, which they aid by carrying about the 

 pollen. An attempt was made, I understand, to 

 bring over a number of the insects, but they all died 

 an the way, and it has now been proposed to bring 

 over the eggs. But if, as I believe, the larvce are 

 hatched in cells, and fed by the parent bees until 

 entering the pupa-state, this idea would not seem to 

 promise better success than the former. Could the 

 perfect insects be transported in a torpid state ? Or 

 would it be possible to naturalize them by introducing 

 the pupa;? I hope some practical solution of the 

 auestion maybe given by some contributor. — Charles 

 B. Moffat. 



Crayfish in Cumberland. — Some of the small 

 runners into Croglin Water, a tributary of the Eden, 

 abound with crayfish. I had many opportunities of 

 seeing them last spring. The inhabitants of the dis- 

 trict have a legend that the "crabfish" were intro- 

 ! duced by some member of the Featherstonhaugh 

 j family, but so long ago that I could gather no precise 

 information as to the date. I think it improbable 

 that they are indigenous, but not knowing anything 

 of their geographical distribution, I shall be glad of 

 any information on the subject. — W. Duckivorth, 

 Grey-street, Carlisle. 



Natterjack Toad on the Shores of the 

 Solway Firth. — -While staying at Bowness on 

 Sol way in August last, I found quite "a colony of the 

 Natterjack. On one part of the shore, where the 

 ground was damp, nearly every stone of moderate 

 size I turned up had a natterjack below, sometimes 

 two. There was no mistaking it, the yellow line 

 down the back being ample means of identification. 

 It would be interesting to know if ever it has occurred 

 thus far north before, as I was under the impression 

 that it belonged only to the east and south of Eng- 

 land. — IV. Duckworth, Grey-street, Carlisle. 



The Pigeon a Polygamist. — In Mr. Dixon's 

 interesting account of the pairing instinct of birds, 

 ; he says, ' ' I have once observed the rook practising 

 polygamous propensities. We have a pigeon of the 

 ' horseman ' variety which is a confirmed polygamist. 

 I observed this during the course of last summer 

 repeatedly." Is this peculiarity in the pigeon known 

 to ornithologists as a common or uncommon occur- 

 rence ? Does this present to view an inherited energy, 

 or only applicable to the surrounding circumstances ? 

 — ill. King. 



