iM 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



palpi are only conveyers of the seminal fluid. Also, 

 he says, there are spiders without spinnerets, which 

 is very doubtful : there is but one species, Liphistius 

 desultor (Schrodte), found at Penang, of which the 

 typical specimen had no spinners ; but the Rev. 

 O. P. Cambridge, M.A., has since described a 

 specimen in the British Museum, which is in all 

 respects L. desultor except having the spinners. 

 The "Ilarvesimen" that Mr. Cary describes, are, I 

 think, from his description of the falces, Phalangium 

 cor nut urn (Linn.). He has probably mistaken the 

 stigmata on the fore part of the cephalothorax (as 

 Mr. Tulk did) for another pair of eyes, as our British 

 species have but two, placed on the apex of the 

 cephalothorax. The male and female of P. cornu- 

 tum are often mistaken for different species, because 

 of the great difference between the falces. Regarding 

 the moulting of the Phalangites, I have never heard 

 that they cast their skin as spiders do, but maybe 

 Mr. Cary has made some observations that would 

 prove that that is the case. The abdomen of true 

 spiders is not segmented as in the Phalangiidre. — 

 Tom Workman, Belfast. 



Practical Darwinism. — Dr. E. Coues, of the 

 United States Geographical Survey, states that a 

 breed of solid-hoofed pigs has apparently been estab- 

 lished in Texas. The terminal phalanges of the toes 

 are united to form a single broad phalanx. Above 

 this, however, the other two phalanges of each of 

 the two principal digits remain perfectly distinct. 

 The hoof is perfectly solid, and on its sole there is a 

 broad angular elevation of horny substance, very like 

 the "frog" of the horse's hoof. The breed is so 

 firmly established that no tendency to revert to the 

 original form is noticeable. It is also stated that in 

 the cross of a solid-hoofed boar with a sow of the 

 ordinary type, a majority of the litter have the pecu- 

 liarity of the male as regards their feet. 



The Colours of Caterpillars. — At a recent 

 meeting of the Entomological Society of London, Sir 

 John Lubbock, in accepting the opinion laid down 

 by Darwin, that dull-coloured, green, and smooth- 

 skinned caterpillars are eaten by birds, whilst spiny, 

 hairy, and brightly-coloured species are rejected, 

 slated, that by the statistical method it was proved 

 that no hairy caterpillars are ever green ; whilst, on 

 the other hand, a large majority of black and brightly 

 coloured species are hairy or otherwise protected. 



The Ceratodus. — Mr. E. P. Ramsay has re- 

 cently written to Nature, to say that a fine series 

 of eleven Ceratodus have been kept alive at Mary- 

 borough, Queensland. This rare and geologically 

 ancient fish can only be obtained at certain seasons, 

 and in certain parts of the rivers Mary and Burnet. 

 The Oslcoglossum is frequently and erroneously con- 

 founded with it. 



BOTANY, 



The Loxdox Flora. — The doubts as to the 

 actual occurrence near London of Crepis paludosa, 

 expressed by the author of a review on the new 

 London Flora, in the Journal of Botany, are well 

 founded. It is not that species, but Crepis setosa, 

 which occurs in the locality indicated. The entry in 

 my note-book with regard to it was corrected in one 

 place and not in the other ; hence the mistake. Carex 

 curta, hedge at Totteridge, is right in the Index ; 

 while the entry in the Localities should have been 

 Carex divulsa (lane), curta (hedge, &c). Botli 

 species are not unfrequent in hollow lanes both of 

 Middlesex and Herts. Bromus racemosus : the 

 habitat, &c, given of this plant refers to B. giga ulcus. 

 The entry should have been " meadows and pastures: 

 fiats by the Thames in Kent." Many English 

 authorities consider this species a variety of commu- 

 tatus ; smoother and with panicles more compact. 

 But the distinguishing characteristics ascribed to them 

 by the French botanists are, outer glumellas entire, 

 B. praleusis (i.e. commutatus), outer glumellas 

 notched (echanchees), B. racemosus. Through inad- 

 vertence, interlineations in the MSS., and inexperi- 

 ence in the correction of proofs of the kind in ques- 

 tion, errors and misprints were extremely probable, 

 and "these are of them." Others, the omission of 

 " Bromus mollis, common, everywhere," for example, 

 I leave to the critics to find out and dilate upon, 

 wishing them every gratification in the task. — Eyre de 

 Crespigny, M.D. P.S. — Nasturtium sylvestre in the 

 Index should have been N. terrestre, and vice versa, 

 as may be guessed from the context. 



RAriD Growth of Vallisneria.— Mr. A. W. 

 Bennett says: " The first flower-bud of Vallisneria 

 spiralis made its appearance in my aquarium last 

 year on July 1st, the pedicel being at three p.m. about 

 1-5 inch long. On the 3rd, at four p.m., the base of 

 the bud just touched the surface of the water, and the 

 pedicel was about 7 inches long. At one p.m., on 

 the 7th (an interval of about ninety-three hours), it 

 had reached the astonishing length of 43 inches." 



Early Flowering of Borage.— It may be 

 interesting to your readers to know that the common 

 Borage (Borrago officinalis) is in full flower as early 

 in the year as this. I do not know of any instance 

 of this plant being seen so early in flower, June being 

 usually its earliest time for appearing. The specimens 

 in question were gathered by my brother, Mr. F. H. 

 Worsley Benison, of Chepstow, at Beechley, near that 

 town, on March 27th, and sent to me. It was found 

 in abundance on a bank immediately overhanging the 

 Severn.—//. IV. S. Worsley Benison. 



The Ferns of North America. — Messrs. 

 Hardwicke & Bogue announce their intention to issue 

 in parts (by arrangement with the American pub- 

 lishers), Professor Eaton's "Ferns of North America." 



