HARD WICKE'S SCIENCE - G OSSIP. 



Development of Proteus Anguinus. — Pro- 

 fessor Schulze has recently discovered the mode of 

 development of this blind amphibian. He found a 

 specimen in the Adelsberg cave which had laid 

 fifty-six eggs. The Proteus is proved, by researches 

 on the ovary of a female from which the eggs were 

 taken, to be oviparous. 



The Cumberland Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Literature and Science. — A 

 capital plan is in successful action in Cumberland, 

 whereby scientific societies in six of the chief towns 

 are affiliated into the above association. The annual 

 gathering was held in Cockermouth in Easter week ; 

 when Mr. Isaac Fletcher, M.P., gave the presidential 

 address. Afterwards, Sir George Airy, the Astro- 

 nomer-Royal, delivered what he said would most 

 probably be his last lecture, on " The Interior of the 

 Earth." Mr. J. Clifton Ward, F.G.S., the hon. 

 secretary, read a valuable paper on ' ' Quartz in the 

 Lake District." Various other papers were read. 



The Northampton Natural History So- 

 ciety have issued their second report, which shows a 

 numerical increase in members, and a uniform success 

 in all their efforts. The meetings have been held 

 monthly, at all of which papers have been read. A 

 list of the Lepidoptera of the county is being pre- 

 pared by the President of the Entomological Section, 

 Mr. A. Perry. The President of the Socie ty is the 

 Right Hon. Lord Lilford, and the Hon. Sec. Mr. 

 G. C. Druce. 



Early Appearance of Colias Edusa. — Mr. 

 W. H. Liversedge saw three specimens of Colias 

 edusa, on Monday, April 22, while driving near 

 Ryde, Isle of Wight. They were strong on the 

 wing, as if freshly emerged, or they may have hyber- 

 nated in the imago. 



New British Crustacea. — Mr. Spence Bate has 

 described two new species of small Crustacea, found 

 by Mr. .Sims of Aberdeen. One species belongs to 

 the DiastyluJa, and the other to the Amphipoda. 

 The former has been named Diastylis bimarginalus, 

 and the latter Lestrigomis spinidorsalis. 



Salmon Disease. — Mr. Worthington Smith de- 

 scribes and figures the disease which this spring has 

 destroyed such numbers of salmon in the Eden and 

 other rivers. It is the result of the growth of a 

 fungus, Saprolegnia ferox, in enormous quantities ; 

 and Mr. Smith thinks the unusually vigorous growth 

 may be due to the mildness of the past winter. 



BOTANY, 



Summer Lady's Tresses (Spiranthes astivalis). — 

 I am quite sure all botanists will deeply regret to 

 learn that this rare plant— which, like Gladiolus 

 illyricits and Pulmonaria angustifclia, is to be seen 



nowhere in England but in the New Forest — is being 

 rapidly cleared out of its station near the Lynd- 

 hurst and Christ church Road. I have reason to 

 fear that in two years not a single specimen will 

 be found in the famous Spiranthes bog. This is 

 deplorable — and I must explain how this much- 

 to-be-deprecated eradication is being effected. The 

 year before last a second edition of the "New 

 Forest Handbook " was brought out, comprising, 

 among other additions, a short paper on the botany 

 of the district, and in this the author thought fit to 

 describe, with almost painful minuteness, the exact 

 locality of the bog. This, no doubt, was kindly 

 meant, but the consequences are lamentable, as I 

 shall presently show. In the vicinity of Lyndhurst, 

 and in many other parts of the Forest, there are resi- 

 dent "collectors," who collect insects (chiefly Lepi- 

 doptera), birds' eggs, rare ferns, and anything else 

 which is marketable, and dispose of them either to 

 London dealers or to visitors. Now, when the hand- 

 book appeared containing the notice of Spiranthes 

 cvstivalis, and referring to it as "a plant quite peculiar 

 to the New Forest, and to be found in no other spot 

 in England," they saw at once a rare opportunity for 

 increasing their returns ; since, by carefully pulling up 

 every plant they could find, they would hold the 

 monopoly, -and always be sure of a ready and certain 

 sale. This was made more apparent when large 

 numbers of visitors flocked to the bog last year, even 

 as early as May, and when orders for specimens came 

 in from all parts of the kingdom. Their anxiety to 

 discover the plant as early as possible was very great, 

 and on more than one occasion I have been asked 

 what it looked like, and how they might know it, for 

 a plant a few inches high, with a lax spike of small 

 white flowers, growing in a very wet sphagnum 

 bog, is not very likely to attract much attention. 

 In the month of August I called at one of the 

 cottages close by and inquired about the Spiranthes. 

 I was told that the day previously it had been found 

 by a visitor. " So," continued my informant, "as we 

 have so many people asking about them, and so many 

 orders, we went out last night and this morning and 

 brought in every plant that was in blossom. I'll show 

 you them," and— shall I say it? — to my intense dis- 

 gust a large earthenware pan, about two feet in 

 diameter, was brought out completely filled with, 

 Spiranthes astivalis — roots, flowers, and all ! Besides 

 this there was on the table a good handful of cut 

 blossoms. I said I would walk over the bog and see 

 if there were any more, which called forth the remark : 

 "I don't think it's of any use, Sir; I don't think 

 there's one left." However, I searched, and after 

 wading half-knee-deep in water for an hour or so, 

 succeeded in finding three specimens, two of which I 

 took, and afterwards reproached myself for leaving 

 the third ; for I felt sure it would be gone next day. 

 I have not visited the cottage since, but I have no 

 doubt that every visible specimen was ruthlessly 



