HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



167 



and from three little terriers constantly playing and 

 barking immediately under the nest. — M. T. Palmer. 



Batrachospermum, &c. — I cannot say whether 

 I shall be giving any or new interesting information 

 when I inform your readers that recently the Misses 

 Willis brought some fine examples of the lovely fresh- 

 water alga, Batrochospermum monilifornu from the 

 stream at Ewell. And that Mr. Morse, of the original 

 Epsom nurseries, discovered in the same parish, a 

 habitat for Cystopterts fragilis. — John E. Daniels, 

 Epsom. 



Malformation in a Sheep. — I saw lately in 

 London a handsome well-grown wether sheep two 

 years old, with five legs, the extra one being apparently 

 anchylozed to the right scapula. The shank-bone 

 was full-sized, but instead of one set of the other feet 

 bones there were two, the four hoofs being prolonged 

 into claws. I have often met with monstrosities, but 

 not often so full-grown. — A. Bell. 



Double Lilac— In a garden at Southend I have 

 observed a lilac-tree covered with double flowers. 

 The owner told me that five or six years ago this 

 peculiarity was first remarked on one or two branches 

 only. The quantity gradually increased, and now 

 the whole tree is nearly covered with double blossoms. 

 There are other lilac-trees in the garden which have 

 never shown any disposition to become double. Is 

 this an uncommon circumstance ? I have never met 

 with it before. — E. Fisher. 



Superstitious Dislike to the Wren. — In 

 February's Science-Gossip, Mr. H. Allingham, in 

 an interesting note, speaks of the bitter dislike which 

 the country folk in some districts entertain to the 

 Wren. I have occasionally met with instances of this 

 superstition myself, but have always been unable to 

 trace the reason for such an aversion. Mr. Allingham 

 says the Wren has been designated the "devil's bird." 

 Has he heard the old couplet which says — 



"The robin and the wren 

 Are God's cock and hen ? " 



Apropos of this bird, I may mention that on Satur- 

 day, the 1 2th January, a newly-built wren's nest, 

 containing five eggs, was discovered at Galley Hill, 

 near Gravesend. — G. O. Howell, Shooter's Hill. 



Double-blossomed Horse-chestnut. — In the 

 New London-road, Chelmsford, during May, a horse- 

 chestnut tree in the garden belonging to Weston Villa 

 was in full bloom. The flowers were apparently all 

 the subjects of multiplication, for in a panicle, which 

 I took the liberty to pluck, I found twenty-four petals, 

 and twenty stamens in one flower, and from the 

 general appearance of the flowers on the tree they 

 seemed more or less like it. The tree is well-grown 

 and vigorous, equalling in height the villa near which 

 it stands ; but is by no means old, so that it may be a 

 study for botanists during many years to come. — 

 John Gibbs. 



Ranunculus repens. — In Cheshire the curious 

 or strange name of DeviPs-claw is applied to this 

 species, but in "Flora Vectensis" it is stated the 

 term is used to an allied species, the R. arvensis. 



The Natterjack Toad (p. 142).— This reptile 

 emits a rather strong sulphurous scent when 

 frightened ; but only extremely fastidious persons 

 could consider it "a most intolerable odour." The 

 locality nearest to London in which I have found the 

 animal is Barnes Common, where it was very abundant 

 seven or eight years ago. It is also to be. found on 

 Coombe Warren, between Wimbledon Common and 

 Kingston.— IV. R. Tale, Blandford, Dorset. 



Cheap Aquaria.— For the benefit of "W. D. B.," 

 who asks for a way of constructing a cheap aquarium, 

 I will describe the primitive one I have in use. It is 

 simply a "carboy," such as can be procured at any 

 chemical works for a small amount of money. To 

 convert it into an aquarium lay a ring about ten 



] inches in diameter on top of it for a guide, and run a 

 glazier's diamond around, then use a hot wire, and you 

 have a clean cut edge, which you can set off a little 

 by binding with tinfoil or something of a similar 



■ nature. _ I don't know the exact capacity of mine, 

 but believe it approximates something near fifteen 

 gallons. For keeping in stock objects for the micro- 

 scope, such as entomostraca, infusoria, &c, I prefer 

 a small globe holding not more than two or three 

 pints.— H. F. Atwood, Chieago, U.S. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS, 



To Correspondents and Exchangers. — As we now 

 publish Science-Gossip a week earlier than heretofore, we 

 cannot possibly insert in the following number any communi- 

 cations which reach us later than the oth of the previous 

 month. 



V. G.— The insect, of which you sent us a sketch, is Lioellula 

 deprcssa. 



E. E. Evans (Brimscombe).— Hewitson, in his " Eggs of 

 British Birds," gives no markings on the eggs of the Martin 

 (Hirundo urbica). They are nearly white, with a slight plum- 

 coloured tint at the smaller end. 



T. Spencer Smithson.— Your letter inquiring the name of 

 a diatom did not contain any specimens when it reached us. 



R. J. S.— The plants are not "Rushes," but " Cotton- 

 sedges " or "Cotton-grasses" {Eriophorum potystachynnr) 

 common in all marshes. Its economical employment has been 

 frequently attempted, but hitherto, we believe, without suc- 

 cess. 



W. C. Penny (Frome). — The figure of Nynrphon gracile, m 

 the last number of Science-Gossip, is ten times the size of the 

 animal. You will find an account of it in Taylor's "Half- 

 Hours at the Sea-side," from which the above-mentioned illus- 

 tration was taken. 



Warrawarra (St. Vincents, W.I.). — The specimen en- 

 closed was a species of Mistletoe {Viscum). Could you send a 

 larger specimen ? 



C. T. M. (Plymouth).— The ferns were respectively, Uliairtnm 

 trapcziforme and Pteris tremula. 



S. K. A. (Stafford). — Your specimens are — No. i. Weasel- 

 snout {Galeobdolon Interim, L.). No. 2. Wood Sanicle (Sani- 

 crtla curopczd). 



C. S. (Sevenoaks).— Many thanks for the specimens of 

 orchids. 



R. R. (Earlstown, N.B.).— The fern No. 1, is very rare 

 (Asplenium lanceolatum). No. 2, the Common Male-fern {Las- 

 trea Filix-mas). No. 3, Lastrea dilatata. 



G. Clinch.— Many thanks for your excellently-mounted 

 specimen of fossil wood. 



L. L. — Get the " Collector's Handy-book of Algse. Diatoms, 

 Desmids, Fungi, Lichens, and Mosses," translated and edited 

 by the Rev. W. XV. Spicer, and published by Messrs. Hardwicke 

 & Bogue, 192, Piccadilly, at 2s. 6d. 



Prof. Tempere. — The plant you enclosed was Brassier 

 monensis. It is confined in its distribution to the western and 

 south-eastern coasts. 



E. W. Andrews. — Your specimen is Ranunculus divergens, 

 Schulz, though a much smaller one than we have seen before. 



G. S. Mitchell.— Yes ; the place of birth does not affect 

 the children. 



R. Bolton. — The following are well known elementary books 

 on geology: — Taylor's " Geological Stories" ; "Geology," by 

 J. Clifton Ward, F.G.S. ; Jukes' "Geology," new edition, by 

 Jukes-Brown : Skertchley's " Geology," and Tate's " Geology," 

 published by Lockwood & Co. 



N. O. (Brompton). — Your insects are — No. 1, R. crattrgata ; 

 2, Y. ruberaiit ; 3, M. hastata ; 4, T. balis ; and 5, X, 

 camelin 7. 



EXCHANGES. 



Aceras anthropophora, Gagea Irrtea, Silene coniccr, Scirpus 

 pungens, &c. , for Orchis incamata, Scirpus triqrteter, Pynts 

 communis, Potentilla rnpestris. Carcx tomortosa, Lychnis 

 alpina, dr*c. — G. C. Druce, Northampton. 



