HARDWICKE'S SCI ENCE-G SSIF. 



95 



lost, its antagonist, though no longer subject to wear, 

 goes on growing, forming a larger and larger seg- 

 ment of a circle, and if, from some slight deformity, 

 the teeth of the upper jaw do not meet those of the 

 lower, each pair goes on growing, producing the con- 

 dition met with in the mouse under consideration : in 

 this case, the lower teeth appear to have been de- 

 flected to one side of their proper position. This 

 strange state of things has been observed in other 

 animals besides rodents. The Siis halnroiissa, a wild 

 pig confined to the Malay Archipelago, possesses 

 enormously long recurved "canine" teeth in both jaws, 

 which grow "persistently;" and the upper canines 

 sometimes grow until their tips re-enter the skull of 

 the animal and cause death ; the lower, in like cir- 

 cumstances, recurving till they penetrate the jaw. 

 The hippopotamus, which has constantly-growing 

 front teeth, has been known to be subject to a similar 

 abnormality ; the museum of one of our London 

 scientific societies contains the lower " incisor " of 

 a hippo which, being relieved from wear by the loss 

 of its antagonist, Vi'ent on growing till its tip, curving 

 back into the mouth, pierced the jaw, and entered 

 its own growing base, thus forming a complete, and 

 very singularly perfect circle. — J. B. 31. 



NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Exchangers. — As we now 

 publish Science-Gossip earlier than heretofore, we cannot 

 possibly insert in the following' number any communications 

 which reach us later than the 8th of the previous month. 



To Anonvmous QtJERiSTS. — We receive so many queries 

 which do not bear the writers' names that we are forced to 

 adhere to our rule of not noticing them. 



To Dealers and others. — We are always glad to treat 

 dealers in natural history objects on the same fair and general 

 ground as amateurs, in so far as the '' exchanges " offered are fair 

 exchanges. But it is evident that, when their offers are simply 

 disguised advertisements, for the purpose of evading the cost of 

 advertising, an advantage is taken oi oxix gratuitous insertion of 

 "exchanges" which cannot be tolerated. 



Formula Wanted. — I cannot tell C. E. C. what his formula 

 rio. I is, but No. 2, or chrom.ic acid, with addition of sulphuric 

 acid, is employed in animal histology, in cases where a cal- 

 careous tissue is to be softened by dissolving out the lime. 

 Thus, to examine a section of bone and periosteum, the pre- 

 paration softens the bone and hardens the gelatinous or organic 

 remains besides the periosteum itself. — H . J . Jolmston-Lavis. 



Would any reader kindly recommend a good Swiss Alpine 

 Flora (small and portable if possible) and oblige? — Henry J. 

 Ryder, Physician, &c. 



W. Horley. — Your specimen is a variety of the common 

 field mouse (Mas sylvaticus). To be found living in an office is 

 an unusual place. We should be glad to see the male. 



Stella. — Your moss is a fragment oiHypititm iainan'scimun. 



J. T. A. — See Whitaker's " Guide to the Geology of London 

 and the Neighbourhood," 3rd edit, price u. (London : Edward 

 Stanford), for a full account of the drifts near the metropolis. 

 Professor Geikie's "Geological Map of Scotland" is portable, 

 and made for the knapsack. It is published by W. & A. K. 

 Johnston. You will find full instructions for drying plants in 

 •' Notes on.ColIecling and Preserving Natural History Objects." 



A. L. wishes the address of the Naturalists' Field Club 

 nearest to Old Kent Road. He will find an article on "How 

 to start a Natural History Society " in Science-Gossip for 

 1878, page 201. He will find hints for a shell cabinet in Pro- 

 fessor Tate's paper in " Notes on Collecting and Natural 

 History Objects." 



S. Brown and Fred Bates. — You may procure animals for 

 your aquarium at King's " Sea Horse" House, Portland Road, 

 London. See Taylor's "Aquarium: its Principles," Structure, 

 and Management," 2nd edit, (just out), for details as to other 

 parts of your question. 



C. F. — Hymenophyllum may be grow'n from spores like any 

 other fern. The best plan is to sow the spores and cover with 

 a small bell glass until the prothalli are developed. 



C. H. Wood wishes for the names of Entomological, Botani- 

 cal, and Geological clubs in the north of London. 



R. B. — You cannot do better than read Green's " Physical 



Geology " after studying Lyell. Thome's " Structur.1l Botany " 

 edited by Dr. A. W. Bennett, might follow Oliver ; or Henfrey's 

 " Botany," edited by Dr. Masters. For British botany, Dr. 

 Hooker's "Student's Flora of the British Islands." You will 

 find all necessary hints for constructing a freshwater aquarium 

 in Taylor's "Aquarium," published by Bogue, 3 St. Martin's 

 Place, Trafalgar Square, W.C. 



H. H. S. — We think you hnd best get Dr. Marsh's little work 

 on " Section-cutting," published by J. & A. Churchill, for full 

 details as to various kinds of section cutters. The best and 

 simplest and cheapest botanical section-cutter we ever saw was 

 made by Mr. C. Bailey, F.L.S., of 85 Withington Road, 

 Whallejr Range, INIanchester, who might be prevailed upon to 

 send sketch and description. 



F. C. King. — Many thanks for your well-mounted slide. The 

 obiect is a species of Jungermannia, or " Scale moss." 



R. Rogers. — Your specimens are — (i) the candle-snuff fungus 

 (Xyloria hyPoxylon) ; (2) Lycopei-don pyriforine ; (3) a lichen 

 (Cctraria). 



Nero. — Your specimen is not a seaweed at all, but the empty 

 tubes of a zoophyte, called Tubularia ; see " Half Hours at the 

 Seaside," page 86, published by Bogue, 3 St. Martin's Place. 



J. B. C- may obtain silkworms' eggs of Dr. Wallace, Col- 

 chester. Living specimens of Diona-a innscipula may be ob- 

 tained of Mr. Wm. Bull, F.L.S., King's Road, Chelsea. 



H. W. B. — I\Ir. P. Kcrmode's address is Hon. Sec. Natural 

 History Society, Ramsey, Isle of jNIan. We make no charge 

 for Exchanges, unless they are over three lines in length. 



T. Lamb. — You will see the query as to what is Tennyson's 

 " Sea-blue bird of March," answered in past numbers of Science- 

 Gossip. There is no doubt it is the kingfisher. 



E. A. Browne. — Caswell's "Book of Birds," edited by the 

 late Professor Rymer Jones, was issued in -jd. monthly parts, 

 and may still be obtained. Cassell's "Natural History," now in 

 course of monthly part issue, is by far the best and most com- 

 prehensive popular work which has yet appeared. 



G. T. Baker wants the name of a first-class German work on 

 European Lepidoptera. Is he aware that Cassells are issuing 

 in monthly parts an illustrated " European Lepidoptera," edited 

 by I\Ir. W. Kirby ? 



W. J. R. inquires if there is any monograph v.-ritten on the 

 Entomology and Geology of East Cornwall, more especiallj' 

 with regard to Bude ; or if there are any Natural History 

 Societies thereabouts which publish transactions ? 



EXCHANGES. 



Double-stained sections of stem of dog-rose (Rosa canina) 

 and blackberry (Rubiis friiticosiis), in exchange for other 

 stained vegetable sections, or for parasites. — Arthur J. Dohertj^ 

 26 Leamington Street, Manchester. 



Five hundred American plants (Phsenogamia and Vascular 

 Cryptogamia) correctly named, and in fine condition. What 

 offers of British plants? — C. D. Fretz, M.D., Sellersville, 

 Pa., U.S.A. 



Rich diatomaceous earth from Unterluss offered for good 

 micro mounts or good material. — E. J. Marks, 21 Canynge 

 Square, Clifton, Bristol. 



Wanted, a cabinet suitable for natural history objects, in 

 exchange for 5 vols. " Illustrated Travels," cost £-^ 15J., or 

 offers. — Alfred Draper, 275 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield. 



Wanted, "Popular Science Review" for 1879 and i?8o; 

 exchange Darwin's "Origin of Species," last edition.— 

 R. Bielby, 16 Blake Street, York. 



New mosses in 2nd ed. of L. C. Offered, Aiilocomiuiii 

 turgidiiin and Timmia ii07~jcgica (foreign). Wanted, Blicro- 

 bryum, Trichodon, Tayloria, Myurium, and Daltonia. — 

 R. Wood, Westward, Wigton. 



A pinewood cabinet (2r in. by 11 in.), previously used for 

 large microscope, and a gravitating-tube on stand, for selection 

 of Diatomaceae, in exchange for good micro slides, or apparatus, 

 or a good li or 2-inch objective. What offers ? — Rev. J. 

 Finnemore, F.G.S., Summerseat, Manchester. 



Cassell's "European Butterflies and Moths" (up to present 

 month), in exchange for Nevv'man's " British Moths" (copy in 

 good condition required).— Henry Lamb, 35 Bower Lane, 

 Maidstone. 



Wantep, specimens of Characeae during the summer and 

 autumn, named or unnamed ; Characeae, or rare British plants, 

 in exchange. — A. Bennett, High Street, Croydon, Surrey. 



A few fossil bones from South Carolina offered in exchange 

 for recent foreign shells and crystals. — Miss F. M. Hele, Fair- 

 light, Elmgrove Road, Cotham, Bristol. 



For exchange, about 500 foreign stamps, for pupae of British 

 Lepidoptera, all in one lot, or by fifties all different. — T. M. V., 

 16 Merrion Square South, Dublin. 



Good specimens of British lind and freshwater shells, named 

 and localised, offered for pill boxes with glass tops. — Alpha, 

 82 Abbey Street, Faversham. 



Arsenoi'YRITES and Mispickel in exchange for Zeolites, or 

 other minerals. Lists exchanged. — J. McKenzie, Nursery 

 Cottage, Huddersfield. 



Wanted, Thorpe's " British Marine Conchology," illustrated 



