HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



215 



Hair Bell or Hare Bell. — In your August 

 number, F. K. suggests that there is no real difference 

 here, but that the word " hare" is only a corruption 

 of an older spelling of " hair." Speculations on what 

 "maybe" are of little or no weight in etymology, 

 which can only be founded on what actually has 

 been, when such can be known ; otherwise and pro- 

 visionally, as in other sciences, analogy forms some 

 guide. Hence the immense value, over all its pre- 

 decessors, of Professor Skeat's "Etymological Dic- 

 tionary," arranged on an historical basis. I believe 

 there is no instance of "hair" having ever been 

 spelt "hare," and, at any rate, when followed by an 

 s, it can hardly mean anything but the quadruped. 

 Professor Skeat gives several instances of plants 

 having been named after animals, and in particular 

 from words combined with the hare, out of which I 

 selected a few ; F. K. quotes one new to me from an 

 old Dutch work. It is rather beside the point that 

 several botanists have adopted the spelling hair-bell, 

 since it is well known that that is often used ; the 

 question is whether it is etymologically correct. In 

 your July number, Mr. Bowker appears to think that 

 the harebell mentioned by Shakespere in "Cymbeline " 

 refers not to the Campanula rotiimiifolia but to the 

 Hyaciiithiis Jiutans, usually in English called blue- 

 bell, but sometimes harelDell. I venture to think 

 that he is wrong, for surely the colour of the latter 

 can hardly be compared to that of the human veins. 

 Though often of a very deep blue (too much, in fact, 

 for this comparison), it is not always blue at all, which 

 I suppose is the reason that bluebell is not its 

 universal designation. Of the English names of the 

 Campaiuda rottindifolia, heath bell is perhaps the 

 most appropriate. (In the third line of my quotation 

 from "Cymbeline," the printer has accidentally sub- 

 stituted "He" for "I'll.")— /K T. Lynn. 



Rearing Bombyx Pernyi. — My success in get- 

 ting these moths out of the pupa has not been what 

 I anticipated, and I attribute my failure to the 

 cocoons having been kept too dry, therefore I give 

 this hint to future rearers. I was of course aware 

 that the cocoons should be protected from frost, and 

 secured for them a uniform winter temperature, but 

 from the shrivelled aspect of the non-emerged 

 insects, it would seem that if they do not require 

 actual damping, a moist atmosphere helps on their 

 development. Also I note that almost immediately 

 it quits the puparum, the moth of B. Fcrnyi dis- 

 charges a glutinous fluid, which clogs and entangles 

 the feet, interfering with its extrication. This cir- 

 cumstance suggests that it might be advisable to 

 remove the pupa from the cocoons, and place them 

 on moss, or any substance that would give them a 

 good foothold.—^. R. S. C. 



Rearing young Larvae. — An account of a very 

 ingenious apparatus for this purpose is given in a 

 small shilling volume on " British Moths," by Rev. 

 J. J. -Wood (Routledge). The troublesome and I'eally 

 extraordinary propensity most of them have to wander 

 about is a bar to successful rearing. Some have been 

 reared in glass tubes or cylinders, closed at each end 

 with corks, and twigs of the required plant being 

 introduced, the larvae will live several days without 

 need of a change, the glasses being kept in a cool 

 place. They will thrive at that early age, with less 

 air than they subsequently require. Also small jam- 

 pots or gallipots covered with fine muslin have been 

 tried with some success, or the plants or twigs may 

 be stuck in narrow-necked bottles of water, and these 

 made to stand in saucers, the edges of which are 

 slightly greased, so that if any drop, they cannot 

 escape over the edge. 



A Maggot Combat. — A short time ago I wit- 

 nessed a combat between two maggots, which had 

 been taken out of separate pea-pods : an account 

 may not be uninteresting to your numerous readers. 

 Each was about a quarter of an inch in length ; one 

 was brown, its atral end was comparatively large and 

 bulky, and it tapered towards the head ; it could 

 elongate itself at pleasure with a peristaltic action, 

 and its movements were sudden and rapid. The 

 other was green, and exactly similar to a hairless 

 caterpillar both in appearance and movement. It 

 was somewhat difficult to raise their ire, but when 

 they once began to "enter into conflict dire," they 

 went at it in right good earnest. They twisted and 

 twirled round each other like two snakes, one evi- 

 dently endeavouring to get the better of the other ; 

 the green champion was the stronger though not so 

 agile as the brown, which made several ineffectual 

 attempts to get away. The struggle continued for at 

 least from fifteen to twenty minutes, when I observed 

 that the green champion excreted from his left side 

 an almost invisible glutinous web which he con- 

 trived to twist round the middle of his opponent, 

 speedily depriving his atral half of movement ; when 

 he had succeeded in his purpose, I saw a swelling on 

 his left side : the conqueror was now much ex- 

 hausted, and his powers of locomotion were seriously 

 impeded. Tire vanquished now succumbed to the 

 injuries received ; how long the other lived I do not 

 know, as it was unfortunately thrown away. I 

 merely send this short, and I am afraid, imperfect 

 account, in order to inquire of your readers if any- 

 thing of a similar nature has ever come under their 

 notice. — E. Marlett Boddy, F.R- C.S. 



Variety of the Brimstone Btjtterfly. — The 

 individual described by H. M. is not a hybrid, but 

 belongs to a variety not of uncommon occurrence in 

 this country, and which is near akin to the Con- 

 tinental form of the brimstone called Rhodoccra 

 Cleopatra, and regarded by some as a distinct species. 

 The extent of the orange streak vai'ies in different 

 specimens, and is not always alike in the correspond- 

 ing wings. — J. R. S. C. 



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 Anonymous Querists. — 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 owt gratuitous insertion 01 

 "exchanges" which cannot be tolerated. 



Philip Barker. — Messer's "New and Easy Method of 

 Studying British Wild Flowers by Natural Analysis," published 

 at ZQS. 6d, by D. Bogue, is one of the best books you could 

 obtain by which to easily diagnose British plants. 



E. H.\LSE. — Your paper is in type, and will appear shortly. 



H. P. Malet. — Will you please supply us with your present 

 address, that we may return you the paper you speak of. 



Henry J. Allen. — 1 he " Natural fiistory" edited by Pro- 

 fessor Duncan, now being published by Cassell's, and which has 

 reached itslifth volume, is by far the best which has yet appeared. 

 Each department has been entrusted to a specialist, some writer 

 distinguished for his acquaintance with the subject. The illustra- 

 tions are both numerous and good. 



G. Jones. — Marine animals and plants for the aquarium 

 may be obtained at Sea Horse House, Portland Road, London. 



