246 



B ARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



oxidation takes place, and "gossan" is formed, 

 consisting chiefly of peroxide of iron, and oxidised 

 compounds of other metals. But we noticed that the 

 small veins were unchanged ; this is the case also with 

 small tight or compact lodes ; hence the miner 

 looks upon the presence of gossan as a very favourable 

 sign ; it is the harbinger of a good wide lode, con- 

 taining probably a large store of the useful metals 

 lower down. 



Thus have we made our strata tell their own tale, 

 and we see that their career has been a chequered 

 one. Originally the result of slow and calm deposition 

 from water, they have been subjected to mighty 

 forces, which have tilted them up, have produced 

 small fissures in them, and have indelibly stamped 

 them with a series of lines, which are in reality inci- 

 pient cleavage planes. We have also compared small 

 things with great, and have shown, that from a few 

 hours' study of a quarry we can learn a good many of 

 the commoner characteristics of metalliferous veins. 



HYDRA FUSCA versus ACTINOPHRYS 

 EICHORNII. 



NATIONS quarrel and settle their differences by 

 pitched battles, and immense slaughter of 

 their fellow-creatures, whose blood dyes the land, 

 and friends grieve for the loss of those dear to them. 

 Individual men quarrel and frequently descend to the 

 level of the beasts, disfiguring the beautiful image of 

 a Creator's wisdom. The beasts of prey gain their 

 sustenance by living on the weaker creatures of tlie 

 denizens of the forest. The eagle, vulture, and 

 other ravenous birds of the air, prey on the smaller 

 feathered tribe. In the depths of the mighty ocean, 

 the larger fish prey on the smaller, and every genus 

 in nature exhibits an amount of savage desperation 

 according to the resistance it receives from its victim. 

 Man is no exception. Look at the sturdy butcher 

 who has had some difficulty in bringing the beast 

 to the slaughtering block ; what extra amount of 

 strength he puts into the pole-axe as it descends on 

 the head of the unoffending victim. Even in the 

 tiny pond voracity exists as the "struggle for life" 

 goes on ; each animalcule preying on something more 

 minute than itself, and indulging in as fierce a fight as 

 ever was fought on a field of battle which would 

 possibly decide the fate of a nation. Yet the victory 

 even in this case is not always to the "mighty," 

 even when the assailant is the most powerful both in 

 size and armament, as I am able to testify, being an 

 eye-witness to a contest between a full-grown Hydra 

 ficsca and an Acti/iophiys Eichor7tii. It took place on 

 a Sunday evening — I am afraid my little pets have 

 no day of rest, and if they have not they are to be 

 pardoned, for many of the greatest battles of Europe 

 have been fought on that day. In my large zoophyte- 

 trough,* which I keep especially for watching the 



reproduction by budding of the Hydra fiisca, I 

 have had some very magnificent specimens this 

 season. I had two very beautiful Adinophrys 

 Eichornii, and their peculiar method of capturing and 

 absorbing their prey, and afterwards throwing off 

 the excreta, afforded me as great a source of observa- 

 tion as the Hydras. Both Hydra and Actinophrys 

 lived very comfortably together for some time, 

 neither molesting the other, but, whether from a 

 spirit of mischief, or a feeling of jealousy — it could 

 not be hunger, for I had kept Mrs. Hydra tolerably 

 well fed with Daphtiia pidex — on the part of Hydra 

 fiisca I know not, but it took it into its head to 

 meddle with Actinophrys, and Actinophrys seemed 

 in no way disinclined to make the acquaintance ; and 

 only when the Hydra became too loving by embra- 

 cing Actinophrys with two of its tentacles did the 

 latter begin to exert himself, and gather up his pro- 

 cesses for the fray. His spines, at all times promi- 

 nent, seemed to bristle like the quills on a porcupine's 

 back. A pause ensued ; and, whether sharply stung 

 by the spines of Actinophrys, or an act of its own 

 volition, I know not, but Hydra brought all its 

 tentacles to bear on Actinophrys, and, turning them 

 inwards tried to thrust Actinophrys down its throat. 

 But this was evidently no easy task, and Hydra found 

 it had not a dainty young Dajahnia as a bonne 

 boiiche, for it dropped Actinophrys to the end of its 

 tentacles and commenced lashing him as if in a furious 

 rage ; thrashing him as if it would beat every spine out 

 of his globose form. It now became very interesting 

 to watch the contest. It was evidently a waiting 

 game for Actinophrys. If he could stand this thrash- 

 ing he could stand anything. Whack-whack, the 

 blows seemed to fall and made you fancy you 

 heard them as you gazed through the instrument. 

 But more was in store for Actinophrys — Hydra fusca 

 finding this of no avail had recourse to other means. 

 In spite of spines, it wrapped one of its tentacles 

 round Actinophrys, and, with the aid of the others, 

 alternatively began trying to tear him to pieces ; but 

 all to no purpose. W'rench, wrench ; pear-shape, 

 lozenge-shape and every conceivable shape, I thought 

 he was quite smashed and torn up, but Actinophrys' 

 jsrotoplastic substance stood him in good stead, and 

 he seemed to make good use of his spines, for Hydra 

 was glad to keep shifting its tentacles as though 

 it felt the effects of them. And so the fight went on 

 for more than an hour — an age in Hydrozoic and 

 Protozoic existence — when. Hydra finding it could 

 make no end of Actinophrys, uncoiled its tentacles 

 and let him go. And a woeful spectacle it was. 

 His beautiful spines were wrenched and torn, and he 

 sought the solitude of a friendly leaf The next 

 evening Actinophrys had "repaired damages" and 

 was sailing fearlessly about in his little world, and at 

 no time since have I noticed either of the Hydras 

 molest Actinophrys. 



Canterbury. T. B, RosSETER. 



