HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



251 



the geology, zoology, botany, entomology, &c., of 

 the country around Folkestone, and also contains 

 lists of plants, lepidoptera, birds, land and fresh- 

 water shells. A few of the papers have been con- 

 tributed to Science-Gossip, and all form a very 

 bright and attractive book, which does much credit 

 to the author, and supplies the scientific tourist with 

 a most trustworthy guide to a well-known and much 

 frequented locality. 



Among the Rocks round Glasgow, by Dugald Bell 

 •(Glasgow : James Maclehose), is another well got up 

 little book, consisting for the most part of already 

 contributed papers. The title-page is preceded by a 

 very capital, useful, coloured geological map of the 

 district round Glasgow, than which we know of few 

 places where so many things geological are packed 

 in so small a compass. Mr. Bell wrote these papers 

 when acting as secretary to the Glasgow Geological 

 Society, and their reprint is a credit both to himself 

 and the society he represented. 



The History of Salt, by E. Marlett Boddy (London: 

 Bailliere, Tindall, & Co.), is a small book, whose 

 title, although expressive, hardly gives one a fair idea 

 of the amount of valuable matter it contains. The 

 history of salt is treated geologically, chemically, 

 geographically, physiologically, medicinally, &c., and 

 in each department Mr. Boddy shows himself fully 

 up to his task. We regard this treatise as a both 

 valuable and compendious enough to place by for 

 ifurther reference. 



The Book of the Rabbit (London: "Bazaar" 

 Office) has already been noticed in our columns as 

 the different parts were issued. In the completed 

 volume form it is a very handsome book, and one 

 that will for the future be the authority to be con- 

 sulted on everything relating to Rabbits. 



Drai7iatic Singing, by Dr. W. H. Walshe (London : 

 ■C. Kegan Paul & Co.) is a study of the subject from 

 a physiological point, so that listeners at the Opera 

 may be helped to analyse their impressions all the 

 more profitably. It is an excellent treatise on the 

 subject, and deals with it in an original and thought- 

 ful manner. 



Deaf Mutism, by Dr. A. Hartmann, (London : 

 Bailliere & Co.) This is a translation and enlarge- 

 ment of Dr. Hartmann's work by Dr. J. P. Cassells. 

 It deals with the modern education of deaf-mutes by 

 lip-reading and articulation, and it is hoped that its 

 issue in the present form will help forward the 

 education of English deaf-mutes. 



Practical Chemistry, by J. Howard, F.C.S. (London: 

 W. Collins & Co.), is a new and revised edition of one 

 of this firm's Elementary Science series. It is abun- 

 dantly illustrated with experiments which teachers 

 and students are to perform, and which will lay the 

 foundation of practical chemical knowledge. 



JUSSIEUA NATANS: A REMARKABLE 

 ROOT. 



By Greenwood Pim, M.A., F.L.S. 



THE genus Jussieua belongs to the natural order 

 Onagracere, or evening primrose family ; the 

 species being for the most part natives of tropical 

 swamps. 



y. natans resembles both in general appearance 

 and in flower some of the garden forms of CEnothera, 

 and has nothing very striking about it. It is, how- 

 ever, to the structure of the roots that I wish to direct 

 the attention of readers of Science-Gossip. 



They are from -['g tOf^gin. thick, and woolly-looking, 

 their tips frequently projecting above the water. On 

 breaking one across, a curious concentric rim 

 structure in the wool is visible even to the naked eye 

 surrounding a small central core, but is much more 

 distinctly seen with a pocket lens. 



If we make a transverse section, no easy matter, 

 the root is so soft and yielding, we find that the 

 central core consists of two kinds of cellular tissue, 

 the inner resembling pith cells, but with strong thick 

 walls and no chlorophyll ; the outer, more woody in 

 its nature, consisting of large and small cells of 

 nearly circular section, and containing some chloro- 

 phyll. Of the outer tier of this layer about every 

 fourth or fifth cell, instead of being nearly spherical, 

 is prolonged into a hairlike process. These long 

 slender cells at a given distance anastomose, not only 

 those arising from each layer of cells, but also those 

 arising from the neighbouring layers. They again 

 separate and again anastomose several times, accord- 

 ing to age ; the last anastomosis being at the surface 

 of the root, so that these elongated cells form a kind 

 of felt cylinder round the normal portion of the root, 

 having their ends all united into a kind of net. It 

 is these rings of anastomosing points that give the 

 annular appearance before alluded to. 



Sometimes we find the root giving off fibrils 

 similar to those of other roots ; they arise from 

 the woody portion of the core, make their way 

 out through the felt, and are quite distinct from it. 

 I believe the plant is not uncommon in Botanic 

 Gardens, so that it will not be difficult for any one 

 desiring to examine it to obtain specimens. Small 

 cuttings appear to grow freely in a vessel of water in 

 a warm atmosphere. 



Monkstown, Dublin. 



The Electric Light at Norwich. — These 

 lamps are the centre of attraction for entomologists, 

 as there have been some good moths caught there 

 lately, amongst which were three Sphinx Lonvonntli. 

 These are usually rather rare moths, but there have 

 been a great many taken this year. — M, N. N. S. C. 



