334 Mr. Selby on the effects produced upon Animal 



It is a curious subject for inquiry, by what means, whether 

 mechanical or chemical, this Balanus is enabled to penetrate 

 the hard bone of the turtle as well as its outer shell, and also 

 what is the relation of this arrangement to the ceconomy of 

 the animal. 



I venture to propose as a name for the species Balanus che- 

 lytrypetes *. 



XLI. — On the Effects produced upon Animal and Vegetable 

 Life by the Winter of 1838. By P. J. Selby, Esq., of 

 Twizel House. 

 The severity with which the year was ushered in by the long-con- 

 tinued frost during the months of January, February, and a part of 

 March, the cold and long-retarded spring, succeeded by a chilly and 

 ungenial summer, as well as a late and deficient harvest, place the 

 year 1838 upon our records as one of pecuHar, though happily of 

 unwonted character. Under circumstances of such a nature, and 

 which it is more than probable may not again occur during the limit 

 of the present generation, a few observations upon the effects of so 

 severe a season, as connected with animal as well as vegetable life, 

 more particularly as affecting our own district, may perhaps prove 

 not altogether uninteresting to the members of the clubf. It will be 

 in the recollection of those who attended to the weather, that, up to 

 the 5th of January 1838, the season, with the exception of the first 

 week of the previous November, when we experienced a severe but 

 cursory snow storm, had upon the whole been temperate and mild : 

 this was particularly the case on Christmas, and two or three follow- 

 ing days, when the thermometer ranged from 52° to 55°, at which 

 time, I may remark, many of the thrushes which still remained in- 

 land, were heard recording in distinct and audible key, thus flatter- 

 ing us with the hope that winter had divested herself of her charac- 

 teristic garb, and that these sweet carols were to be the prelude of 

 an early spring. These halcyon days, however, were of short dura- 

 tion, as, on the 6th of January, frost set in, accompanied in this di- 

 strict by showers or falls of snow and hail, which, in consequence 

 of the calm state of the atmosphere, fell level upon the surface. It 

 thus continued falling at frequent intervals, more or less, for nearly 



* Chelys, Gr., a turtle, and trypetes, a Greek word signifying * one that 

 perforates.' 



f From the Transactions of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club : — see p. 

 129 of the present volume. 



