Queries and Answers, 495 



betes bipunctatus, and the iVepa cinerea, in ponds or ditches ; the Salplngus 

 roboris, Coccinella humeralis, and Dromius quadrimaculatus, under the 

 bark of trees ; and, perhaps, may meet with the Geometra primaria and 

 brumaria moths in hedges. — J. M. Dec, 25. 1828. 



Art. VII. Queries and Answers, 



The TIeather-hluiter of the Scotch (p. 297.) is the common bittern, mire- 

 drum, or marsh-boomer (^'rdea stellaris Linn.) ; and the sound of the bird 

 is so very common, that every child is familiar with it, though the birds, 

 from being shy, are not often seen. The poet Thomson seems to have had 

 a very erroneous notion of the manner in which the bird produces the noise, 

 when he says, 



" So that scarce 



The bittern knows his time, with bill engulpht, \ 

 To shake the sounding marsh.'* Seasons. 



On the contrary, I have repeatedly remarked that the bittern usually 

 booms while flying high in the air. Its lofty spiral flight, indeed, is a mat- 

 ter of common remark. 



" Swift as the bittern soars on spiral wing.'* Southey, 



A line which, I may remark, is not very ornithological ; inasmuch as neither 

 the bittern, nor any other bird, has spiral wings. Southey, however, seems 

 to be well acquainted with the boom of the bittern, 



" At evening, over the swampy plain. 



The bittern's boom came far." Thalaha. J. Rennie. 



Edible Lizards, (p. 591.) — Is not a large species of lizard eaten, and 

 reckoned a delicacy, in Jamaica? — M. [Yes ; the fact is well known. — 

 J.R,] 



Bulla ligndria. — Sir, Will you favour me, in one of your succeeding 

 Numbers, with a few remarks upon the gizzard of the Bulla lignaria. I am 

 anxious to know whether the inhabitant of this shell is endowed with any 

 peculiar digestive power, or whether this organ may be met with in any 

 other species of shell fish. A little information on this subject will greatly 

 oblige, Sir, &c. — C. S. July 18. 1828. 



Parrots in Van Diemen^s Land. — A friend, residing in Van Diemen's 

 Land, has asked me if I can suggest any means of preventing parrots from 

 destroying seed when first sown ; and I ask you or any of your correspond- 

 ents. — A Subscriber. London, Augtist 11. 1828. 



Organisation of Plants. — I take'^a great interest in the physiology of botany, 

 and have often lamented the insufficiency of microscopes to enable me to 

 ascertain the organisation of plants From a number of the Library of Use- 

 ful Knowledge, I learn that this enquiry is facilitated, by plunging the parts 

 to be examined in a phial of nitric acid, placing the phial in boiling water, 

 and keeping it at the boiling point for 12 or 15 minutes. I have tried this, 

 but cannot succeed ; the contents of the phial, when taken out, were merely 

 the acid, and a portion of pulp totally disorganised, and in a state of effer- 

 vescence that would admit of no examination, had there been anything to 

 examine. I tried it with half the boiling, but, even then, the parts were one 

 confused mass, from which nothing could be understood. Can you give me 

 any information about this ; or, if not, will you put a query to that effect in 

 the Magazine ? — E.K. August 3. 1 828. 



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