688 Queries and Answers* 



ticity and toughness of the skin that they are thus enabled to make their 

 way through such a " cheval de frise " of thorns ? — or have the long hairs 

 nothing to do with defending the body of the tiger moth ? If any one of 

 your readers would give me more information on these subjects, I should 

 be much obliged. I am. Sir, yours, &c. — T^6mbt/x. Feb. 3. 1832. 



If the caterpillar of the garden tiger be molested when feeding at con- 

 siderable height from the ground, it makes no scruple, by a vigorous con- 

 tortion, to release itself from molestation, to throw itself to the earth ; 

 perhaps in the consciousness that its long elastic hairs will preserve it from 

 all injury by concussion. It will be scarcely possible to apply to the hairs 

 of this caterpillar the solution that has been, in the Library of Entertaining 

 Knowledge, so admirably offered of the utility to the cat of its whiskers. — 

 J.D. 



A Meteorological Calendar ; the best Formidary and Instruments for. — 

 E. H. G. asks for information on these points, and further, asks the names 

 of the makers of, and, if agreeable, their prices for the instruments recom- 

 mended; cheapness being a consideration. The name and price of" any 

 good and cheap elementary work on the subject'* will also be valued. 



We leave to our meteorological correspondents the majority of E. H. G.*s 

 queries ; but respecting a formulary, we may remark, that the best we have 

 seen is one sent us by our valued correspondent, Sigma, but to whom we 

 have been under the necessity of returning it, as its form was too expensive 

 for being printed, and because we are, for the present at least, scarcely 

 desirous of more meteorological journals. The calendar mentioned was 

 of this form : — A sheet of paper was divided into perpendicular columns, as 

 various in width as the following subjects, with which the columns were 

 respectively and successively headed, required: — 1st column, the month ; 

 2d, the day of the month ; 3d, height of the thermometer at night ; 4th, 

 height of the thermometer by day; 5th, indications of the barometer; 

 6th, lunation; 7th, state of wind in the forenoon; 8th, state of wind in the 

 afternoon, and the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th were ascribed to atmospheric 

 variations ; the 9th column the state of the atmosphere at 8 o'clock in the 

 morning; the 10th, to its state at noon; the 11th, to its state at 8 o'clock 

 in the evening; the 12th, to its state at night; the 13th column, a broad 

 one, contains the prevailing form of clouds ; the 14th, a broad column, to 

 the appearance of birds, insects, &c., whether solitary, few, or numerous ; 

 15th, a broad column for first appearance of flowers, and notices of their 

 state, as to whether in bud, in full flower, &c. ; 16th and last, a broad 

 column also, for general remarks. By the help of a few abbreviations, 

 this calendar by Sigma was rendered admirably comprehensive, and what 

 excited our preference for it is, that by such a tabular and synoptical exhi- 

 bition of the details, all of them could be seen in one view, and, as you 

 might desire, either in connection or contrast. The influence of the at- 

 mosphere's condition on organised nature is by this mode very intelligibly, 

 and therefore instructively, shown. The only addition which it occurs to 

 us to suggest is, that, as far as ascertainable, the state of the health of the 

 human inhabitants of the neighbourhood should be from time to time 

 stated, as far as the successive states of health might be deemed consequent 

 !)n atmospheric action (see p. 350.). — The above had been written pre- 

 viously to the third of April (1832), at which date was exhibited, at a 

 meeting of the liOndon Horticultural Society, " a sentinel thermometer, 

 regulated by the expansion of air acting upon a delicate mercurial balance, 

 invented by Mr. John Lindley." This instrument we have not seen, but 

 the present mention of it will supply a clew to any one desirous to learn 

 more about it. — J. D. 



