336 ■ NATURAL SCIENCE. Nov., 1894. 



burrow under the netting unless it is buried some six or eight inches 

 under the soil. Moreover, they can climb, or evidently intend to do 

 so, after a little training, and to this end they are developing a nail 

 which will enable them to hold on while progress is made upward. 

 This nail development was noticed before this in Queensland, when 

 the bark just out of reach was desirable of attainment, but to effect 

 hand-over-hand nautical climbing shows the rabbit in the act of 

 elevating himself in the scale. 



The Gay Science of Newspaper Criticism. 



While the provincial Press openly devotes part of its space to 

 an amusement column, some of the London daily papers afford the 

 same relaxation to their readers in the shape of Science Notes, from 

 which we have on former occasions culled choice specimens. The 

 Daily Chronicle in particular has distinguished itself by providing a 

 weekly column of mixed information and criticism. Its writer is 

 especially happy in his observations on the scientific Press, and 

 his remarks on a contemporary of our own must have provided a 

 source of innocent merriment to a large body of readers. 



Some time ago we suspected the author of these notes of a 

 certain admirable power of divination, which served him in place 

 of reading the memoirs he criticised. There were displayed a striking 

 unfamiliarity with the contents of the memoirs in question, and a 

 disposition to be hard on the " poor English " in which they were 

 written. This last is plainly a matter on which the writer of the notes 

 is an authority, from practice. His observations on the magazine in 

 question for the current m.onth were therefore pleasantly anticipated by 

 the readers of the Chronicle, and their reward is great. Among other 

 interesting things, he tells us that in the pages of our contemporary 

 " mountain sickness is intelligently treated by Professor Roy." We are 

 extremely sorry for Professor Roy that he should lose this approbation, 

 but unfortunately the magazine does not contain an article by him on 

 the subject — although one ivas advertised. We read also that " though 

 Mr. Hawkins on continuous-current dynamos and Mr. Moore on the 

 morphological value of the attraction sphere are stiff reading, they will 

 be valued by physicists." It is quite plain that the morphological 

 value of the attraction sphere furnished very stiff reading indeed 

 in a certain quarter, and Mr. Moore, we fear, will have to postpone 

 the delights of appreciation by physicists. The Chronicle's complaint 

 of the " unnecessary display of technical language " in scientific 

 papers becomes intelligible. Its editor might do worse than 

 present the contributor of "Science Notes" with a dictionary and a 

 treatise on commercial rectitude — or recommend him to a sporting 

 journal, where gifts of insight and prophecy have a value of their 

 own. 



