183 



|totc0 oil Uatuntl Pistorg, 



Malformation of Pea-Flowers. 



Early in July, 1893, some specimens of pea-flowers, grown in the Broad Towrt 

 allotments, were shown to me in which the whole inflorescence was altered. 

 There were no coloured petals, the parts, though small and shrivelled, being of a 

 healthy green. I sent a specimen to Kew, and it was decided there that the 

 malformation was due to a microscopic mite of the genus Phytoptus. On 

 reference to Miss Ormerod's standard work I find that this mite has been noted 

 upon birch trees in Savernake Forest, and also upon black currants and nuts, 

 causing abortive growth of the leaf-buds, but there is no mention of its occur- 

 ence on the pea. 



G. J. HiLi,, 



Wootton Bassett. 



Electrical Phenomena. 



In the Western Gazette, Friday, July 8th, 1881. a curious incident of the 

 severe storm of Tuesday, the 5th, is related : — "At "Wincanton, about 2 o'clock, 

 Mr. Galpin, of Horwood, was in a hayfield with a pitching fork, which he was- 

 holding with the prongs upwards, when he observed the interesting phenomenon 

 known as St. Elmo's fire. A steady light, like the flame of a tiny caudle, was 

 seen on each point of the prong, and a cramping sensation, like that experienced, 

 on the reception of the electric current from an electrifying machine was felt ia 

 the hand which held the stem of the fork." 



A somewhat similar phenomenon was observed by my brother, Ernest Baker^ 

 in 1869, and was described by him in Notes and Queries (February 6th, 1869, 

 4th Series, III.), as follows, asking for some satisfactory explanation of it, 

 which he never received : — "On Friday, Dec. 18th, at about 6.45. p.m., I was 

 riding over the downs to Mere, when there suddenly appeared on my horse's 

 head five lights, one on each ear larger than the rest, about the siz3 of the flame 

 of a small taper, of a bluish colour ; two on the left eyebrow, and one on the 

 right ; these were like glow-worms, or as if you had rubbed the parts with 

 phosphorus. It was pitch dark, with a steady rain falling ; yet. while the lights 

 lasted (which was wliilo I rode upwards of a quarter of a mile). I could .see the 

 buckles on the bridle. There had boeu thuuder and lightaiug iu the afternoou. 



