510 Miscellaneous. 



not in North Durham nor in Berwickshire, by Dr. George Johnston ; 

 the latter further observes, " I have heard that it has been taken in 

 the Isle of Arran, and indeed some one told me that it was common 

 there. I myself never saw it in any part of Scotland I have visited." 



This snake has an extended geographical distribution ; it is found 

 in the southernmost part of Europe, and as far north as Denmark and 

 Sweden : more than one continental species of reptiles are found in 

 the latter country that are not found in the British Islands. 



The adder is very common in South Wales, where it grows to a 

 large size ; it is also common and large in the northern parts of Scot- 

 land. 



I should be very much obliged to any naturalist who would give 

 me further information on this subject. — J. E. Gray. 



Note on the most important Result of the Sericicultural Experiments 

 made with the assistance of M. Eugene Robert at the Experi- 

 mental Silkworm Establishment at Saint e-Tulle. By M. Guerin- 

 Meneville. 



In this note M. Gue'rin-Meneville lays before his readers an official 

 document certifying the success of some experiments made by him on 

 a large scale, for the purpose of disinfecting the silkworm establish- 

 ments in which the disease called Muscardine is prevalent. It is well 

 known that this malady is a plague to the cultivators of silkworms 

 in all countries ; — in France it causes annually a loss of millions. 



For a period of five years, M. Guerin has gone every spring into 

 the south of France to one of the principal raisers of silkworms, 

 M. Eugene Robert, well known for his zeal in behalf of this branch 

 of French agriculture. 



It will be seen from the report of which the following is an abstract, 

 and which was made in obedience to a decree of the Prefect of the 

 department of the Basses-Alpes. that something useful has resulted 

 from these labours. The commission of inquiry consisted of the Sub- 

 prefect of the arrondissement in which the experiments took place, 

 and of five other gentlemen, principally connected with the silk 

 manufacture. 



The report states that the Commissioners proceeded on the 1 6th 

 June, 1851, to ascertain the state of the silkworm establishments of 

 Sainte-Tulle and Rousset, and the results of the processes employed 

 by MM. Guerin and Robert with the view of arresting the ravages 

 of the muscardine. This disease only becomes a source of serious 

 prejudice to the cultivator, when, having appeared in an establishment, 

 it leaves behind it the germs of an infection which becomes more and 

 more fatal every year, and often compels the cultivator to renounce 

 his business. M. Guerin' s process accordingly consists in a fumiga- 

 tion, the nature of which will be hereafter revealed, which interrupts 

 the transmission of the muscardine from one year to another, — pene- 

 trating into every corner and fissure of an infected apartment, destroy- 

 ing the vitality of the Botrytis which contains the germ of the epi- 

 demic and reducing it to an inert state, and this at a cost and with a 

 facility which renders it within reach of the means of the most 



