I2 Short Papers and Notes. 
as a cartridge-box. Insulated wires connect this battery with the 
sword, and by pressing a button the holder can complete the 
circuit at pleasure. 
Rapbides in Plants. 
At a recent meeting of the Jena Naturalists’ Society, Herr 
Stahl read a paper on the significance of those excreta of plants 
known as Raphides—z.e., Crystalline needles often met with in the 
cells in large quantity. From experiments, he inferred that they 
were a protection to plants against being eaten by animals. Many 
animals avoid plants with raphides, or eat them reluctantly ; and 
some animals—e.g., small species—in eating plants that have 
raphides, select those parts that are without the crystals. Many 
plants held for poisonous—e.g., Arum maculatum—owe their burn- 
ing taste simply to the very numerous raphides, which, forced out 
of their cells, enter the tongue and palate. The juices obtained 
by filtration have quite a mild taste. 
White Shrew Mouse. 
Mr. G. Abbey, writing to the Journal of Horticulture, says :— 
“The Shrew Mouse is a well-known pretty little animal ; the forma- 
tion of its hair as seen under a powerful microscope, is very 
beautiful. In turning over a manure heap in the park, an albino, 
or white variety, of this interesting vole was found (Dec. 23, 1887.) 
It is one of the prettiest creatures I have ever seen, very lively and 
very clear in colour, having the yellow tinge next the skin as 
present in most white-haired animals, and in white-feathered birds, 
otherwise it is of snowy whiteness without speck. It was found 
next to the soil beneath the manure, which is rather dry and littery, 
no doubt in quest of food, grubs, etc. White moles, I know, are 
not uncommon, but this is the first time I have seen or heard of a 
White Shrew Mouse. I thought it might interest some of your 
readers if it be worth recording.” 
Remarkable Crystals. 
Some remarkable Crystals were found a short time ago in a 
gravel bed, near Mokeumne Hill, California. They are of such 
hardness that the hardest file does not make the least impression 
on them, and they will cut glass likeadiamond. All the specimens 
are hexagonal cubes, terminating in pyramidal points, the sides 
being as smooth and regular as the finest cut glass, and of such 
clearness that objects can be plainly discerned through pieces of a 
foot in thickness. They are of immense size, the largest having 
thirteen points starting from a single base, three feet in length, two- 
and-a-half feet in thickness, and weighing 500 pounds ; the next in 
size is two feet long, eighteen inches in thickness, and weighs 
about 160 pounds ; the others, about two dozen in number, range 
