172 



NA TURE 



[Dec. 25, 1884 



by the gland tissue, very much as in sphreriaceous fungi the 

 cavity of the perithecium is lined by asci. But even in this they 

 agreed with the lid glands noticed by Dickson in N. lavis, 

 and termed by him "perithecioid." Careful study of the outer 

 lid surface revealed a few similar glands. On comparison of 

 the species and hybrids grown in the Royal Botanic Garden, 

 Edinburgh, a like condition was found to occur in all. The 

 presence of these on the outer pitcher surface of N. atnpullaria 

 is interesting, since in it the lid is rudimentary, directed back, 

 and destitute of glands on its inner surface. 



At Prof. I>ickson's suggestion I then examined the expanded 

 lamina, and was agreeably surprised to find that glands were 

 scattered rather sparingly over its upper, but pretty abundantly 

 over its under, surface, especially near its junction with the stem. 

 The tendril intervening between the lamina and pitcher also 

 possessed them, and in some cases they were of very large size. 

 Passing to the stem, it was found that some species had them 

 very sparingly, others in considerable number, but while re- 

 sembling those on the leaf externally, they were sunk much 

 deeper in the tissue of the cellular layer, and strikingly reminded 

 one of a simple animal gland. 



After a comparative study of the different species I was 

 induced to look at the sepals, as our garden curator, Mr. 

 Lindsay, had mentioned to me that a very copious secretion of 

 nectar took place in flowering. A complete pavement of glands 

 the same in size and appearance as those on the inner lid surface 

 of the pitcher, was spread over the upper epidermis of each. In 

 Hooker's elaborate monograph of the genus ("De Cand. 

 Prod.,'' vol. xvii.) these are mentioned, though their complete 

 resemblance to the latter is not indicated. A few large "peri- 

 theicoid " glands may also be seen on the lower epidermis, and 

 in flowers of A 7 ", bicalcarata (for opportunity of examining which 

 I am indebted to Mr. Courtauld of Braintree), these attain rela- 

 tively a gigantic size. 



We see, therefore, that in Nepenthes, with its dioecious 

 flowers, the same structure, which by their secretion attract 

 insects for aiding in fertilisation, also lure them to the pitcher, 

 so that their dead bodies may help in the nutrition of the plant. 



Sarraeenia. — Mellichamp pointed out [Gardener's Chronicle, 

 1874) that honey-glands are present not only on the lid, but also 

 on the external projecting wing of the pitcher. I find, how- 

 ever, that, as in the last genus, they are diffused over the whole 

 outer surface, including the lid ; further, that in some of the 

 species (S. vario.'aris and .S. rubra) there are external upward 

 directed hairs, as in some of the Nepenthes. On the outer 

 surface of the three bracteoles and of the sepals the glands are 

 likewise numerous, and will undoubtedly be insect altractors 

 for promoting cross-fertilisation. 



Darlitigtonia. — This genus agrees with the last, except that 

 the glands are very simple, being one- or at most two-celled. I 

 have not as yet examined the flower, though there can be little 

 doubt but that in it a like condition will occur. 



Cphalotus. — Prof. Dickson, in studying this genus, noticed 

 gland-, not only on the lid and outer pitcher surface, but even 

 on the ordinary foliage leaves. I therefore required to deal only 

 with the flowers. Scattered among the "encapsulating " hairs 

 on the peduncle, bracts, and six sepals, were many glands identical 

 with those of the leaves, though rather smaller ; but further, the 

 peculiar glandular processes intervening between the stamens 

 and carpels seem to be the same mounted on cellular outgrowths 

 of the receptacle. 



Nepenthes, Sarraeenia, Darlingtonia, and Cephalotus ate 

 therefore found to agree fundamentally in their morphological 

 arrangements for physiological purposes, though referable to 

 orders widely separated systematically. 



J. M. Macfarlane 



Botanical Laboratory, University of Edinburgh 



Earthquakes in England, and their Study 

 As no record of the most recent earthquake shock in England 

 has yet found a place in the pages of Nature, perhaps I may 

 be permitted to give the following slight details, collected from 

 the daily papers of Lancashire and London for November 15 : — 

 A shock of earthquake ("severe," yet causing no actual 

 injury) was experienced at Clitheroe, and in the neighbourhood. 

 on the evening of November 14. At about 5. to p. m. a terrific 

 report, resembling loud thunder, was heard, instantly followed 

 by a strong vibration of the earth, sufficient to induce the in- 

 habitants to run out of their houses into the streets in a terrified 

 state. 



At Low Moor, where the shock seems to have been felt most 

 strongly, the wife of a man named Wilkinson fainted with 

 fright. A waggoner on the road states that his two horses were 

 nearly thrown to the ground. Much excitement prevailed 

 throughout the borough and neighbourhood of Clitheroe, 

 especially at Low Moor. 



A lurid glare noticed in the sky at the time of the disturbance 

 — 5.10 p m., sun set at 4.10 — is mentioned in connection with 

 the occurrence, but that appearance was, in all probability, only 

 one of the sunset-glow effects with which we have lately become 

 so familiar, and had nothing to do with the shock. 



The circumstance that this particular part of Lancashire is 

 much subject to earthquake disturbances, makes it specially im- 

 portant that no details of their occurrence be lost to science. 

 Within the last fifty years at least six well-authenticated shocks 

 have been recorded, — in 1835, 1843, 1868, 1871, 1S73, and 

 1884, — and this list might easily be extended. Lancashire, 

 indeed, may be considered as one of the chief areas of disturb- 

 ance in England, and after Comrie, in Perthshire, perhaps the 

 most important centre of seismic action in Great Britain. 



While writing upon this subject, perhaps I may be allowed to 

 offer the suggestion that, as the study of seismology is now one 

 of such growing importance, it would be of considerable interest 

 to many if a small space were set apart in the columns of 

 Nature every month, devoted specially to the record of current 

 earthquake action, and kindred convulsions, in a scientific 

 manner. It is my experience, as one who has for some time 

 been engaged in collecting certain facts of these phenomena 

 from various sources, that no sufficiently precise and complete 

 records of the necessary facts, as may thus be readily transferred 

 to the annals of exact science, are anywhere available. The 

 general observations of seismic disturbance as heretofore de- 

 scribed, are usually not only scanty in the matter of their detail, 

 and often dressed up still with a superstitious flavouring, but 

 also, for lack of the right class of observation, are too frequently 

 merely vague and useless statements of wrong facts, generally in 

 favour of doubtful hypotheses ; and these are allowed to take the 

 place of a well-ordered treatment of the real state of the case, 

 j upon a proper scientific basis. William White 



55, Highbury Hill, N., December 9 



The Cacao-Bug of Ceylon 



The note by Mr. Distant in. your number for October 30 (p. 

 684) may perhaps lead its readers to think that the insect which 

 has lately been the subject of a report to the Ceylon Govern- 

 ment has been wrongly identified by me as Helopeltis antonii, 

 Sign. As that report will, however, before this have reached 

 England, the matter will probably have been set right. I am 

 not an entomologist, nor have I here the opportunity of refer- 

 ence to Signoret's original description or to other descriptive 

 works ; but the insect is, without any doubt at all, that which is 

 well known — too well known — in Assam and in Java as Htlo- 

 peliis. In the former country it is the destructive tea-bug or 

 "mosquito-blight," ' and in the latter it is the notorious pest of 

 the cinchona plantations. 



As to the fragments which reached Mr. Distant, they were 

 apparently insuftie'ent for identification, further than with the 

 family Reduviidce. The cacao-tree harbours a host of Hemiptera, 

 and planters are very apt to confound the innocent with the 

 guilty. Its only formidable enemy in this order of insects, 

 however, so far as I have seen, is the Helopeltis, 



Henry Trimen 



Royal Botanic Garden, Peradeniya, Ceylon, 

 November 21 



The " Messenger of Mathematics " 

 I think it is right that attention should be publicly directed 

 to the exceedingly irregular appearance of the Messenger of 

 Mathematics. In the case of a magazine of its size and character 

 there is no reason whatever why it should not be published on 

 the first of each month. The " heavy " mathematical journals 

 may be permitted to turn up when their editors please ; but the 

 case of a month, y meant to foster a taste for mathematical in- 

 vestigation among junior mathematicians is entirely different ; 

 indeed, the good such a magazine is calculated to do is almost 

 millified by "irregular publication. The Messenger is always 



Since my report 

 .-bug lias reached 



Mr. Wood-Mason's sin 



