266 



NATURE 



\_Allottst 2, 1877 



length. Yesterday, near the Albula pass, I was happy enough 

 to confirm this supposition by direct observation. Altogether I 

 saw five specimens of Maao^'losia stdlatarum at work, one on 

 Gcntiatta bavnrica and verna^ three on Primula iutegrifolia^ and 

 one on Viola cakarata, each of them in a {e.vi minutes (ertili-ing 

 some hundreds of flowers. For instance, the last of my five 

 Macroglossa specimens, which I observed with the watch in my 

 hand, m less than four minutes visited loS, and in other (>\ 

 minutes 194 flowers of /', calcarala. 



As an illustration to what I have said in a former article on 

 alpine orchids generally being adapted to cross-fertilisation by 

 Lepidoptera, I may mention that near my present domicile there 

 grow nine spfxies of orchids, eight of which {Nigritdla Anguiti- 

 folia, Platanthcra bifolia, Grymnadcnia conopsea, odoratissima, 

 aU'ida, Ilalhiiaria viriais, Orchis globosa, and uslitlata) are 

 adapted to cross-fertilisation by Lepidoptera, whilst only a single 

 one {Orchis lati/olia) is adapted to cross-fertilisation by other 

 insects. Hermann Muller 



Wissenstein, Albula Valley, Switzerland, July 23 



Local Museums 



I HAVE read with very great interest both the letters and 

 ailicles which have lately appeared in Nature on the subject of 

 local museums. The suggestions offered by your various cor- 

 respondents are in every way admirable, and my only excuse for 

 adding my own name to the number is because I think that 

 although a great deal has been said on the matter next to nothing 

 has actually been done. If local museums are to be established 

 amongst us as a means of promoting advancement in education 

 the sooner the matter is taken in hand by those most competent 

 to deal with it the better. 



What I would strongly advocate is that a society be formed 

 in London for the promotion of local museums. If Prof. Boyd 

 Dawkins, and any others possessing the requisite attainments 

 for taking the matter in hand, would form an association of this 

 kind, I, for one, and doubtless many others of your readers, 

 would gladly subscribe and co-operate for the realisation of the 

 scheme. J. RoMiLLY Allen 



34, James Street, S.W. 



Proposed New Museum 



Now that the new Natural History Museum is approaching 

 completion, will you allow me to call attention to a need which 

 has probably been felt by others beside myself, and which we 

 may hope will be met in the new institution ? This is a museum 

 or collection of varieties of plants and animals produced by 

 domestication. I need not enlarge upon the value of such a 

 collection to the student of biology. The revolution in the 

 philosophy of biology created by Mr. Darwin was founded upon 

 an examination of such varieties, and I have small doubt that 

 my plea will be seconded by botanists and zoologists who will 

 speak with much greater authority than I can. 



I base my own request upon another ground, and one which 

 touches very closely the science I am chietly conversant with, 

 namely, ethnology. Rutimeyer in Switzerland, Busk, Dawkins, and 

 others in England, Brandt in Russia, and others elsewhere, have 

 shown how invaluable the evidence furnished by varieties of 

 domestic animals is for elucidating the earlier history of our race. 

 Yet there is no collection known to me anywhere except the one 

 made by Mr. Darwin himself, illustrating the subject, and if one 

 wishes to examine the various breed of cattle, sheep, dogs, or 

 pigs, of vegetables and fruits, &c. , which have become localised 

 in various parts of the world, as the companions of man, one is 

 entirely at a loss for materials in an accessible lorm. 



May we hope that the very efficient staff of the National 

 Museum will see their way to setting apart one loom at least in 

 which the variation of animals and plants under domestication 

 may be shown, and the glorious discoveries of the greatest 

 biologist of modern times may be fitly illustrated in the National 

 Museum of the country whose science he has so adorned. 



Henry H. Howorth 



Adaptation of Plant Stiucture 



I HAVE lately observed a curious adaptation of plant-structure 

 which has not, to my knowledge, been recorded in books, and 

 which may be interesting to your botanical readers. 



There is in the Himalayas an Arum bearing a remarkable 

 resemblance ,to a cobra with its hood raised, which is well 



known to natives and many Europeans by the name of the 

 "cobra plant." Standing immediately behind and above the 

 spathe is a large ternate leaf, the two lower leaflets of which, at 

 an early stage of growth, enfold the spathe and spadix, and sub- 

 sequently siand in front of and partially conceal them from view. 

 When, however, the anthers or the stigmas, as the case may be 

 (for the plant is dioecious), are mature, the lower halves of these 

 lateral leaflets fold close up over their upper halves, thus leaving 

 the whole of the spathe conspicuously exposed to the notice of 

 passing insect?. I inclose a rough sketch made from a living 

 plant. It will be observed that if the lateral leaflets w;re ex- 

 tended they would conceal the flower from insects flying at a 

 higher level than the mouth of the spathe. It is therefore an 

 advantage to the plant that they should assume this abnormal 

 position. 



I may add that the resemblance of this arum to the cobra 

 snake is very close, and cannot easily be accounted for. The 

 diamond-shaped markings of the cobra's head are counterfeited 

 on the spathe, as also ate the lines on the neck ; while the 

 tongue-like prolongation of the spadix and of the mid-rib of the 

 spache serve to complete the re-semblance of the plant to a living 

 animal. As the cobra is almost unknown in the localities 

 where this arum grows, it seems that the strange mimicry can 

 be nothing more than accidental coincidence, even if any theory 

 of advantage to the plant therefrom could be devised. But the 

 " counterfeit presentment " is so striking that I am convinced 

 any person who unexpectedly saw this plant " rearing its horrid 

 head " above the rank herbage of an Indian Jungle would start 

 back with horror. Henky Collett 



Nagkuiida, near Simla, June 15 



Rattle-snakes in Wet Weather 



I HAVE had much pleasure in reading Mr. Frank Buckland's 

 edition of " White's Selbome." Among the notes on page 448, 

 Mr. Buckland says : — " I know that rattle-snakes cannot play up 

 their rattles in wet weather. The horn of the rattle becomes more 

 or less saturated with water, and no sound can then be produced 

 from it. By placing a rattle in a glass of water, and letting it 

 soak awhile, I find this is the case." 



Mr. Buckland's dried rattle has led him into an error. The 

 live rattle-snake can " play up " his rattle in the very wettest of 

 wet weather. I have taken them alive on two occasions in the 

 midst of a heavy rain, and I could discover no difference in their 

 rattling powers. It is true, however, that rattle-snakes are 

 seldom found in low moist places ; they frequent, by preference, 

 high and dry ground. 



During the year 1873 I kept in my room a rattle-snake for 

 eight months. In this time I came to know that " Rattler," so 

 I called him, could "play up ' several, different notes indicative 

 of anger, of pleasure, and of loneliness. 



I think that it will be found, upo.i proper examination, that 

 the fangs of the rattle-snake are shed just as the teeth of other 

 animals. Hunter Nicholson 



East Tenn. University, Knoxville, Tenn., U.S.A. 



Meteors 



At 9.48 last evening I saw a bright meteor pass downwards 

 towards a Aquarius, wliere it disappeared. It emitted a bluish 

 light, and although the moon was up, it shone for a few seconds 

 with the brilliancy of Venus. A second smaller meteor passed 

 upwards towards the zenith about 10.5. In both cases the 

 vanishing point was near Delphinus. W. Ainslie Hollis 



Brighton, July 30 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 

 The Herschelian Cojipanion of Aldedaran.— In 

 a communication lately received from M. Cainille Flam- 

 marion, it is endeavoured to show that the change of 

 relative situation of the small star with respect to Alde- 

 baran, is not accounted for by the proper motion of the 

 latter, as was stated by Struve (" Positiones Mediae," 

 p. ccxxvi.), but that it is necessary to admit the existence 

 of a very appreciable proper motion of the companion, 

 which would be the first instance of the kind in so small 

 a star. M. Flammarion collects the various published 

 measures and adds to them measures made by Mr. Gled- 



