

ere 2 
pa +2 
Sn ee 
230 
of acid and one of alcohol. Given internally, or applied to the 
wound at a late period, it produces no effect. It is believed to 
act, not by neutralising the poison, but by causing contraction of 
the small vessels, and thus preventing its absorption. 
THE following interesting account was published in Moles and 
Queries of August last year without eliciting any reply. Mr. 
Alexander Williams writes :—‘‘ As the Commissioner for Western 
Australia of the International Exhibition of 1862,I received from 
the Colonial Committee at Perth several specimens of native 
shields. The long narrow form of these implements of defence 
is common to all the Australian colonies I believe, but I cannot 
say whether the ornamentation is uniformly the same. But 
among the Swan River nation it consists of an oblong pattern 
(following the shape of the shield) composed of border within 
border, traced in different coloured paint. The late Mr. Christy 
called my attention to the exact similarity of these shields to 
those used by the natives of Central Africa—a similarity not 
only in shape and pattern but actually in the succession of colours 
in the pattern. How is this to be accounted for? It is possible 
(and no other theory seems admissible) that it is purely an 
accidental coincidence, It is perhaps not difficult of belief that 
the native mind in two races in all respects so utterly distinct 
should have hit upon the same shape and form of weapon to 
meet and throw off the common spear. It is even not very sur- 
prising that savages unacquainted with ‘lines of beauty’ should 
adopt the same crude form of ornamentation, but it is some- 
what startling I think that they should have used apparently the 
same pigments, and very extraordinary as it appears to me that 
they should have adopted precisely the same succession of 
colours,” 

WHILST? we have been literally overwhelmed with rain in this 
country for the last three months, it is interesting to hear that in 
Tientsin in China there was so little snow in the winter, and 
hardly any rain has fallen since, that the peasantry are com- 
plaining of the want of water, and consequent injury to the 
crops, 
A SEVERE earthquake shock is reported from Brooklyn and 
Staten Island, New York, on the 19th of last month at about 
1or.M. No great amount of damage was done, and the motion 
appears vertical rather than horizontal in character. 
THE American Fournal of Science gives a long report of the 
severe earthquake at Oaha, Hawaian Islands, on February 18 
of this year. It commenced at about 11 minutes past 10 P.M., 
and lasted about a minute. The direction of motion was vertical, 
with a rocking movement N.E. and S.W. The usual roaring 
sound preceded the earthquake and was heard far out at sea. 
No earthquake wave is reported from any quarter, although the 
earthquake itself seems to have been felt on all the islands more 
or less severely. No unusual volcanic action is reported. 
Slight shocks were also felt on the 22nd and 24th of the same 
month, It should be noticed that a severe earthquake is re- 
ported from Chile on the 25th, and shocks were noticed in Peru 
on the 22nd and 23rd of February. 
THE existence of certain plants only in limited districts is 
one of the most remarkable points of interest in connection 
with the problem of the distribution of species. Mr. Mogegridge, 
in his valuable ‘* Contributions to the Flora of Mentone,” figures a 
very elegant species of Lescojum, of which no drawing had 
hitherto been published. ‘* It is believed to have but one habitat 
on the face of the earth, claiming only a small strip of rocky 
shore reaching from Nice to about two miles east of Mentone. 
Leucojum hyemale grows ina stony soil, and out of the cracks 
of the hardest limestone rocks at Port St. Louis, Cape Veglio, 
on the way to Monaco, and at some height on the Aggel 
mountain, besides other less abundant localities.” We are not | 

NATURE 












- ate S bee ‘ J 
PPS 
[Fuly 20, 
aware whether this species has been introduced to English 
gardens, bnt it would be a very desirable acquisition. At Men- 
tone it flowers in April. : 
te 
: 
10; 
THe Ant-eating Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) a com- 
mon Californian species, has a curious and peculiar method of 
laying up provision against the inclement season. Small 
holes are dug in the bark of the pine and oak, into each one of 
which is inserted an acorn, and so tightly is it fitted or driven 
that it is with difficulty extracted. The bark of the pine 
when thus filled, presents at a short distance the appearance 0 
being studded with brass-headed nails. Stowed away in 
quantities in this manner, the acorns not only supply the wants o 
the woodpecker, but the squirrels, mice, and jays avail them 
selves likewise of the fruits of its provident labour. 
if 
ound 
Dr. GEORGE STUCKLEY gives an interesting account of the 
Western Mole (Sca/ops Townsendii), which occurs in the Oregon 
and Washington Territories. He kept a specimen for some time 
in a box, at the bottom of which was a quantity of rich black 
loam. When disturbed it instinctively endeavoured to escape b 
burrowing in the earth of the box, using its long-pointed nos 
a wedge to pioneer the way. The excavation was performed by it 
broad stout hands, which, surmounted with their long sharp claws, 
seemed admirably adapted for the purpose. The fore paws were 
worked alternately as in swimming, the hind feet acting as pro- 
pellers. Although the earth in the box was soft and friable, it 
was nevertheless a matter of astonishment to see how rapidly the 
little creature could travel through it. When he slept it was in 
a sitting posture, with the body curled forward and the n 
strongly bent, so that the nose rested between the hind legs. Hi 
thus assumed the shape of a ball, evidently his ordinary position 
when asleep. ; , 
THE cultivation of the poppy in China, which has been more 
than once prohibited by Imperial edicts, appears to be increases 
everywhere, and becoming a profitable trade. In Szechuen, — 
where the climate is warm and the season early, two crops at 
least are produced on the same ground annually. The seed of 
the poppy is sown in February, the plants flower in April, anit 
the fruits are so far matured by the middle of May, that the 
juice is collected, and the stalks removed and burnt directly 
after, but previous to this the second crop, which may be either _ 
Indian corn, cotton, or tobacco, is sown, so that almost by the 
time the poppy is cleared from the field the new crop makes its” 
appearance. The profit derived from the cultivation of the 
poppy is not only the result of a fair market value and a ready 
sale, but also from the fact that much of the work in the planta- 
tion, especially the gathering of the juice, can be done by the 
children of the family. The scratchings or incisions being made 
in the capsules in the morning, the juice which has oozed out in 
the course of the day is collected in the evening, and after simply 
exposing it to the sun for a few days it is ready for packing. 
The seed not required for sowing is used for food. 


RECENT SOLAR ECLIPSE* 
I. 
M Y duty to-night, a pleasant one, although it is tinged witha - 
certain sense of disappointment, is to bring before you 
the observations which were made of the recent eclipse in Spain — 
and Sicily, to connect them with our former knowledge, and to 
show in what points our knowledge has been extended, In 
these observations, as you know, we had nothing to do with the 
sun as ordinarily visible, but with the most delicate phenomenon 
which becomes visible to us during eclipses. I refer to the 
Corona. 
ON 

THE 
General Notions of the Corona 
Let me, in the first place, show you what is meant by this 
* A Lecture delivered at the Royal Institution, Friday, March 17, 1871 } 
/ 
f 
Ld 
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