596 
NATURE 
[ Oct. 21, 1886 
An Abnormal Starfish 
A FEW weeks ago I dredged, off the north end of Arran, 
an interesting specimen of Porania pulvillus, Gray (= Goniaster 
templetoni, Forb.). It is rather more than 5 cm, in diameter, 
and one of the five short rays (that opposite to the madreporite), 
when viewed from the aboral surface, is seen to be distinctly 
bifurcated about 1 cm. from its termination. On examining the 
oral surface, it is found that the ambulacral groove of the ab- 
normal ray divides into two branches at a distance of 2 cm. from 
the edge of the mouth. One of these branches runs along one 
of the forks of the ray to its extremity without further complica- 
tion, but the other branch, belonging to the second fork, divides 
again 2 mm. from the first bifurcation, so as to form two tracts, 
which unite with one another 3 mm. further on, thus inclosing 
a small piece of the ordinary integument in an ambulacral area. 
Finally, this ambulacral area divides once more close to the tip 
of the ray. Consequently, there are three bifurcations of the 
ambulacral area in a space of not more than 1 cm. in length. 
As there are no signs of injury or disease on the specimen, the 
abnormal condition seems to have been caused by a tendency to 
dichotomous division like that seen in the rays of Crinoids and 
of the Astrophytidee. W. A. HERDMAN 
University College, Liverpool, October 9 
Peculiar Growth of the Common Acorn-Shell 
A PECULIAR mode of growth of the common acorn-shell 
(Balanus) is met with at Hastings. These crustaceans are 
known to attach themselves sometimes by a shelly basis to rocks, 
&c. In this instance they seem to have worked together to form 
a common shelly tube, as seen in the accompanying life-size figure ; 
still overcrowded, they have also lengthened their outer valves, thus 
spreading themselves out like the umbels of certain plants, as 
many as fifty individuals being sometimes borne on one of these 
tubes. The columns supporting the pier are completely covered 
with them up to high-water mark. Except a comparative few of 
a later generation which—as will be seen in the figure—have 
attached themselves to the tube, and are in the normal condi- 
tion, they all appeared to be dead, but of this I am not certain. 
FRANCIS P, PASCOE 
1, Burlington Road, W., October 18 
Lunar Rainbow—Halo round the Sun in Connection with 
the Storm of October 15 and 16 
On the evening of the 9th there was a good lunar rainbow 
between 7 and 8 p.m. I have not seen one for some years, 
although about twenty years ago in one winter I saw seven or 
nine, I forget exactly which. 
On the r4th, while coming home between 3 and 4 p.m., I 
saw aremarkable halo round the sun. I had intended making 
a sketch of it, but when I arrived there was pressing business, 
and when I was disengaged it was gone. 
The halo was nearly a complete circle, but somewhat 
pressed in at the sides. Inside. there was a dark mass 
with a hard defined edge, with the least trace of faint 
mock suns at the left and right hand lower edges of the 
circle; outside, the sky was remarkably clear, of a green- 
ish-blue colour, The evening and up to midnight was 
very hot, which was suceeeded first by heavy rain, then wind 
that lasted for over forty-two hours ; during this time there was 
considerable heat ; afterwards for about six hours it was fine, to 
be succeeded by heavy rain, and cold ; this afternoon (October 
17) is fine, with half a gale blowing. I should have mentioned 
that after the halo the aneroid went down as low as 28°3. 
Ramelton, co. Galway J. H. Kinanan 
| the National Botanic Garden at Kew. 
Mimicry in Snakes 
I BEG to remark with reference to Mr. W. Hammond Tooke’s 
letter on mimicry in snakes (NATURE, October 7, p. 547) that I 
stated a case of mimicry in snakes in the year 1869 (see also 
Proceedings of the Zoological Society, 1870, p. 368), and that I 
recently published a short paper on Adeniophis, which again 
treats the case. A. B. MEYER 
October 9 
The Gale 
It may be worth mentioning as a curious coincidence that 
three of the most violent gales of recent times occurred on very 
nearly the same date of the year, namely :— 
Sunday, October 14, 1877. 
Saturday, October 14, 1881. 
Friday, October 15, 1886. 
The first of these was the most destructive in its effects as 
regards this district. W. F. DENNING 
Bristol, October 16 
Adam’s Peak 
WITH reference to the ‘‘ Adam’s Peak shadow” I may per- 
haps mention the following fact :—While at Saas Fee (Canton 
Valais, Switzerland) this summer, we noticed more than once 
that the shadows of the Dom and its neighbours stood out* 
clearly defined in the atmosphere. They were manifestly thrown 
on the cloud and mist that were suspended in the airat the time. 
The phenomenon was in this case witnessed from below. 
Cheltenham, October Wik: 
THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION OF 
BANYULS-SUR-MER ; 
ESTERDAY I had the pleasure of visiting the 
“Taboratoire Arago,” or Marine Biological Station 
of Banyuls, being the second institution of this sort 
founded by M. Lacaze-Duthiers in connection with the 
College of the Sorbonne. I found it in full working 
order, the session, which lasts here from October to 
June, having just commenced. The building is placed 
at the western point of the little bay on which the fishing- 
village of Banyuls is situated, just beyond the Etablisse- 
ment des Bains, and consists of three stories. The ground 
floor is one large sa//e, containing basins which are 
abundantly stocked with marine animals, and is open to 
the public for inspection as an “aquarium.” The lighting 
of these basins appeared to me to be particularly good, 
and the collection contains many Mediterranean forms 
not to be seen in our northern latitudes. The first floor 
contains the working-rooms, library, and museum; the 
upper floor contains the apartments of the Director. In 
M. Lacaze-Duthier’s absence the institution is under the 
charge of M. Henri Prouho, whose official title is “ Pré- 
parateur au Laboratoire Arago.” 
The fauna of Banyuls is probably not nearly so rich 
as that of Naples, but the advantages to English students 
would be, the nearer access (twenty-six hours from Paris) 
and the much more healthy situation. 
If I understand rightly, the subvention awarded to the 
“Laboratoire Arago” by the French Government con- 
siderably exceeds that proposed to be given by the 
Treasury to our new Biological Station at Plymouth. 
P. L. SCLATER 
Port Vendres, Pyrénées Orientales, October 15 
KEW GARDENS 
AP ae well-known scientific traveller, Dr. Schweinfurth, 
has recently paid us a visit in England. The Ber- 
liner Tageblatt of September 12 reports his impressions of 
our botanical institutions as given in a lecture delivered 
the previous day before the “Versammlung deutscher 
Naturforscher und Aerzte.” We extract the account of 
Some trifling 
ie 
