July 21, 1893.] 



SCIENCE. 



41 



Natural Selection at Fault. 



I AM truly sorry if, in my remarks on this subject, I have failed 

 to make myself understood. As regards the common cat, I have 

 seen not merely half-grown kittens, but middle-aged mousers, 

 play with their booty and lose it. 



The idea of this practice having the object of cultivating agility 

 seems to me exceedingly far-fetched. 



I have not sought to account for the cackle of hens, but have 

 merely pointed out the undeniable fact that it is very liable to 

 attract the attention of any ovivorous bird or beast to the probable 

 presence of an egg. 



The rarity in man of the power to erect the ear, or to turn it so 

 as to catch any faint sound-waves has been repeatedly noticed, as 

 also the fact that it does not collect all the impinging sound-waves 

 into the orifice of the ear. My only merit, or demerit (?), has 

 been to cite the abated condition of the ear-muscles as an instance 

 of natural selection at fault. The ear is probably in a state of 

 transition, but in what direction ? J. W. Slater. 



London, England, April, 25. 



The Habitat and the D.et of the Lepidoptera. 



A FEW lepidopterous species select in different countries widely 

 different habitats and food plants. Thus Papilio machaon, the 

 most common European species of papilio, is confined in England 

 to the fenny districts of Cambridgeshire, and occasionally ex- 

 tends to small portions of the adjoining counties. What with 

 the greediness of collectors for "British specimens" of any re- 

 markable insects, and with the drainage of the 6elds, it is feared 

 thai this species will soon be extirpated. The caterpillar of this 

 species, in England, feeds on swamp plants. 



In central Europe Papilio machaon is fairly abundant on the 

 dry, gravelly hills and certain parts of lower Silesia, Bohemia 

 and Saxony, the very opposite in their character to the fields of 

 Cambridgeshire. The larva in Silesia and Bohemia feeds fre- 

 quently on the mountain ash. 



The three hawk moths, Chanocampa celerio, Ch. dpenar and 

 Ch. porcellus, on the European continent, feed chiefly upon the 

 vine. But in England they feed on bed straw, willow herb and 

 sometimes on the fuchsia. I have in vain tried to induce larvae 

 of elpenar or porcellus to feci on vine leaves, probably if the ova 

 had been placed upon vine leaves the young larvae would have 

 not I'tfused this, their normal food, J. \V. Slater. 



London, 



Beaver Creek Meteorite. 



Between the hours of 3 and 4 P. M. on the 26th of May last, a 

 meteorite was heard by many persons, and three of the frag- 

 ments were seen to fall near Beaver Creek, West Kootenai Dis- 

 trict, B. C, a few miles north of the United States boundar-y. 



The two smaller of these fragments, weighing perhaps 5 to 6 

 pounds in all, were picked up at once; the larger one, weighing 

 about 25 pounds, was not found until the next morning. It made 

 a hole in the wet earth about three feet deep, two feet in soil and 

 one foot in hard pan. The direction of the hole was south CO" 

 east, true meridian, and at an angle of 58° with the horizon. 



Fresh earth was scattered about the hole in all directions, but 

 farthest (10 feet) in the direction from which the stone came. 



On the 6th inst. I saw and purchased this stone from Mr. Jame& 

 Hislop, a civil engineer, who found it and brought it to Wash- 

 ington. 



It is a typical aerolite of very pronounced chondritic structure. 

 It is completely coated with the usual black crust, except at one 

 end, where about three pounds have been broken off and scattered, 

 like the two smaller stones, mostly among mere curiosity hunters. 

 The mass now weighs 23i pounds, measures 6 x 7i x 9| inches, 

 and approaches in shape an acute octahedron. 



I propose for it the name of Beaver Creek, from the stream by 

 the banks of which it fell. 



A microscopical examination and chemical analysis will be 

 made soon. Edwin E. Howell. 



Washington, D,C, 



Delicious 



Drink, 



Horsford's Acid Phosphate 



with water and sugar only, 

 makes a delicious, healthful and 

 invigorating drink. 



Allays the thirst, aids diges- 

 tion, and relieves the lassitude 

 so common in midsummer. 



Dr, M. H. Henry, New York, says: 

 '* When completely tired out by pro- 

 longed wakefulness and overwork, it is 

 of the greatest value to me. As a bev- 

 erage it possesses charms beyond any- 

 thing I know of in the form of medi- 

 cine." 



Descriptive pamphlet free. 

 numford Chemical Works. Providence. R. I. 



Beware of Substitutes and Imitations. 



Exchanges. 



[Freeof charge to aU, if of satisfactory character. 

 Address N. D. C. Hodges, 874 Broadway, New York.l 



For sale or exchange. — A complete sei of the re- 

 port of the last Geological Survey of Wisconsin, 

 T. C. Chamberlin, geologist, [t consists of four 

 large volumes, finely illustrated, and upwards of 

 forty large maps and charts. Will sell for cash or 

 exchange for a microscope. Address Geo. Beck. 

 Platteville, Wis. 



For sale or exchange for copper coins or rare 

 postage stamps. Tryou's American Marine Conch- 

 ology, containing hand colored figures of all the 

 sheJls of the Atlantic coast of the United States. 

 Presentation copy, autograph, etc. One vol., half 

 morocco, 8vo, usual price, SS"*, postpaid, $15. Botany 

 of the Fortieth Parallel of the Hundredth Meridian 

 of the Pacific R. R. Survey. Other Botanical works 

 and works on Ethnology. F. A. Hassler, M.D., 

 Santa Ana, Cal. 



1 have a fire-proof safe, weight l,i£0 pounds, 

 which I will sell cheap or exchange for a gasoline 

 engine or some other things that may happen to 

 suit. The safe is nearly new, used a short time 

 only. Make offers. A. Lagerstrom. Cannon Falls, 

 Minn., Box 857. 



For exchaoge.— Hudson River fossils in good con- 

 dition from the vicinity of Moore's Hill, Ind., also 

 land and fresh water shells. Desire fossils and 

 shells from other groups and localities. Address 

 Geo. C. HubbarJ, Moore's Hill, Ind. 



For sale at low price.— A fine old-fashioned photo- 

 graphic camera, rosewood box, one foot squ^ire, 

 lenses, four inches diameter, made by C. C. Harri- 

 son. Plateholders, troughs, baths, etc., all in large 

 wooden case, formerly the property of the late 

 President Moore, of Columbia College. This is a 

 fine example of an instrument of the best make for 

 the old wet-process methods, and valuable to any 

 institution or amateur interested in the history of 

 photography in the U. S. Address M. S. Daniel, 

 230 W. 4th St., New York. 



I wish to exchange a collection of 7,000 shells, 

 1001 species and varieties, American and foreign, 

 land, fluviatile and marine, for a good microscope 

 and accessories. Address, with particulars, Dr. 

 Lorenzo G. Yates, Saota Barbara, California. 



For exchange.— I wish to exchange Lepidoptera of 

 South Dakota and other sections, for Lepidoptera 

 of the world. Will purchase species of North Amer- 

 ica. Correspondence solicited, particularly with 

 collectors in the Rocky Mountains, Pacific coast 

 and Hudson's Bay regions. P. C. Truman, Volga, 

 Brooking county, South Dakota. 



Wants. 



A YOUNG man who has been through the course 

 in mathematics in Princeton University, 

 wishes some tutorirg this summer. Rates reason- 

 able. Address P. H Westcott, Cramer's Hill, Cam- 

 den Co., N. J. 



A GRADUATE of an American Polytechnic insti- 

 tution and of a German university (Gtittingen). 

 seeks a position to teach chemistry in a college or 

 similar institution. Five years' experience in 

 teaching chemistry, Address Chemist, 757 Cary St , 

 Brockton, Mass. 



AN experienced teacher in general biology wist es 

 a position in a first-class college or university. 

 Three years in post-graduate study. Extensive 

 experience. Strong indorsements. Address E. W. 

 Doran, Ph.D., 1327 G St., N. W., Washington, D. C. 



THREE teachers wanted for a male and female 

 seminary in central New York. Typewriting, 

 etc , languages, mathematics, sciences, ei. al. Send 

 stamp with and for particulars. Bos 701, Hemp- 

 stead, L. I. 



A 



ZOOLOGICAL collector and taxidermist of ten 

 years' experience in the field is now open to en- 

 gagement, for either field or laboratory work. 

 References furnished. Address Taxidermist, Box 

 75, White Sulphur Springs, West Va. 



WANTED, as principal of a fiourishiug technical 

 school, a gentleman of education and experi- 

 ence who will be capable of supervising both me- 

 chanical and common school instruction. Special 

 familiarity with some technical branch desirable. 

 Address, giving age, qualifications, etc., J. E. Bloom- 

 ingdale, Fifty -ninth street and Third avenue, N. Y 



WANTED.— A young man as assistant in our 

 microscopical department. Queen & Co., 

 Philadelphia. 



THE undersigned desires specimens of North 

 American Gallinae in the flesh for the study of 

 their pterylosis. These species are especially de- 

 sired: Colinus ridgwayi, cyrtonyx moriiezumae, 

 dendragapiisfranklini, lagopxis 7i!elchi,ti/mpaiiuchii3 

 cupido and pedioecetes phasianellus. Any persons 

 having alcoholic specimens which they are willing 

 to loan or who can obtain specimens of any of the 

 above are requested to communicate with Hubert 

 Lyman Clark, 3922 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh. Pa 



