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SCIENTIFIC NEVV^S. 



205 



seeds {i.e., such as germinated in three or four days) 

 yielded chiefly, and in some cases exclusively, dark 

 flowers; plants of the same kind from seeds which 

 germinated slowly (in nine to eighteen days) produced 

 single, but fruitful blossoms. In crossings between sorts 

 of stocks which incline to yield double flowers, and such as 

 bare chiefly single flowers, the properties of those kinds 

 which had yielded the pollen predominated, not so much 

 in colour, which was generally the mean between the 

 parents, but in the general shape of the bunch of flowers 

 and in the proportion of the double to the single flowers. 

 Robbe infers that in a sample of seed the " germinating 

 energy " should be taken into account as well as the 

 mere " germinating capacity," as commonly determined 

 by horticulturists." 



The Adhesion-Organ of Batrachian Larv/e. — The 

 larvae of those batrachians which deposit their eggs in 

 water have, on their under surface near the mouth, a 

 clinging or adhesive organ, the varying forms of which 

 are useful in distinguishing the species. After a week 

 or a fortnight it disappears entirely, leaving not a 

 trace behind. It is, according to Balfour, probably a 

 rudiment of the same primitive organs as the sucking- 

 disc oi Lepidosteiis. If we compare the forms of this organ 

 we find that it makes its first appearance sometimes as 

 a semi-lunar or V-shaped furrow, sometimes as two dis- 

 tinct prominences. In some cases it is single, and in 

 others it consists of two symmetrical parts. The semi- 

 lunar form (cephalic crescent of Van Bambeke) occurs in 

 Bnfo, Discoglosstts, Pelobates, and Pelodytes, whilst the 

 two prominences occur in Rana agilis, Hyla, and Bom- 

 bisator. Rana tscuUnta and R. Jusca form connecting 

 links between these two groups. — (Dr. Thiele, in Zeit- 

 schrift fiir Wissenschaft Zoologie. ) 



A New Destructive Insect. — According to Dr. L. Just 

 (Biedermann' s Central Btatt), the potato and tobacco 

 crops in Baden have lately been attacked by the larvae of 

 an Elater Corymbites ceneus. It resembles the ordinary 

 wire-worm ; it is of a yellowish colour, has a hard, 

 tough skin, and reaches the length of one and a-half 

 inches. It eats its way into the young tubers of the 

 potato, so that they appear as if riddled with small shot, 

 and attacks the stems of the potato plant in a similar 

 manner, causing it to wither and perish. Tobacco and 

 hop plants are injured in a similar manner. 



Structure of the Eye in a Branchiomma. — M. 

 Brunotte {Comptes Jiendus) concludes that the eye of 

 Branchiomma must be regarded as a true compound eye, 

 differing in structure from that of other Annelides. It 

 has two layers, of which the more superficial forms the 

 dioptric apparatus, whilst the deeper stratum gives rise 

 to the sensitive elements. 



Destruction of Wolves in France. — According to 

 La Science en Famille, these destructive animals, after so 

 many centuries of civilisation, are not yet extirpated in 

 France. In one year there have been killed — 416 full- 

 grown wolves, 328 cubs, and 16 pregnant she-wolves. 

 The rewards for their destruction are 100 francs for each 

 adult, 30 for each cub, and 1 50 for each pregnant she- 

 wolf. It is suggested that the wolf-hunters spare young 

 she-wolves in the prospect of earning a larger reward by 

 killing them afterwards when pregnant, or when attended 

 by a litter of cubs. 



THE FASCINATION OF SERPENTS. 



'X'HIS question has given scope for no little super- 

 stition — we might almost say mythology — and also 

 to sound zoological study. Like many other of the 

 traditions of our fathers, this fascination must not be 

 at once rejected as simple falsehood. Careful examina- 

 tion not only admits that, in common phrase, there is 

 " something in it," but throws a light upon the modus 

 operandi. 



Some observations made by Herr Fischer-Sigwart, and 

 described in Humboldt, will be found very valuable. 

 On the nth of September, 1881, this naturalist saw in 

 his vivarium a •water-snake {Tropidonotus natrix) pursu- 

 ing a quail. The latter had been brought in alive by a 

 setter the day before, and was, therefore, very unwell. 

 It lay in a corner with head bent down and the eyes 

 closed. A large hungry, common water-snake drew near 

 in search of food, when the quail, opening its eyes, sud- 

 denly perceived the enemy, and in alarm strove to take 

 flight. But this the bird was unable to do. In deadly 

 fear it jumped up and down at the distance of half a 

 yard before the snake, instead of flying away, keeping 

 its head all the time turned towards the snake, and 

 uttering an anxious piping. The snake remained quietly 

 lying on the posterior two-thirds of its body, but with 

 its raised head and neck it followed all the movements 

 of the quail, keeping the eyes fixed upon it as it sprang 

 to and fro. After a few moments the quail remained 

 quiet, in a crouching position, with half-open wings, still 

 gazing at the enemy and awaiting its fate. The snake 

 began suddenly to move. It approached the victim, and 

 was about to seize it with its jaws, when I interfered, 

 which I have since often repented. The quail quickly 

 recovered from its fright, and subsequently from its 

 illness. 



Since it has often been doubted whether the water- 

 snake attacks birds, this incident in the vivarium seemed 

 to the author worth recording. It is a proof that such an 

 event may happen when a hungry snake, ranging about, 

 comes so near as to be able to fix its gaze upon a bird, 

 and to attract the eyes of the latter. It might be con- 

 sidered going too far to refer here to the old belief in the 

 magical, fascinating power of the gaze of serpents. But 

 Herr Fischer-Sigwart states that he has often watched, 

 at a very short distance, the snakes in his vivarium 

 seizing their prey, and he is convinced that these tradi- 

 tions are not totally unfounded. Frogs pursued by the 

 water-snake soon lie flat down, turn towards their 

 pursuer, and utter a lamentable cry which he has never 

 heard from frogs, save when they found, or fancied 

 themselves in the power of a serpent. Soon they be- 

 come quite still, and allow themselves to be swallowed 

 without resistance. Herr Fischer-Sigwart thinks that 

 the process may be explained as follows : — The snake 

 seeks first to get near its intended booty, and this, 

 recognising its enemy, falls into panic and confusion, 

 still making fruitless attempts at flight, and still looking 

 at its pursuer. The snake turns now a steady gaze 

 upon the victim, following all its movements with its 

 head until the latter falls into a hypnotic condition, on 

 which it is seized and swallowed. That when a serpent 

 seizes any animal, panic plays the main part in the first 

 place, and that the hypnotic condition only sets in after- 

 wards, seems to appear from the fact that a frog, know- 

 ing that his deadly enemy the water-snake is near at 

 hand, uttered the above-mentioned cry when a stick was 



