May i8, 1888.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



469 



Crickets in Algeria. — A cricket, species not named, 

 distinct from the locust and the grasshopper is ravaging 

 Algeria. They leap like grasshoppers, but have a more 

 rapid and sustained flight. Their swarms are so 

 numerous as to darken the sun, to destroy all vegetation 

 and v/hen they die to cause a serious nuisance. Trains 

 between Constantine and Batna are said to have been 

 stopped by these insects. The authorities have already 

 spent 700,000 francs in combatting this scourge and 

 purpose expending a million more. 



Teeth of the Ornithorhynchus. — According to W. S. 

 (Wesley Naturalist) Mr. E. B. Poulton, M.A., F.E.S., 

 has discovered true mammahan teeth under the long 

 plates of the jaws of Ornithorhynchus. It is suggested 

 that this species and its allies (Monotremata) may be, 

 not advancing reptiles, but degraded mammals. Pro- 

 fessor St. George Mirart thinks it likely that the Mono- 

 tremata have become mammalian along a different line 

 from that which was followed by the higher mammals, 

 and that the ordinary idea of the Platypus as being the 

 transition- form between Sauropsida (reptiles and birds) 

 and mammals is inaccurate. He had contended for the 

 last twenty years for the independent origin of similar 

 structures in different animals, and this discovery of true 

 teeth in so low a mammal as Ornithorhynchus lends a 

 support to his views. 



Animal Power of Resisting Poisons. — Several cases 

 of the resistance of certain snails to poisons are on 

 record. Krukenberg tells us that Helix pomatia can bear 

 perfectly doses of nearly | grain of sulphate of strych- 

 nine, but it perishes in an atmosphere of camphor. 

 H. aspersia succumbs to a dose of strychnine sulphate 

 less by one half. Zonites algirus resists strychnine as 

 well as does H. pomatia. 



American Plants in the Eastern Hemisphere. — 

 Mr. F. T. Law (Wesley Naturalist) mentions several 

 American plants which have wandered into the Eastern 

 hemisphere, and spread from Britain to Japan. Among 

 these are the chickvi^eed, winter-preen, the marsh- 

 marigold, dogwood, guelder rose, golden saxifrage, vervain 

 and lily of the valley. It is supposed that these flowers 

 must have crossed the Pacific and reached us by travel- 

 ling westwards, except the marsh-marigold, which seems 

 to have travelled in the opposite direction, and not 

 to have extended hitherto further than Western Asia. 

 The question arises by what route it can have travelled ? 



The Nematode of Beet-Root. — This little animal, 

 which excites some sensation in countries where the 

 cultivation of L.eet-root sugar (betose) is carried on, was 

 first observed by Schachtin 1859, whence it is known as 

 Heterodcra Schachtii. According to the Zoologischer 

 Anzeiger the two sexes of this creature differ not merely 

 structurally, but in their development. The females, 

 though possessing a muscular system, are incapable of 

 locomotion and have the shape of a lemon. After 

 fecundation the muscles and the digestive organs 

 gradually disappear, and the entire body becomes 

 merely a protective capsule for the ova. The males, 

 which are larger and of the typical nematodic forms 

 retain their locomotive powers. 



WORK FOR NATURALISTS' CLUBS. 



TN pursuance of the promise given in our last 

 number we shall give some short notes on matters 

 which may profitably occupy a working club. If a lead- 

 ing member, acquainted at least with the elementary 

 works on the subject, will collect and explain the 

 objects specified, an interesting and truly instructive 

 evening can readily be spent. 



I. Nectaries OF Flowers. — Some botanical text-book, 

 in which fertilisation by insects is described, should be 

 consulted beforehand. Lubbock's " Flowers in Relation 

 to Insects " will do very well. 



Buttercup. — Prepare for the microscope a petal of 

 Ranunculus acris, showing the scale at its base. Be- 

 tween the petal and the scale is a drop of sweet juice. 



Berberry. — Twelve nectaries, in pairs, lie at the bases 

 of the petals. 



Pansy. — Two of the anthers are furnished with long 

 appendages, which pass into the spur. The nectary 

 forms a crowd of eminences upon the upper surface 

 of each appendage. 



Yellow Rattle. — A scale, lodging a drop of honey, will 

 be found attached to one side of the base of the ovary. 



Grass-of-Farnassus. — Alternating with the five stamens 

 are an equal number of branched nectaries, which in this 

 case are peculiarly modified stamens. Each bears a 

 number of filaments, ending in yellow knobs. At its 

 base is a flat scale, upon which two honey-glands can be 

 seen with an inch objective. 



Hyacinth. — The nectaries occupy the spaces between 

 the three carpels. Examine the upper part of each 

 groove with a lens. 



These examples illustrate the great variety in position 

 of the nectaries. Other conspicuous and coloured flowers 

 should be searched for similar glands. 



2. Some Vegetable Colouring Matters. — Cut up 

 some green leaves with scissors. Boil with water in a 

 test-tube or flask. Add methylated alcohol in place 

 of the water, and boil again. A deep green colouring- 

 matter will be extracted. Observe that this is dichroic, 

 green by transmitted light, ruby-coloured by reflected 

 light on a dark ground. Shake up some of the solution 

 in a test-tube with an equal bulk of carbon-disulphide, 

 and let it settle. The disulphide will slowly separate 

 downwards, carrying with it a dark green colouring- 

 matter. The alcohol will rise to the top, tinged with a 

 yellow colour. Then shake up another sample with twice 

 its bulk of benzine. On separation the alcohol, coloured 

 yellow, will sink to the bottom ; the benzine, coloured 

 green, will float to the top. We can thus separate the 

 chlorophyll solution into two constituents, viz., chloro- 

 phyllin (dark green) Xanthophyll (yellow). 



Treat the colouring matter of yellow flowers {e.g., daffo- 

 dil) in the same way. A primrose yellow and an orange 

 yellow can be obtained. 



Evaporate by means of a spirit-lamp some of the 

 chlorophyll extract. A dark solid substance is obtained. 

 Add water to this. None of the colouring-matter is dis- 

 solved. Alcohol, ether, or benzine dissolve it freely. 



Take leaves of sorrel, London-pride, Polygonum, or 

 other leaves which show a reddish tint, not due to 

 autumnal fading. Extract the chlorophyll as above, and 

 evaporate to dryness. Add a little water, when a red 

 pigment, soluble in water (Erythrophyll), makes its ap- 

 pearance. 



When these simple methods are understood, a great 



