162 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



[ February 24, 1863, 



extracts beginning with one from " The Zoology of the Exhibi- 

 tion:"— 



"In the South Australian court waB exhibited the Talegalla (with a 

 representation of it3 neat), another of those characteristic birds -with -which 

 these regions abound. Mr. Gould, -who visited Australia with the ardent 

 enthusiasm of a true ornithologist, has given us the best account of this 

 bird, and places it amrng the Rasoies (or domestic fowl tribe), and con- 

 siders it as the Australian representative of the Turkey, which it equals 

 in size. 



" The Talegallas are eregarious and shy, rapidly running through the 

 tangled brushwood. They utter a loud clucking noise as they stalk about 

 the wood ; and, like the ruffed Grouse of America, when perched on the 

 branch of a tree, they will sit composedly to be shot at repeatedly till they 

 are all brought down. The most wonderful part, however, of the history 

 of this bird is its nest. It collects together a great heap of decaying vege- 

 tables as the place of deposit of its eggs ; thus making a hotbed, arising 

 from the decomposition ot the collected matter, by the heat of which the 

 young are hatched. Mr. Gould describes this heap as the result of several 

 weeks' collection by the birds previously to their laying, and as varying in 

 quantity from two or four cartloads, and of a perfectly pyramidal form. 

 It appears to be the united work of many pairs of birds, and the same site 

 is used by them for several successive years. The Talegalla uses its foot 

 for this work, and when sufficient is accumulated, the eggs are deposited 

 about a foot apart from each other, and buried about 2 feet deep, perfectly 

 upright, with the large end upwards ; and there they are left, as in an 

 artificial incubator, till they are hatched, when, it appears, that the chicks 

 force their way out without assistance. The natives collect as many a3 a 

 bushel of eggs from a single mound, and they are much sought after on 

 account of their delicious flavour and large size (3J by 2£ ins.). These 

 remarkable statements of Mr. Gould have all been verified by the behaviour 

 of some of these birds kept in confinement at the Zoological Gardens, 

 Regent's Park, where this strange method of incubation has been observed 

 in every particular." 



" The Bower -birds (Ptilonorhynchus holosericeus) also keep up the 

 character of Australia for its anomalous productions. These birds, with a 

 plumage resembling black satin, are allied to the Crow, and are most 

 singularly interesting on account of the bowers from which they take their 

 name, and which they construct as follows : — With great skill and dexterity 

 they weave a sort of arbour of twiga, fixing them below in a bed of various 

 materials, and decorating their promenade, which is of various lengths, 

 with shells, feathers, and other ornamental materials, which they collect 

 from the country round. This bower has no connection with their nest, 

 which is built later, but serves apparently as a playground, in which they 

 sport, and play at hide-and-seek, bo-peep, and a variety of similar amuse- 

 ments, which we should hardly expect to have found their way into bird 

 life. Their bower constantly occupies their attention. They arrange and 

 re-arrange the materials every day, placing about it everything within 

 their reaeh which may by any means serve as an ornament to it. The 

 habits of these birds have also been observed in the Zoological Gardens." 



HVom the botanical portion we will also give this extract : — 



"Hybrid Plants returning to their original species. — M. Naudin, 

 having fertilised plants of Datura stramonium with others of D. tatula, 

 afterwards sowed the seeds produced by this union, and obtained hybrids 

 of the first generation. These hybrids were isolated; and a few seeds 

 coming to maturity, they were sown in April, 1862, and produced twenty- 

 two plants of the second generation— viz., five of Datura stramonium in all 

 its purity, whose fruits ripened and came to maturity; and nine typical 

 plants of Datura tatula. The remainder were more or less of a hybrid 

 .character. M. Naudin believes that this third generation of the hybrids 

 will turn completely to D. tatula. These remarkable facts, which demon- 

 strate the fact of the spontaneous disappearance of fertile hybrids, without 

 the intervention of a crossing with one or other of the parent species, 

 appear to M. Naudin at present inexplicable. 



i( Acclimatisation of Japanese Plants. — M. Simon, writing from Japan, 

 continues to recommend valuable plants for introduction into the Jardin 

 d' Acclimatisation. The Hemp Palm (Chamserops excelsa) bears a tempe- 

 rature of 10° Fahrenheit, requiring no particular care. The sta'.k of each 

 leaf is covered with filaments of various fineness, of which the coarsest 

 are u&ed for ropes, and the finer for nets. Another plant be speaks of is 

 the Soja, a kind of Bean used by the Japanese for a condiment, and a very 

 savoury adjunct to almost every Japanese dish. 



u The Sago Palm.—l&r. Wallace, who has returned laden with valuable 

 information from his Eastern travels, speaks of the Sago Palm as the staff 

 of life to the inhabitants of New Guinea and the adjacent islands. He 

 described it as a truly extraordinary sight to behold a whole tree trunk 

 converted into human food, vith as little labour as is required to convert 

 corn into bread. A single good tree will produce six hundred pounds of 

 sago cakes; and, with an expenditure of ten days' labour, a man may 

 produce food sufficient for a year's consumption. The natural result is 

 improvidence, laziness, degradation, and misery." 



The following is a specimen of the " Microscopical" news ; — 



"New methods/ preparing A1gte t $c.~ Professor Reinicke recommends 

 the following mixture as a dense, non-drying fluid, which prevents the 

 shrinking of soft tissues— viz., alcohol (90°), 3 parts ; water, 2 parts ; 

 glycerine, 1 part. The spirit being lighter and more limpid than water, 

 compensates for the greater, density of the glycerine. The preparation 

 being placed on the glass slide in a drop of water, another drop of the 

 above mixture is added to it, and it is placed aside, secure from dust, to 

 evaporate till nearly all the fluid is gone. A second drop is then added, 

 and so on, until a sufficient quantity of the non-drying material is left to 

 cover the objeot. The glass cover should not be put on until all the 

 evaporable part is gone. In this way M. Reinicke has succeeded in retaining 

 the natural form, colour, and structure of delicate filamentous Alga?, Fungi, 

 and animalcules; and objects taken in the act of fission, conjugation, &c. 

 remain unchanged, and as useful as living subjects." 



We have many more extracts marked in Mechanics, Anatomy, 

 Astronomy, Geology, Photography, &c, but we muBt close by 

 stating that the pages of this Quarterly contain contributions 

 from Dr. lairbairn, Capr. Donnelly, Cuthbert Collirjgwood,Har- 



land Coultas, Jabez Hogg, E. B. Truman, J. Breen, Mre. Lan. 

 kester and other favourably-known writers. 



OUR LETTEE BOX. 



Caution.— Mr. Ridgway, Beswick Lodge, has obtained some Pigeons of a 

 Cornish lady, and she cannot obtain the money for them. Another con- 

 signment of birds was detained by the station-master of the Great Northern 

 Railway. Any one sending birds to a stranger, especially at Manchester* 

 without prepayment, seems to us as if the senders were willing to run the 

 risk of being cheated. "We are weary of giving such cautions. 



Ducks' Eggs Unfertile (J. M.). — Your eggs are what are called clear 

 eggs— i.e M they have no germ of life in them. The reason why they do not 

 spoil is, that there is no development. The egg is not susceptible of 

 change. When an egg is sat upon for a time, until a change has takea 

 place, and there has been a beginning of life, and from some cause or other 

 it is then neglected, the foetus perishes and becomes putrid. The egg is 

 either addled or it bursts under the hen. If your Ducks have no pond, 

 provide one. If they have a pond, ohange the drake. 



Broody Hen [Nesci Brown). — We are afraid a wilful hen must have her 

 way. All you can do is to shut her up in some place where there is nothing 

 but the bare earth, no semblance of nest, no hay, straw, or anything of the 

 sort ; if on hard gravel so much the better. Many are sadly in want ot 

 broody hens. 



Dorking Cockerels Fightiug (A. P. If.). — There are two methods of 

 overcoming the difficulty you complain of. One is, to let the birds fight it 

 out. Some object to that. Another and a more humane plan is to provide 

 a linen bag, or an old pillow-case, tie it on a long rod, and when the birds 

 are sparring at each other, buffet them both with it. Neither the first nor 

 the second trial will be effectual ; but if you will persevere for a time they 

 will leave off fighting. If, however, the youngest cock has so little stomach 

 for the fight that he inns instead of sparring, buffet the oldei one as he 

 pursues him. If you have two yards, try to make them separate walks for 

 a time. One cock would answer your purpose in June, but you must have 

 two now. If every other plan fail, you must let the birds run on alternate 

 days, or morning and afternoon ; but it is bad to abut up a bird. 



Selling Pheasants and Partridges (A Young Beginner). — You can- 

 not sell game of any kind, either dead or alive, without a license, and then 

 only during the seasons determined by law. Gold and Silver Pheasants 

 are not considered game, and may be sold by any one and at any time. 



"White Spanish Fowls {P. C.)— We have never believed the "White 

 Spanish were a pure and distinct breed. We believe them to be a sport. 

 We have a hen this year has moulted nearly white. The faces should be 

 white. 



Catarrh in fowls {Constant Subscriber).— Give your fowls plenty of 

 bread steeped in strong beer. They are suffering from cold, and the effect 

 of long-continued wet. 



Swollen Rump Gland (.Kenton). — It is common in old birds for the oil- 

 gland to become hard and ossified, as it were. There is no cure for this in 

 an old bird. In a young one it is often only a temporary malady, and is 

 cured by opening the top of the conduit. Cochin-China hens lay as well 

 after as during the first year. They do not lay so early. Hens never lay 

 so early as pullets. 



Bird Prizes at the Crystal Palace (W. P.)— There are many points 

 to be considered in such awards ; and, even if we differed from the Judges 

 in opinion, yet, as there is no suspicion of unfairness, no benefit could result 

 from adverse criticism. 



Bird Stuffing (J. Uodson). — We cannot-spare space for the details, and 

 we recommend you to buy Mrs. Lee's Utile volume, entitled *' Taxidermy," 

 published by Messrs. Longman & Co. 



Purchasing Bees (C. J, T.).— There appears no reason to doubt the 

 superiority of the Ligurian species of honey bee, which jou may obtain by 

 applying to T. Woodbury, Esq., Mount Radford, Exeter. The common 

 species you may probably be abie to buy from some of the cottage bee- 

 keepers in your own neighbourhood. The present is the best time to pur- 

 chase. Prices vary much in different localities, but we should consider 

 20s. to 30s. a reasonable price for a good stock at this season. 



Dzierzon (.X-)- — The name of this distinguished apiarian is procouneed 

 Tseertson. 



Bee-keeping (.4 Subscriber). — You cannot do better than purchase 

 " Bee-keeping for the Many" (free by post from this office foi orf.), and 

 adopt Payne's improved cottage-hive as therein described, with the ex- 

 ception of having it made a little deeper (say 8 or 9 inches instead of 7) 

 than recommended by the author. We should advise you to lay out 20s. 

 or 30s. in the purchase of a couple of prime swarms in May, a similar sum 

 in hives, &c, and keep the balance for the possible purchase of sugar for 

 feeding or other contingencies. You may also derive much information 

 from the perusal of a series of articles, "How I became an Oxfordshire 

 Bee-keeper," from the pen of our esteemed correspondent " Upwards 

 and Onwards," which appeared in the first volume of our new series, and 

 may safely adopt his modification of Mr. Payne's hive if you prefer it. 



Catching Field Mice (An Old Subscriber'}.— The holes mentioned by 

 Mr. Brent may be baited with peas, wheat, acorns, or any seeds which such 

 mice feed upon. 



Weight or Hat in a Cubic Yard (A. 3).— It varies according to the 

 age and size of the stack so much that in some stacks 12 cubic yards are 

 required to be cut for a ton of hay, and in other larger and older stacks 

 only S cubic yards. From what you state we conclude yours is of the 

 latter description, for if 8 cubic yards yield a ton, then 1 cubic yard would 

 yield 20 stones ot 14 lb. to the stone, the quantity your men obtained. 



Terrier, Pups (A Constant Reader.)— The progeny resulting from breed- 

 ing in-and-in are always weakly and liable to disease and deformity. It is 

 certainly possible so to breed as you are doing, for the toy terriers are all 

 so raised. If the loss of hair can be repaired by medicine, it will be by the 

 following ointment rubbed-in until dry, left on for three or four days, then 

 to be washed off with soap and water, and a fre*h dressing given. Train 

 oil, half a pint; blaek sulphur, 1 oz. ; white hellebore powder, half an 

 ounce ; oil of tar, half an ounce. Mix. 





