SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



22' 



Reproduction of lost limbs i\ Birds. — A 

 correspondent writes to ask if there are any cases 

 on record where it has been known that birds have 

 reproduced lost limbs, i.e. toes or the whole foot, 

 in the same manner, for instance, as a lizard is 

 known to reproduce a lost tail. 



Big Fungus. — Mr. Barbour's big mushroom 

 reminds me that two months ago Mr. A. J. Cook, 

 of Upper Norwood, brought to me a large 

 spheroidal fungus which grew in his garden 

 and which weighed just a trifle under two and 

 a-half pounds. The exact circumference was not 

 taken, but it could not have measured less than 

 24 inches. — Ediad. A . Martin, 69, Bensham Manor 

 Road, Thornton Heath. 



Fossil Fern at Gi.a.nt's Causeway. — More 

 information in regard to this interesting note is to 

 be hoped for. Can Mr. Barbour give particulars 

 of some sort ? I do not think it could have been 

 a true fossil. Did it resemble any ferns now 

 growing in the locality ? Possibly a wind-blown 

 specimen left an impression of itself as it decayed. 

 Did it appear like this at all ? Presumably the 

 honeycomb is made up of basaltic (igneous) 

 columns, in which, of course, no fossil remains 

 can be found. — Edwd. A . Martin, 69, Bensham Manor 

 Road, Thornton Heath. 



Publication of Localities.— I know the neigh- 

 bourhood referred to by Mr. Carrington so well, that 

 without referring to his note in Science-Gossip, I 

 could find his locality at any time, and I must 

 confess I entirely agree with Mr. F. R. Rowley's 

 remarks on page 194. In regard to butterflys, it 

 may perhaps be of interest to your readers to know 

 that the Selbourne Society is issuing a leaflet by 

 Mr. Kirby, entited "A Plea for the British 

 Butterfly," a copy of which I would post to any 

 one desiring it. — Edwd. A. Martin, 69, Bensham 

 Manor Road, Thornton Heath. 



P.\TERNAL Affection in Wild Birds. — On May 

 17th, 1896, I saw three young starlings in a wicker 

 cage, on the lawn at the back of a country hotel 

 in Essex. The birds were nearly full fledged, but 

 the hen parent bird kept flying down from the 

 trees on either side, and feeding them through the 

 bars of the cage. After a time the cage was moved 

 indoors, and the anxiety of the parent bird was 

 really pitiable, as she flew backwards and forwards 

 across the lawn with a grub in her bill, looking for 

 her young ones, who kept answering her call from 

 indoors and whom she could plainly hear through 

 the open window. I have never seen a more lively 

 expression of anxiety and grief shown in a bird. 

 So long as she was allowed she came to feed her 

 little ones, totally regardless of myself and several 

 other persons, accompanied by a lively terrier or 

 two, who watched her at three or four j^ards dis- 

 tance. I was assured by a native that if parent 

 birds are allowed to feed their captive young too 

 long in this manner, finding they cannot get them 

 away, they will bring as food poisonous berries, 

 and so kill them in despair. As I could not per- 



suade the owner of the cage to carry out the 

 experiment for a consideration, and let me have 

 the dead birds for dissection, I have not been able 

 to prove this assertion ; but I should be pleased to 

 hear if any of your correspondents can offer any 

 evidence for or against it. — F. It". Halfpenny, 

 Forest Gate. 



Orchis maculata. — Varieties of this orchid 

 exhibit not only various forms in the middle lobes 

 of their labella, but also remarkably in their tints, 

 and especially in the markings themselves. From 

 near Godstone, in Surrey, I obtained last year, a 

 specimen which I could not resist the temptation 

 of plucking ; it measured six inches from the base 

 to the appex to the spike of flowers, and bore, so 

 far as I am able to judge from the dried specimen, 

 forty flowers. — Edivd. A. Martin, 69, Bensham Manor 

 Road, Thornton Heath. 



Orchis Maculata. — Dr. Bryan's remark, " A 

 complete classification of all the varietal forms 

 occurring in this variable plant would form 

 a pleasant task for a summer vacation," reminds 

 me of an excursion I once took with "The 

 Natural History Society of Hemel Hempstead," 

 in the month of May, 18S2. We drove to Ayot 

 St. Laurence, and on returning to Hemel Hemp- 

 stead, about a mile from that place, drove through 

 Lammas Park ; it consists of a considerable extent 

 of dead-level grass land, and scattered over this 

 land were patches of over an acre in extent 

 purple with millions of Orchis morio. The sun 

 was setting, and the ruddy purple light reflected 

 from them was a sight I shall never forget. 

 The party immediately descended and gathered 

 a considerable quantity. I collected samples 

 of the following : common purple, dark inky 

 purple, pale lilac and pale flesh-colour (more rosy 

 than purple), also three (these I took with the 

 root) of a very pale yellow with green veins. I 

 forwarded them to Rev. Harpur Crewe, who 

 remarked he had never seen the true i^'hite one 

 before. I hope I shall not offend any keeper of an 

 " Old Curiosity Shop " by divulging the locality to 

 " all and sundry " ; but should this be so, it may be 

 some consolation to him to know that, when young, 

 I was told that "black sheep" measure less, not 

 more than white ones. I have collected all my life, 

 and never kept a good locality for an insect or 

 plant secret. — Bernard Piffard, Hill House, Hemel 

 Hempstead. 



Derivation of "Cleat." — Referring to Mr. 

 Roberts' query as to the derivation of the word 

 "cleat" (p. 165, of your November number), the 

 words "clot," "clote" (Anglo-Saxon, "elate") are 

 applied to two other plants, the burdock and yellow 

 water-lily, as well as to the coltsfoot (see " Hunter's 

 Encyclopaedic Dictionary"). " Clate " is also 

 applied to a piece of iron worn on the shoes of 

 horses and country people, and is probably the 

 origin of the word "clout " (Dutch, "cluit," "clout" 

 — a clod or lump). From a quaint book I possess, 

 published in 1579, and entitled "Bullein's Bulwarke 

 of Defence against all sicknesse, soarnesse and 

 woundes that doe dayl)' assaulte mankind," I ex- 

 tract the following part of a dialogue : " IMarcellus : 

 What say you of Ungiila cabcllina or Tnssilago ? 

 Hilaring (the gardener) : It is called Ungiila, 

 cahellina, ye is horshoue, because no herbe is 

 liker, but the Greekes call it Bcchion, which is 

 Tnssilago, ye is to help ye cough. It is comonly 

 known, some call it clot-leaves : whyte on the one 

 syde and greene on the other side, and groweth 

 near waters and in fallow lands,'" etc., etc. I 



