248 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



gladh' shows any species, family or natural order 

 which is desired for comparison or examination. 



The leading feature in the Nice Museum is the 

 magnificent collection of upwards of 700 groups 

 representing life-size models, no less than 3,000 in 

 number, of more than 500 species of fungi found in 

 the immediate neighbourhood of Nice. These are 

 all constructed of plaster of Paris from moulds made 

 from original specimens, and coloured with life-like 

 accuracy. This collection, which took thirty years 

 to complete, was made entirely unaided by M. Barla 

 above referred to, who w-as also an excellent crypto- 

 gamic botanist. It is, I believe, unique as a 

 collection, and cannot be too widely known. I 

 understand from M. Olivier that M. Barla identified 

 no less than 2,000 species of fungi in the Depart- 

 ment of Alpes Maritimes. The Nice Museum 

 contains also collections of birds, fish, shells 

 and other animals. The shells will probably be 

 re-arranged and cleaned before long, as they do 

 not appear to have been recently overhauled. 

 The rarest shell we observed in the collection 

 was Biilimiis labia, a scarce Peruvian land species. 

 Among recent additions we noticed a fine ex- 

 ample of the uncommon sea-shell, Mitra zonata, of 

 Swainson, which is preserved in spirit, with the 

 animal protruding to some extent from the shell. 

 This was found, in June last, by fishermen in deep 

 waters some little distance south of Nice. 



It may be interesting to remark that the museums 

 above referred to are free of admittance, and, 

 generally, open to students by special application, 

 even during hours when closed to the public. 

 Nice; January 1st, 1897. 



{To be continued.) 



Kingfisher in the Hebden Valley. — Mr. 

 J. Needham, of Hebden Bridge, reports in the 

 " Halifax Naturalist " that a pair of kingfishers 

 were seen in Hebden Valley, about Lee Mill, for a 

 week or two, but unfortunately people with guns 

 saw them, and one was shot. Some years ago the 

 kingfisher was rather abundant about Lee Mill 

 and Dog Bottom, but of late appears to have 

 grown almost extinct. A new fishing club has 

 recently been started which has stocked the 

 river with trout, and 'Sir. Needham thinks this 

 has probably attracted the kingfisher. 



A KiLL.\RNEY correspondent states that the 

 fishing of the Ilillarney Lakes has been seriously 

 damaged, if not ruined, by the recent bog slide at 

 the Quarry Lodge. The close season terminated 

 on January i6th, and never before has the fishery 

 opened under such unfavourable auspices, the 

 "takes" on the three lakes amounting to only 

 seven salmon. The weather in the first place 

 was not favourable, and the lower lakes are dis- 

 coloured by the boggy debris conveyed into it by 

 the Ownacre and Flesk rivers, and until this dis- 

 appears prosperous fishing cannot be hoped for. 



ABNORMAL SCABIOUS. 



npHE abnormal flower of Scabiosa arvensis, a 

 -"- sketch of which, on scale of one-half natural 

 size, I send you, was found some years since in a 

 cornfield, and although diligent search has since 

 been made for another such specimen, it appears to 

 be unique, at any rate as far as my experience goes. 

 It also appears to be as good an illustration as is 

 often found of the claims of some writers as to 



Abnormal Scabiosa arvensis. 



composite flowers ha\'ing originated from simpler 

 forms for the purpose of becoming more attractive 

 to insect visitors. If this is the case, is not the 

 single floret in its separate involucre and on a 

 separate stalk at some little distance below a full- 

 sized and perfectly normal flower, a proof of the 

 correctness of their views ? 



Edwin E Turner. 

 Coggcshall, Essex ; January i^th, 1837. 



" Nature," for January 14th, contains an article 

 on the " Bog Slide of Knocknagceha, in the county 

 of Kerry," by Mr. Grenville Cole. Speaking of the 

 origin of the disastrous bog slide, he says that it 

 must be compared with the phenomenon of surface- 

 creep. The ridging of soils upon steep hillsides is 

 a similar but milder form of this sliding motion. 

 In peat-bogs the water finds its way out in numerous 

 channels into the main stream of some neighbouring 

 valley, and the banks of these channels are 

 always in a state of flux. During stormy weather 

 the black, saturated lower layers of the bog are 

 washed out in far larger quantities than the brown 

 and dryer upper layers, as there is very little 

 cohesion between the lower layers and the 

 impermeable clay or other material which underlies 

 the whole. 



