SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



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CONTRIBUTED BV FLORA WINSTONE. 



Jahres-Katalog pro 1897 DER Wiener 

 Kryptogamen-Tauschanstalt. — The Vienna 

 Exchange Office for Cryptogams undertakes to 

 negotiate for its members the exchange and 

 purchase of cryptogams well prepared. Botanists 

 desiring to participate in the exchange must send 

 two lists not later than September 15th (alphabeti- 

 cally arranged within the groups Pteridophytas, 

 Musci Hepatics, Fungi, Lichenes, Algae, Characeas) 

 of those plants which can be furnished until 

 October 15th at latest. All the plants should 

 have a label on white paper, written in Latin or an 

 universal language, as follows : (i) The Latin 

 name of the plant and the author's name ; (2) 

 country and locality, most distinctly ; (3) date of 

 collection ; (4) name of the collector. The address 

 of the Vienna Cryptogammic Exchange Office is 

 II, Igelgasse, Vienna. 



La Naturaleza (Madrid, March 28th, April 8th, 

 1897). Don R. Becerro de Bengoa writes in the 

 number for March aSth, on "Argon and Nitrogen 

 in Arterial and Veinous Blood," giving the 

 proportion of these gases to be found in the blood 

 of an average man. There is also an illustrated 

 unsigned article on " Luminous Plants." The 

 various theories with regard to the cause of this 

 curious phenomenon are clearly stated, and some of 

 the plants described. April 8th. — The Director of 

 the magazine contributes some notes on " Ozone at 

 great heights," giving a list of many places and the 

 relative amount of ozone to be found there. These 

 statements are founded on the observations and 

 experiments of M. M. Thierry at the observatory 

 of Mont Blanc. Don Carlos Banns continues his 

 series of articles, with tables, on the " Lighting 

 Powers " of various substances. There is an 

 illustrated note, unsigned, on a " New Aquatic 

 Velocipede," which has been invented by Sr. Breyer. 

 The machine, when on land, is convertible into 

 an ordinary bicycle. 



La Feuille des Jeunes Naturalistes (Paris, 

 April ist). We regret to learn from a note by 

 M. A. Dollfus, that he has lost his mother, 

 Madame Dollfus, who, on the death of her eldest 

 son, the founder of the journal, carried it on for 

 many years, assisted only by M. E. Dollfus. 

 Until her death, she was actively connected with 

 the magazine, and generally contributed the 

 " Book Reviews." M. Eug. Simon commences in 

 this number his series of articles on " The 

 Revision of the Genera of Trochilides," which 

 will apparently run through several numbers. 

 M. H. W. Broelemann completes his series, 

 well illustrated, on " Materials for a Fauna 

 of Myriapoda of France." He describes at 

 length four new species and one new variety 

 oi Julus kervillei var. ineridionalis. M. J. Castelnau 

 contributes some " Notes upon Hyptiotes anceps," 

 illustrated with a description by Dr. T. Thorell. 

 M. Ernest Malimaud gives an account of 

 new species which have been added to the 



French flora, a fern (Botrychium simplex, Hitchc), 

 and a lily (Gagea foliosa, Rcem. and Sch.). The 

 former, found in the United States for the first 

 time in 1823, has been known in the North of 

 Europe ; the latter, in the Mediterranean district. 

 M. G. Mantero reports a new species of Vipio, 

 Latr., Vipio gestroi. Two illustrations are given. 



Bulletin de la Societe Zoologique de 

 France (Paris, February, 1897). ^I- Edouard 

 Blanc contributes an article " On the Elephants 

 of Northern Africa and Higher Egypt : A Reply to 

 Dr. Trouessart." In the course of his reply to a 

 paper read by Dr. Trouessart at a meeting of the 

 society, M. Blanc discusses the best means of 

 preserving elephants in the above-mentioned 

 regions. He is of opinion that, in addition to 

 restrictions in hunting them, the best means is to 

 give to the living animal a commercial value higher 

 than that of the ivory. Professor Van Bambeke, 

 the Honorary President of the Society, gave an 

 address at the annual general meeting on " The 

 Domain of Zoology." He divides the study of 

 Zoology into two headings — Morphology and 

 Physiology. Taking Morphology as his first 

 subject, he subdivides it into Descriptive Zoology, 

 or the study of the form and exterior characters of 

 the animal ; Descriptive Anatomy, or Zootomic, the 

 special study of the organs or interior structure ; 

 and the General History, which is the study of 

 the fundamental and simple tissues. ^L Van 

 Bambeke impressed on his hearers the necessity 

 for a knowledge of anatomy as well as physiology. 

 He quoted the works of Cruveilhier, the anatomist, 

 that " Without anatomy, physiology is built upon 

 the sand, for physiology is the main point that 

 anatomy explains." M. Henri Gadeau de Kerville 

 contributes " Some Personal Observations on the 

 Extension of the Crest, Wing and Tail, as a means 

 of Defence and x\ttack among Birds." He puts 

 forth the theory that the crest and other ornaments 

 of the peacock are useful for attack at well as 

 attraction. He instances an attack on a dog, who, 

 though well able to defeat the peacock, is apparently 

 stupified by the imposing appearance of the bird 

 advancing with erected crest and outspread wings 

 and tail. In this opinion M. de Kerville is 

 supported by M. Paul Noel. 



Bulletin de la Societe Rovale Linneenne 

 de Bruxelles (Brussels, March, 1897). M- J- 

 Gachelin writes on " The Lily-of-the- Valley at all 

 Seasons of the Year." He discusses means of 

 keeping this beautiful flower in bloom all the year 

 round. He describes the method employed in 

 America to keep the Lily-of-the- Valley flowering 

 for nine or ten months consecutively. The system 

 appears to be to place the roots in bottles 

 and cover with sand, and then put them in 

 an ice-house. Dr. Nysseus gives an account of 

 the plague of caterpillars which for the last few 

 years have ravaged the country from Ophoven to 

 Kessenich. Last year the oaks were destroyed 

 in the most remarkable manner. He suggests that 

 the chrysalis should be rigorously killed, especially 

 between July 15th and August 15th, before 

 the imago can be developed. Also, that as at that 

 time the moth lays little nests of eggs at the tops 

 of trees, it should be destroyed before doing so. 

 These ravages appear to be caused by a moth 

 Ocneria dispar, which is not very common in England 

 when compared with its abundance in central 

 Europe. M. E. Lejeune contributes an article on 

 " The Influence of Cold upon Plants." 



