SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



J 39 



Abnormal Trees. — The Abnormality in Tree- 

 growth, to which you draw attention on page 112, 

 is interesting, but should not be described as 

 " really unique.'.' In 1884, I was shown a similar 

 case on an island in the River St. Lawrence, a 

 mile or so east of Quebec. At this distance of 

 time I forget what the trees were. — F. A. Bather, 

 Natural History Museum, London, S.W. 



Wild Swan Nesting in Cumberland. — Wild 

 swans were found nesting at this place last week. 

 The nest was found by a small boy, who informed 

 me that " the young 'uns had just coomed oot " of 

 four eggs, and that the one he brought me must be 

 addled, as it proved to be when I blew it. The egg 

 is very rough, indeed is quite warty in appearance. 

 The village mole-catcher tells me that " lang years 

 syne" two pairs of swans were in the habit of 

 nesting about the same place, — II". /. Fairer (Capt.), 

 Chapel House, Bassenthwaitc ; June 5th, 1894. 



Jackdaws and Ducklings. — I do not think daws 

 would object to kill and eat young ducks if they got 

 a chance (ante p. 106). I have kept jackdaws for 

 years ; in one case for upwards of fourteen, the 

 bird in question being now alive ; and during that 

 time have observed frequently how rapidly they 

 will kill and eat small birds and mice when supplied 

 as food. On one occasion a chicken four or five 

 days old, which had strayed from a coop was killed 

 and eaten by Jack — then why not ducklings ? 

 Jackdaws, like magpies and jays, according to my 

 observation, when in captivity show a marked 

 preference for such living food as flies, spiders, 

 earwigs, moths, beetles and their larvae, small birds, 

 especially when in the down, and mice. In the 

 case of small birds and mice the brain and viscera 

 seem to be the tit-bits, as I notice they are 

 invariably devoured first. — F. JV. Halfpenny, Forest 

 Gate, Essex. 



Jackdaw and Young Ducks. — In the July issue 

 of Science-Gossip aquestionwas raised (ante p. 106) 

 as to whether a jackdaw would kill young ducks. 

 The following may throw some light on the 

 subject. A tame jackdaw was kept in a wired fowl- 

 run ; sparrows used to come through the wire netting 

 to eat what was left by the fowls. Now Jack would 

 be lying, as though asleep, with his wing stretched 

 out within a yard or so of the food. As soon as 

 several sparrows were collected round the dish, he 

 would suddenly dart up, and seizing one of the 

 sparrows before it could move, he would peck out 

 its eyes, and then eat its brains and other dainty 

 morsels. Many a sparrow did the jackdaw kill in 

 this way, and one day he actually killed a fine 

 Brahma cock, pecking out its eyes, and otherwise 

 mutilating it. A jackdaw that would do this 

 would certainly kill young ducks. — H. F. Witherby, 

 i, Eliot Place, Blackheath. 



Science at the Free Libraries. — At the 

 Leicester Free Library this department has been 

 well looked after. The proportion of scientific and 

 technical works to the whole stock is over ten per 

 cent, (not including "Travels"). In most free 



libraries it is under ten per cent. The Leicester 

 Committee have added each year all the principal 

 works required by students of the University 

 Extension and of the Technical Schools. A few 

 years ago they requested the authorities of the 

 Royal Geographical Society to supply them with a 

 list of the best works on geography and travel. A 

 very copious list was furnished, and from this list 

 a few were ordered. It was scarcely as useful as 

 they had hoped it would be. A large number of 

 the works which the library did not already possess 

 were a little out of date. A more valuable list of 

 works relating to mathematical and industrial 

 science was supplied to them by the masters of the 

 large Wyggeston Schools, and the bulk of these 

 have been added to the library. There is no 

 department in which it is so essential to be up-to- 

 date as it is in science. The Leicester Committee 

 have found that an ample supply of popular 

 scientific works creates a demand and causes a 

 larger issue of higher class literature and a 

 diminution in the demand for fiction. This result 

 is still more marked in relation to modern works 

 of travel than to those more purely scientific. The 

 department usually entitled " Voyages and Travels " 

 is one which all free libraries should cultivate. — 

 F. T. Mott, Leicester; July, 1894. 



Dispersal of Flora and Favnje. — Helix aspersa 

 has been introduced into and flourishes in New 

 Zealand ; but although I have found it abundantly 

 in several localities, it does not seem to spread as 

 might be imagined. I first noticed it at Wellington, 

 in gardens, and afterwards at Paikakariki, about 

 twenty-seven miles north of that place, but here at 

 Otaki, about twenty miles north again of Paikak- 

 ariki, I have never met with it. However, it is exceed- 

 ingly plentiful further north still, in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of Palmerston North, about forty 

 miles from here (Otaki) ; but although I have 

 searched for it in the neighbourhood of Woodville 

 and Pahiatua, both places being within a radius of 

 eighteen miles of Palmerston North, I have failed 

 to discover it. Thus it would seem that, although 

 plentiful enough in certain districts, it does not 

 appear to spread very rapidly in this country. I may 

 say that on reading Mr. Layard's paper (ante p. 28) 

 there is one thing which struck me as being rather 

 curious ; he says that Helix aspersa was introduced 

 into Cape Colony and the Loyalty Islands by the 

 French as a delicacy. Now, for several years I 

 resided on the Continent, and although in France, 

 Belgium and Switzerland I have often seen Helix 

 pomatia eaten and exposed for sale, I have never seen 

 Helix aspersa used as an article of food in any one 

 of these three countries. Why, then, was not 

 Helix pomatia, and not Helix aspersa, introduced by 

 the epicurean Frenchman ? I have never seen 

 Helix pomatia in New Zealand, and I should like to 

 know whether it occurs in either Cape Colony or 

 Lifu. I should say that Helix aspersa has probably 

 been accidentally introduced into New Zealand 

 with plants, either from England, the Cape, or one 

 of the Australian Colonies. I have frequently seen 

 excursionists (Bristol factory hands chiefly) at 

 Minehead and Burnham, in Somersetshire, collect- 

 ing Helix aspersa with the intention of eating them, 

 but never on the Continent have I seen or heard of 

 its being eaten.' — Hugh B. Preston, Otaki, North 

 Island, New Zealand; May 13th, 1S94. 



[Our correspondent must have forgotten the sale 

 of H. aspersa as a comestible on the Continent of 

 Europe, as it is commonly so used in many 

 parts. — Fds. S.-G.] 



