llLY 1, 1865.] 



SCI-ENCE-GOSSIP. 



119 



EiSH IN Aqtjakia. — I have several times had 

 fungus or parasites growing on gold fish, and have 

 always succeeded in restoring them to a perfectly 

 healthy_ state by placing theni_ for two or three 

 weeks in a tub of cold water, in the cellar, and 

 allowing the water to drop from the tap, so as to 

 prevent stagnation. — H. B. 



British Land Shells {Achatina acicicla). — Mr. 

 Halph Tate asks if the presence of this mollusk in a 

 living state on the surface of the soil be a previously 

 unobserved fact ? In Jeffrey's "British Conchology" 

 it is stated that "its occurrence has been noticed 

 by Mr. Bridgman at iSIorwich, on a sunny bank 

 near the Thorpe toUba.r, adhering to the roots of 

 grass, in the loose earth between the stones." It 

 Avas not, however, at the roots of the grass beneath 

 the surface of the soil, but quite upon the top, and 

 also in the fine loose earth among the large ihnt 

 boulders, with which the bank is faced, and in the 

 first instance adhering to the flint itself. Had it 

 been within the soil, in all probability it would have 

 remained undetected ; in passing the spot -a dead 

 shell of carocolla Jiapicida, a species then un- 

 recorded for this district, had just been discovered, 

 and it was in searching amongst the grass and 

 stones in the hope of finding the carocolla alive, 

 which we ultimately did, that my sons came upon 

 the achatina. It is now at least ten or twelve years 

 ago, and several dozens were taken at various times 

 during the year or two they were sought for, but it 

 does not appear that any have been found lately. — 

 W. Kencely Bridgman. 



Gkeen Conferva.— I wish very much to know 

 the name of this plant ? It is a very common inha- 

 bitant of " pools by the wayside," and forms masses 

 of a green substance. It is a very beautiful object 

 in the microscope, dark masses of green in the midst 

 of tubes of hyaline. — B. S. [The specimen sent con- 

 sists principally of a young spirogyra, mixed with it is 

 also a diatom of the fragillaria, in broad bands with 

 narrow divisions, the width varying much according 

 to age. The species of the first, it is impossible at 

 so early a stage to decypher. The writer will find it 

 very interesting to watch it through the spring. It 

 will keep well in some of its own water in a glass 

 vessel.— J". B. H.'] 



Six-spot Bxjrnet ?— In the Isle of Vv^ightl have 

 observed a black moth, about half-an-inch in size, the 

 upper wings transparent, and spotted with red. The 

 caterpillar is green, with black dots placed at regular 

 intervals, and remains in the chrysalis state in a silky- 

 looking cocoon, attached to a blade of grass. They 

 were very numerous on a chalky spot above the 

 UndercUff. "A. B." would be glad to learn its name, 

 — [Prom the description, it would appear that your 

 Insect is a species of Anthrocera, probably Bilipen- 

 didce, called the " Sis-spot Burnet." There are 

 three closely allied species, Trifolii and Lonicerce, 

 'with 5 crimson spots, and Filipendulce, with 6 spots, 

 on each fore-wing. You should have sent a specimen. 



—b.m:\ 



Salmon Maut. — It is the pleasure of many fol- 

 lowers of good old Izaak Walton, in North Lanca- 

 shire, to angle for a fish they call " salmon maut." 

 The best sport is after heavy rain during the autumn 

 months. The fish, to look at, are like young salmon, 

 and vary in weight from | lb. to 3 lb. Can any 

 lover of the rod kindly tell me why the name"maut " 

 is given, how it is spelt, and whether the fish belong 

 to the salmon or the trout tribe ? — B. S. T. 



"What is an Inch oe Rain ?— The last weekly 

 return of the Begistrar-GeEeral gives the following 

 interesting _information in respect to rainfall : — 

 " Bain fell in London to the amount of 0'4:3 inches, 

 which is equivalent to 43 tons of rain per acre. The 

 rainfall during last week varied from 30 tons per acre 

 in Edinburgh to 215 tons per acre in Glasgow. An 

 English acre consists of 6,272,640 square inches, 

 and an inch deep of rain on an acre yields 6,272,640 

 cubic inches of water, which at 277 274 cubic inches 

 to the gallon makes 22,623'5 gallons; and, as a 

 gallon of distilled water weighs 10 lb., the rainfall 

 on an acre is 226,225 lb. avoirdupois ; but 2,240 lb. , 

 are a ton, and consequently an inch deep of rain 

 weighs 100'993 tons, or nearly 101 tons per acre. 

 Eor every 100th of an inch a ton of water falls per 

 acre." If any agriculturist were to try the experi- 

 ment of distributing artificially that which nature 

 so bountifully supplies, he would soon feel inclined 

 to " rest and be thankful." — Times. 



GEOLOGICAL aUEKIES. 



_ " T. B." writes : — " In my search for fossils among 

 flints I am frequently meeting with those which, 

 upon being broken, exhibit flinty casts in their inte- 

 rior of a very perfect conical form ; excepting some im- 

 perfect circular groovings I cannot detect any reticu- 

 lations of the surface. They bear no resemblance to 

 echini, and I can hardly imagine them to be ventri- 

 culites." They are casts of the alveolus, or conical 

 cavity, in which is lodged the phragmacone of Be- 

 lemnitella mucronata. — B. T. 



"E. P. P."— We recommend the following works 

 to enable you to name your Petherwin fossils: — M. M. 

 Edwards and Haime's "Monograph of the Corals 

 from the Devonian Eormation" (1S53). The Palas- 

 onthographical Society's Publication, vol. xvi., issued 

 for 1864, contains the first part of the " Devonian 

 Brachiopoda," by Mr. Davidson ; this monograph 

 will be completed in the forthcoming volume. In 

 the same volume is commenced a " Monogi-aph of 

 British Trilobites," by Mr. Salter ; a few Devonian 

 species are described. Eor the remaining forms 

 "Phillips" must sulfice.— -S. T. 



" J. A." — Seven Oaks will well repay a visit. The 

 principal geological formation is the lower green- 

 sand, with the wealdeu on the south, and the upper 

 cretaceous on the north. The railway cutting and 

 tunnel, now in course of construction, afford excel- 

 lent opportunities for the examination of the lower 

 greensand and wealden. A few quarries are opened 

 in the lower greensand on the roadside from the 

 station to the town. To the south-west of the town 

 strike on to the railway cutting (it would be ad- 

 visable to obtain a pass from the secretary of the 

 South-Eastern Bailway), and near the mouth of the 

 tunnel the Atherfield beds are finely exhibited, and 

 contain a few fossils; examine the debris of the shafts 

 for weald-clay fossils in passing over the hill. At the 

 south-end of the tunnel the Hastings sands appear. 

 In a future number we propose giving a full account 

 of the natural history of this delightful locality.— 

 R.T. 



"«?. ^N. C." informs us that he has verified Mr. 

 Tate's observations on "Plauorbis Corncus" (see 

 Science Gossip, No. 3, p 61). 



