120 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[May 1, 18G5. 



NOTICES TO COEEESPOHDENTS. 



All communications for tlie Editor sliould be addressed to 

 No. 192, Piccadilly, W. To avoid disappointment contribu- 

 tions should be received on or before the 15th of each 

 month. No notice can bs taken of anonymous communi- 

 cations. All notes, queries, or articles for msertion, must 

 be guaranteed by the name and address of the writer, which 

 may be vifithheld from publication if so desired. 



QuEnins. — Having been inundated with questions, we are 

 compelled to announce that wc cannot undertake to answer 

 those of which the querist might satisfy himself by an appeal 

 to any elementary book on the subject. We are always pre- 

 pared to accept queries of a critical nature, and to publish 

 the replies, provided soine of our readers, beside the quei'ist, 

 arc likely to take an interest m them. 



We cannot undertake to return "rejected addresses." 



J. G. — Both specimens marked Dicninella are Dicrcmum hete- 

 romulhtm. — G. E. H. 



J.W. L. — Your plant, resembling a coralline, is a species of 

 seaweed, bleached by exposure, known as Jania rubeiis. — 

 W. H. H. 



W. W. K.— The objects from the Baltic, called " gold shells," 

 are insects ; the scientific name is M'l rgarodes formicaruin. 

 See paper on them in " Linnrean Transactions," Vol. XVI., 

 p. 115, and plate 12.— J. E. G. 



E. E. — The galls on bramble are produced by Cynips aptera. 

 — F. M. 



S.A.J. (Brampt(jn) . — Will you favour us with name and 

 address that wc may comply with a request ? 



G. R., Jun. — Often observed and described in botanical 

 works. 



Hedoehocs. — We have, during the past month, received 

 seventeen communications on this subject, some of con- 

 siderable length, which collectively would occupy at least 

 twelve pages. We may hereafter utilize one or two, but a 

 "hedgehog number" is not a desideratum. Notwith- 

 standing which, all those correspondents will please to 

 accept our thanks. 



W. W. S. — We have not seen any announcement of " Busk's 

 Marine Polyzoa." 



M. P. V^. — An immature specimen of fresh-water conferva 

 from whence its name cannot be correctly determhied. It 

 is in a bad condition. 



A. T. L. (Sunhm-i/).—" Rivers's Orchard House," published 

 by J.ongmans, at half-a-crown, would, perhaps, answer 

 your i)urpose. 



W. E. U. — To all the queries v;ithin our province, the answer 

 will be in the negative. 



T. P. B. (Nvwcristle) would exchange Diutinnacea; slide for 

 slide with any one possessing duplicates of other species. 

 Lists can be exchanged through the Editor. 



H. G. S.— Study "Westwood's Introduction to Entomology." 



S. A.— We think our contributor wrong in his apparent belief 

 that both are the same species. Lenma gihha has been placed 

 in a separate genus, tliough not conmionly recognized as 

 generically distinct. It would be v.'ell if you could find it 

 in flower. 



British Buttekkmes.— Is it possible that R. S. has not seen 

 Mr. E. Newman's admirable " Butterfly Number of Yoimg 

 England?" It is a marvel, and the sixpence expended in 

 its purchase will netiar be regretted. 



J. G.— Your supposed Celnir'ai is Corniadai-ia aculeata. 



B. F.— Your query cannot be clearly ansv.'ered in a word or 

 tsvo. As soon as pos.-ible it shall receive an extended ex- 

 planation, wiiich will, probably, prove accei.table to many 

 of our readers. 



Z. Y. X.— In answer to your query, p. 95, a correspondent 

 wntes:—" The phenomenon is owini^ to the desire of the 

 finny tribe to escape from confinement. Tliey open their 

 mouths to catch the insects whieh c nstitutc tlieir food." 

 Sec also ' Ovien's Comparative Anatomy," p. i05.— L. N. 



J. R. (Bognor). — Your supposed discovery certainly requires 

 confirmation. 



H. A. — Garchier's "Taxidermy, or Bird-Stuffing made easy." 

 J. r. C. — The cats have never confided their secrets to us. 



Acacia Flowebs. — A correspondent has preserved a number 

 of these with their pollen for distribution. A portion 

 mounted as an opaque object is strongly recommended for 

 the microscope. Stamped envelopes may be sent to J. M., 

 Greenfield View, Egremont, Cheshire. 



TussiLAGO HyniiiDA. — Forwarded to its destination, 



Mosses. — We regret that we do not possess the leisure to 

 name specimens. See also p. 97. 



British Hepatic®. — It is contemplated to issue a list, with 

 figures and descriptions of every species, at a very cheap 

 rate. 



Webster's Economic Condenser. — Several correspondents 

 having made inquiries of us concerning this condenser, we 

 are permitted to refer them to Mr. John Webster, 9, Ade- 

 laide Cottages. 



J. W. (Amlwch).— The correct title of the book named in our 

 last is— "Lessons on Elementary Botany by Professor 

 Henslow, edited by Professor OUver," published by Mac- 

 millan & Co. 



C. S. B.— See the same query, p. 71, and its answer, p. 119. 



Nyssia Zonaria. — A correspondent writes us that during an 

 excursion to the sand-hills at New Brighton, Cheshire, in 

 search of this insect, he was successful in capturing buth 

 male and female specimens in good condition; and that he 

 expects to secure the breed. Should any reader be wishful to 

 exchange, he would be glad to communicate with him, 

 several of the females having already deposited ova. — 

 D. Ba.xendale, Akroydon, Halifax. 



Florence Flask-Covers —A subscriber informs us that 

 he has discovered the material employed for the basket-like 

 covers of Florence oil-flasks to be the sea-wrack {Zustera 

 marina) . 



J. F. C. — The pegs are most likely bamboo; the leaves arc 

 Moc those of the maize, but possibJy of a large-leaved species 

 of t.'amboo. 



H. {Ghhurne). — Your query has been sent, and replied to 



elsewliere. 



A Hint for Contributors. — If our contributors will oblige 

 us by always using the common names of plants, animals, 

 insects, &c., wherever there is a common name in use, to 

 be followed by the scientific name in brackets, this will save 

 us a lai'ge amount of trouble in sending their manuscript 

 to press. As we do not pretend to address scientific readers 

 alone, vernacular names are indispensable. 



Coji.mumc.vtions Received. — J. B. (Humber). — P. B.St. J. 

 — D. E. G.-E. H. B.— R. II.— P. S.— A. S.— W. W. K.— J. 

 B.— E. U.— B. T.— T. P. B.— W. A. L.— F. W. (already rc- 

 commended).— A. C. G.— R. K.— J. A.— A. K. L.— D. R. R. 

 —J. M. S.— C. A.J.— C. S. B.— S. A. S,— II.Gisburne.— A. 

 B. F.— Inquirer.— J. E. W.— W. R. T.— A. L. D.-J. R. J. 

 —J. W.— B. T.— A. J. R.— R. H.— R. Bl.— W. H. B.— R. S. 

 — G. S.— W. E. R.— H. G. S.— T. S. (not authenticafed by 

 the writer's name and address). — W. A. L. — W. — W.N. — 

 W. Ross.— F. J.— J. F. C— L. S.— A. L.— L. N. — E. B.— 

 J. W. {Ainlweh).—V. J. F.— J. M.— Vigilans.— G. L.— A. X. 

 M.— T. T. C— A. 0.— M. W. B.— E.C. E. (we think to).— 

 D. B.— A. M. B.— H. A.— J. S. W. 



Popular Names.— M. II. L.— L. • 



BOOKS RECEIVED, 



'Stammkring and Stuttering; tiiicir Nature and 

 Truatment." By James Hunt, Ph. D., ike. Si.'cth 

 edition. (Longmans.) 



'The Applications op Geology to the Arts and Ma- 

 NUEACTURES." By Profcssor Austcd. (Hardwieke.) 



' Old Bones ; or, Notjo.s for Young Naturalists." 

 By Rev. W. S. Symonda. (Hardwieke.) 



' Popular Science RiiviKw," No. 15, Ajiril, 1865. (Hard- 

 wieke. ) 



