June 1, 18^5.] 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



125 



of England. Is very bandsome, and easy of cul- 

 tivation. 



Spider Ouciiis {OpJinjs aranifem, Huds.). — 

 Much more rare than the last, but equally hand- 

 some, and easily grown. 



EiiY Orchis {OpJirys mnscifera, Huds.). — ]\Iore 

 ■ common than either of the preceding, is also curious 

 and handsome, but as difScult to cultivate as any 

 species which it has been my fortune to obtain. 



Musk Oeghis {Ilorminmm monorcJiis, Br.). — 

 Small, delicate, yellowish-green flowers, very fra- 

 grant, but confined to a few spots in the South of 

 England. 



CuEErixG Orchis {Goodyera repens, Br.). — With 

 a one-sided spike of greenish-white flowers. In 

 Britain, it is confined to the Scotch Highlands. 



Lady's Tresses {Spiranthes atdnmnalis, 'Rich.) . — 

 Elowers white, with an odour of almonds. Abundant 

 on a dry chalky soil in most southern counties of 

 England. Elowcrs in the autumn. 



TwAY-CLADE {Listera ovata, Br.). — Insignificant 

 in appearance, but curious, common^ and not diflicidt 

 to manage. 



Helleboejne {Epipadis lafifoUa, AU.). — The 

 flowers are drooping, generally greenish, and not 

 particularly attractive. Elowers rather late in the 

 summer. 



White Helleborine {CepJialanthera grandiflora, 

 Bab.). — ^Flowers large and white or cream-coloured. 

 Occurring in dense woods, on a calcareous soil. 

 Flowers in early summer. 



Lady's Slipper {Cypripedium Calceolus, L.). — Is 

 the most splendid of British species, but nearly ex- 

 tinct in these islands, so that only cultivated speci- 

 mens can be obtained, and these are difficult of 

 cultivation to the amateur. 



With the majority of the species I have noticed, 

 no great failure can be anticipated, under moderate 

 care, and I think that if the instructions I have 

 ventured to give are carried out, success is certain. 

 The study of these plants 'will, more than any 

 others, repay the labour expended in their cultiva- 

 tion. Any "Flora" will furnish the strictly botan- 

 ical characters ; which I have not attempted to give. 

 Arthur B. Cole. 



RAT AND HAWK. 



QOME years since, I became possessed of a very 

 ^ large and beautiful kestrel hen, which in a short 

 lime became very docile and even affectionate, 

 readily coming when whistled to, and perching upon 

 the hand, taking much delight in being fondled; 

 and in return rubbing her head against the hand 

 that caressed her. 



During the day she had the run of a large and 

 high-wallcd garden, being prevented from flying 



away by the close clipping of the secondary and 

 tertiary feathers of one wing, the primary feathers 

 being left untouched; so that, unless she spread 

 her wings, her beauty was unimpaired. Being thus 

 in a state of half-liberty, her health and courage 

 were not affected, and she kept her plumage and 

 feet most delicately clean. 



At night she always roosted in a small building 

 at the end of a hotlionse, where the stove was 

 placed, and which was used as a tool-house and for 

 other gardening purposes. Here she was always 

 shut in, till I let her out in the morning. 



One day, after myself securiug the door overnight 

 as usual, I Avas surprised to find that she was missing ; 

 and a long time was spent in vain attempts to find 

 her. Feeling perfectly sure that I had left her 

 secure, as I thought, I continued my search ; and 

 after removing some bean-sticks which were piled 

 up in a corner, where the outside wall fonned an 

 acute angle with the inner, discovered a solitary 

 feather sticking up in the ground. Stooping down 

 to pick it up, it proved to be the end of one of the 

 long feathers of the tail ; and upon pulling it, up 

 came what remained of the half-eaten body of the 

 poor hawk, the surrounding soil having been care- 

 fully replaced after burying it. My first impression 

 was that a cat must have been the culprit ; but 

 there was no opening by which so large an animal 

 could have got in or out, excepting the stove-pipe ; 

 and as many feet of that were upright, and sur- 

 mounted by a tin top, it was out of the question. 



After thinking the matter well over, I decided 

 upon placing the dead hawk in, as near as possible, ' 

 the same position as that in which I found it — re- 

 moving a little of the loose soil, and substituting a 

 small but strong pair of " clams " (an iron trap, 

 made of two semicircular rows of teeth, which 

 close with a spring when pressed upon), just over 

 the body, and very lightly covering it up as before ; 

 and so I left it, anxiously waiting for what the fol- 

 lowing night might bring forth. 



The first thing next morning I hurried to the 

 tool-house, and before the door was reached heard 

 the rattling of the chain by which the trap was 

 secured, showing that the murderer was caught. 

 Upon opening the door, what was my surprise at 

 seeing an enormous rat, caught by the loins ; and, 

 although his back was broken, still full of fight. 

 However, I soon disposed of him, and, I must own, 

 with no small sense of satisfaction. 



The rat measured 22 inches from nose to tip of 

 tail, with enormous teeth to match. He must have 

 stolen upon the hawk while she was asleep ; or, in 

 spite of his size, she would have beaten him off. 



I have heard of hawks in a state of nature at- 

 tacking rats, but never before of the rat being the 

 aggressor. 



E.K. 



