Aug. 1, 1865.] 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



181 



the pharynx and oesophagus. There is no doubt 

 that worms do an immense deal of good by their 

 feeding on the earth ; and as to their biting the roots 

 of plants and shrubs, as is sometimes said of them — 

 wh.Vj it is all nonsense. They could not do it, if they 

 wished, as they have no teeth ; they are quite satis- 

 fied with the earth, and if it is freshly manured, 

 they like it all the better. It is this last fact which 

 brings them round the roots of trees, and has made 

 some people suppose that they come to bite them ; 

 whereas they really come after the accompanying 

 manure. E. Ray Lankestee. 



ANECDOTES OF BIRDS. 



CORRESPONDENT from Coniston gives a 

 curious account of the effects produced on 

 the birds by the very severe cold, and long continu- 

 ance of snow on the hard frozen surface of the 

 ground in Januai-y and February, 1865. Four species 

 of Titmouse {Parus) were famUiar visitors, and 

 greedy after any sort of kitchen refuse. That well- 

 known and now deeply regretted benevolent ob- 

 server and naturalist, Sir John Richardson, erected, 

 at Lancrigg, a strong pole with a crossbar, to one 

 end of which he tied a basket filled with crumbs of 

 bread and such like dainties, for the refection of 

 hungry Linnets, Robins, Chaffinches, and a miscel- 

 laneous company of visitors to the welcome feast ; 

 at the other end of the crossbar was a net-bag, con- 

 taining lumps of fat, which proved particularly 

 attractive to the Titmouse family {Parus). The 

 beautiful blue Tit, whose lively manners have been 

 so well described by White, and which, whatever 

 may be said of him, is really a great friend to gar- 

 deners, by destroying quantities of insects, is rather 

 numerous in Westmoreland, and must be dear to all 

 lovers of roses for its active assistance in waging 

 war against the Bracken Clocks, a sort of minute 

 beetle {Ghrysomela) with shining metallic wing-cases, 

 which seem to descend in clouds from the neigh- 

 bouring heath-and-fern-covered mountains as soon 

 as the roses begin to open ; and bright and beautiful 

 to the eye as is this glittering shower of sparks of 

 emeralds, rubies, and diamonds that " dazzle as they 

 pass " through the suusliine, we soon lose all admi- 

 ration for the false and fair visitants, who ruthlessly 

 bury themselves among the petals of the roses, and 

 mutilate and devour the choicest blooms in tlie most 

 aggravating way. So, if the Tomtits help us a little 

 to keep down these pests in the summer, they well 

 deserve their regale of fat to help them through the 

 season when no insect larvae can be found. 



But during that very severe weather, not only 

 tribes of small birds, but even the very Rooks came 

 to be fed, and enjoyed picking bones, especially a 

 bone from a sirloin of beef (which had been pre- 

 viously boiled for soup for the poor) — the smaller 

 bones tlie Pvooks flew away with to enjoy in their 



own seMsh corners, like " little Jack Horner," with- 

 out allowing a taste to a hungry brother — peevish, 

 quarrelsome among themselves, yet how is it that 

 such regular discipline can be maintained as to keep 

 a sentinel ever strictly on the watch to give signals 

 of any approaching danger ? Is the sentinel some 

 grave old patriarch of the flock, who shows his 

 cliieftainship by watching over the safety of his 

 tribe ; or is he some unlucky junior, who dares but 

 obey his elders, and remain patiently at his post of 

 observation, even if it excludes him from his share 

 in the feast ? 



Another strange pensioner was a Water-hen 

 {GaWmula), starved out from her accustomed reedy 

 haunts on the edges of Coniston Lake ; she came in 

 haste to partake of any fragments of food within 

 reach, and then as hastily departed to her hiding- 

 place. Being heavy on the wing, but a swift runuer- 

 away, she scudded over the snow, with her large 

 yellow feet acting like the Laplander's snowshoes. 



I once had the opportunity of watching a pair of 

 these birds in the fenny districts of Buckinghamshire, 

 in an old orchard filled with grotesque old trees, thickly 

 coated with grey lichens, and yet very productive of 

 good apples and enormously large stewing pears ; 

 there was in one corner a dark pond, the remains of 

 part of an ancient moat, fringed and almost hidden 

 by sedges and brambles. By the edge of this, and 

 fastened to an overhanging branch, the GaUinules 

 built their cradle-nest of sticks. The female sat 

 very closely under cover of the shrubs, but by 

 stealing gently round behind the bushes, I every day 

 threw near her the crumbs and scraps from the 

 children's dinner, which were always eaten, and by- 

 aud-by I had the pleasure of seeing a flock of six 

 or eight such beautiful silky little black balls darting 

 and squirting about in the most lively and restless 

 manner, caring little for the shelter of the mother's 

 wing. But in a day or two the whole family had 

 disappeared. The Ouse was out, a very common 

 occurrence with that sluggish, lazy river, and pro- 

 bably the pretty GaUinules had adjourned to the 

 wide swampy fishing-grounds to seek their living in 

 company with the lordly crested grey Heron, who 

 would stand there for hours, with meekly bowed head 

 on his breast, one foot tucked under his feathers— one 

 might imagine to warm it, if he only changed his 

 feet nov,^ and then— but no, on one long bare leg he 

 stood, and it seemed to be always on the same leg, 

 in the shallow water, balancing himself in perfect 

 stillness till he pounced on his prey and secured his 

 fish, with that same shai-p hard bill wherewith his 

 ancestors have stilettoed so many a noble Falcon, in 

 the olden days of that sport. P. S. B. 



The flea, grasshopper, and locust jump 200 times 

 their own length, equal to a quarter of a mile for a 

 man, 



