THE WEST AMEEICAN SCIENTIST. 49 



ROADRUNNERS CORRALLING RATTLESNAKES. 



Considerable doubt has existed as to whether this curious bird was an enemy to 

 the rattlesnake or not. The following account of the roadrunner's method of de- 

 stroying a rattlesnake was given by one of the eye-witnesses to the novel affair, 

 which would seem to remove all further doubt: 



The bird first attracted the snake's attention, causing it to coil and take a de- 

 fensive attitude, when it quickly and skillfully surrounded the dangerous coil with 

 a formidable hedge of the jo nts of the common cholla cactus. When all was ready 

 it tempted the snake to make the fatal strike, for in striking the snake hit against 

 the hedge of cactus and in its writhing became completely covered in a few mo- 

 ments with the tenacious joints. In this condition it of course was an easy prey to 

 the wary roadrunner. The bird, after pecking out the snake's brain, was seen to 

 carefully strip the body of its horrible spiny winding sheet, and is supposed to have 

 eaten it later. 



A DOUBLE ORANGE. 



My attention has been lately called to an interesting variety of orange which 

 has been for sale in this market [Cincinnati, 0.,] said to have come from California. 

 The fruit is about the size of a medium orange, with a slight swelling at the upper 

 end. Dissection reveals a small orange almost completely enclosed in the skin of 

 the large one. The core runs from the stem to about the center of the fruit, and is 

 of about normal size. Then it expands, and for half of the remaining distance is 

 more than twice its previous size. At this point is situated the small orange. This 

 is composed of from seven to eight segments arranged as in the main orange. No 

 seeds are found in the fruit, and it is sweet and juicy. This duplication of fruits 

 was observed not in one orange alone, but in a whole box, and perhaps exists in 

 more. At the upper or flower end of the fruit the skin does not wholly inclose the 

 pulp, but exposes the segments of the smaller orange. — Jos. F. James, in Bot. Gazette, 

 Apr. 1, 1886. 



There are some trees eminently fit to put next the sea to shelter others of 

 greater value. In looking for the trees and shrubs fittest to plant along the shore, 

 we find that several of the native Australian species are excellent. Fabricia loevi- 

 gata forms a dense, evergreen hedge, and withstands the severest gales. The Mel- 

 bourne Leader co isiders it the best tree for littoral planting. The Banksia littoralis 

 and B. serrata come next in value for wind-break purposes. The Fabricia, however, 

 is so easily transplanted and grows so fast that it should be tested in all the seaside 

 towns and landings of California. Pine trees also often do well along the sea 

 coast. 



Dr. Edward Tuckerman, professor of botany in Amherst college, died March 15. 

 He was born in Boston December 7, 1817. His special study was lichens, upon 

 which he was an eminent authority. 



