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SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



(July 20, iE 



The Odontoglossum grande, an illustration of which we 

 are enabled to give through the courtesy of Messrs. 

 Veitch, is the largest flowered of all the known Odon- 

 toglots. It was found in 1839 by Mr. G. Ure Skinner, in 

 dark ravines near the city of Guatemala, in situations 

 where it was secure of moisture and constant shade. 

 The flowers are from 5 to 6 inches across, the sepals are 

 bright yellow, barred with cinnatnon-brown ; the basal 

 half of the petals is cinnamon-brown, bordered with 

 yellow, the other half bright yellow ; the lip is pale 

 yellow, and the fleshy crest an orange yellow. 



The species of Odontoglossum form an indefinite 

 number of hybrid forms, which require much further 

 study before we can hope to reach any general law con- 

 cerning their production, Mr. Veitch remarks that 

 "notwithstanding the investigations of Darwin, Muller, 

 and others had resulted in a very considerable modifica- 

 tion of the belief in the fixity of species, the first 

 appearance of these hybrid odontoglots was to many 

 orchidologists a surprise and a puzzle." Further : — 

 " From the first it has been observed of these natural 

 hybrids that it is an extremely rare occurrence for any 

 two appearing in different importations to be identical, 

 although apparently derived from the same two species, 

 and sometimes even sufficiently like each other to come 

 under the same name. Nor ought this to be wondered 

 at ; the agency by which these hybrids and poly- 

 morphisms have been produced has been in operation 

 for ages past, and it cannot but have happened that a 

 large number of these forms, both of those that are 

 known and of those hereafter to be brought to light, are 

 not the immediate offspring of two recognised species or 

 more primitive types, but are descended from their 

 mixed progeny, further complicated by an occasional 

 cross with one or other of themselves. Hence we 

 already possess a number of forms that are ' confluent 

 in series,' of which the extremes are too widely sepa- 

 rated for the interval to be covered by one, two, or even 

 more intermediate forms." 



The headquarters of the great genus Odontoglossum 

 are in the more eastern portion of New Granada, stretch- 

 ing from Bogota towards Ocafia, the valleys of the Cauca 

 and the Magdalena being especially rich. 



(To be continued.) 



Aquatic Caterpillars. — A number of instances are 

 on record of catterpillars that normally descend beneath 

 the surface of the water to feed upon submerged plants. 

 One of the best known is an Argama, which feeds on 

 the leaf-stalks of water-lilies, and which was observed 

 by Prof. Comstock several years back. Though these 

 insects spend a large part of their time under water, they 

 are obliged to come up to the surface at intervals for a 

 supply of fresh air. Some caterpillars, however, are 

 more truly aquatic. One of these, Paraponyx slratiotalis, 

 was described by De Geer more than a century ago. 

 Another from Brazil, Cataclysta pyropalis, which, like the 

 former, belongs to the family Pyralidce, was described, 

 in 1884, by W. Muller, of Blumenau. In a recent num- 

 ber of the American Naturalist is an account of a third 

 species, described by Prof. Wood-Mason in a pamphlet, 

 entitled Report on Paraponyx oryzalis, an Insect-pest oj the 

 Rice-plant in Burma. 



A Cow with only one Kidney. — Dr. H. Shimer 

 (American Naturalist) lately saw killed a healthy cow 



which had only one kidney — the right one. It was 

 double the usual size and weight, being 1 1 inches in 

 length and 2\ lbs. in weight. 



Mineral Matters Consumed by Animals. — It is com- 

 monly said that animals, unlike plants, are not able to 

 assimilate inorganic matter. Experiments at Rotham- 

 sted show that pigs fed on corn-meal alone did not do 

 well until a mixture of coal-ashes, salt, and superphos- 

 phate of lime was given them, which gave the most 

 satisfactory results, both as to the health of the animals 

 and their progress in feeding. 



Gigantic Sponge. — It is announced that a spherical 

 sponge, 10J feet in circumference, has been fished up in 

 the Mediterranean and brought to London. 



A Redeeming Feature of the "Blizzard." — Accord- 

 ing to Mr. E. Ingersoll (Field), the fearful blizzard which 

 visited New York in March has destroyed many of the 

 European sparrows which had been so foolishly intro- 

 duced into America, and are there proving so severe a 

 nuisance. 



The Pyralid/e of Japan. — The magnificent collection 

 of Japanese Pyralidce formed by the late Henry Pr3'er, and 

 containing 4,000 specimens and more than 375 species, 

 many of them probably new to science, has been pur- 

 chased by Dr. W. J. Holland, of the American Eclipse 

 Expedition. . It is to be regretted that this collection did 

 not find its way to the British Museum. 



The Golden Oriole in Britain. — Mr. Kerr records in 

 the Newcastle Weekly Chronicle that the golden oriole has 

 been seen — and of course massacred — in several parts 

 of England. The great obstacle to the re-establishment 

 of this beautiful bird among us is the " British mania." 

 Egg collectors are found willing to give from 20s. to 

 25s. for an egg of this species, if only they are told that 

 it has been laid in Britain. A bird " in the flesh " 

 fetches still more. No similar folly prevails in any 

 other country, and until it can be exorcised, the preserva- 

 tion of rare birds and insects will be found impossible. 



THE NATURALIST AT THE SEA-SIDE. 



II. — The Marine Dredge. 



"VAEARS ago the writer's enthusiasm for dredging was 

 kindled by Edward Forbes' charming descriptions. 

 It is truly a delightful occupation, and, after years of 

 occasional practice, the old excitement comes back again 

 and again. The lap of the waves against the side of the 

 boat, the rush of sparkling water, and the eager expec- 

 tancy with which the hauling in is done, beat all the 

 pleasures of the angler. The marine dredge need not 

 be described, for it is figured in many common books, 

 and it is a well-known article in the market. Any boat 

 will do that is big enough. A large coble, or a small 

 steamboat, are what the naturalist commonly employs. 

 Lucky, indeed, are they who have a steam-winch for 

 winding up the dredge ! 



The western shores of our islands are by far the best 

 for the purpose, and the west coast of Scotland is the 

 paradise of the dredger. A likely spot is found by con- 

 sulting the Admiralty chart. Sand is avoided as barren. 

 A rocky bottom is dangerous to the dredge, and special 



