HA RD 1VICKE' S SCIENCE- G OSS IP. 



trunks of Pithecolobiuvi saman, and other of their 

 food-supplying trees, was a more remarkable feature 

 of the earlier months of this year in Jamaica — and is 

 the more remarkable when considered in connection 

 with the alleged rarity of insect-life in more temperate 

 regions during the same period. — Henry Strachan. 



Supposed Breeding of the Scoter near 

 Chichester. — Mr. Anderson's communication at 

 p. 256 under the above heading is hardly so cir- 

 cumstantial and full as to place the breeding of the 

 scoter at Earnley beyond doubt, and I hope in a 

 matter of so much interest he will publish all the 

 particulars in his possession. Will Mr. Anderson 

 kindly say whether any of the seven Scoters seen were 

 procured, their presumed age, and what reason there 

 was to suppose they had been hatched in that neigh- 

 bourhood? Mr. Anderson is of course aware that 

 scoters may be found on the coast in every month of 

 the year, and that they not unfrequently in summer, 

 visit inland sheets of fresh water. I think I have 

 evidence even stronger than that given by Mr. Ander- 

 son in favour of the probability of the scoter having 

 nested in Norfolk in 1S75, for a brood of young birds 

 was seen on Hickling Broad throughout the summer 

 of that year, and the late Mr. Booth saw fourteen or 

 fifteen of these birds flying over the same Broad in- 

 wards at the end of July. I should hesitate to claim 

 the scoter as having bred in Norfolk on this unsup- 

 ported evidence, but if Mr. Anderson can show 

 strong probability of its having done so at Earnley, 

 I think the two cases would lend mutual support to 

 each otter. — Thomas Southwell, Norwich. 



Black-Veined White Butterfly. — I am glad 

 to be able to give Mr. Waters the following informa- 

 tion respecting the capture of this insect by a friend. 

 In the neighbourhood of Sewerby, Hull, in May 1885, 

 two larvae of this butterfly were found feeding on a 

 species of thorn. It was not known what they were 

 until the perfect insect appeared, when a further 

 search was immediately made and six pupae were 

 found in the same place, all of which emerged in the 

 course of a day or two. Three of these are now in 

 my possession. As many of the young trees and 

 thorns about there were newly planted varieties from 

 the Continent, might it not be possible that the ova 

 or young larvae might have been brought over into 

 this country with them ? — C. E. Rockett. 



Shells with Double Mouths. — Mr. Ashford, 

 in his interesting account of the various records of 

 double-mouthed monstrosities of Clausiliae, remarks 

 that, "Judging by the absence of records, shells with 

 large and simple mouths are not liable to such an 

 accident." Allow me to state that in Mr. William 

 Nelson's magnificent collection of Limnaeidae, there 

 are a number of specimens of Limn&a peregra with 

 two and three apertures ; and if I remember rightly, I 

 have also seen examples of double-mouthed L. peregra 



in the beautiful collection of Mr. J. Maddison of Bir- 

 mingham. — IF. E. Collinge, St. Andrews, N.B. 



Clausilia with two Apertures. — The corre- 

 spondence on this subject in recent numbers of 

 Science-Gossip, induces me to put on record the 

 occurrence of a similar monstrosity in Bedfordshire. 

 The species is Clausilia rugosa, and was found at the, 

 foot of an old willow-tree, in the hamlet of Limbuiy, 

 by my son Edgar. The two apertures were well 

 formed, and similarly situated to those shown on p. 

 257 for 1S91. The specimen was presented to Mr. 

 Taylor of Leeds, and probably is still in the posses- 

 sion of that gentleman. — yames Saunders, Luton. 



BOTANY. 



Moths and Sallows. — Every entomologist 

 knows that the male catkins of the sallow are very 

 attractive to moths, and that the liquid which they 

 imbibe partiallystupifies them. Now, I often wondered 

 how, the sallow being anemophilous, the plant could 

 be in any way advantaged by the visits of insects ; 

 and why, if it is not advantaged, an attractive 

 secretion was developed at all. It occurred to me 

 that the insects shook the catkins and so facilitated 

 the dispersion of pollen. But if this were the ex- 

 planation, the stupifying nature of the liquid would 

 seem a positive disadvantage, as it makes the insects 

 remain quiet. The only explanation I can offer is, 

 that when heavy moths become intoxicated and fall 

 off, the elastic rebound of the stem of the catkin may 

 shake off the pollen ; but this seems very unsatis- 

 factory, and possibly one of your readers may be able 

 to give a better, explanation. — J. R. Holt, Dublin. 



Abnormal Orchid Flowers. — The following 

 abnormal orchid flowers have come under my observa- 

 tion during the present year. One flower of Cattlcya 

 mossice with three sepals and two petals ; the superior 

 petal was adherent to the column.* One flower of 

 Cattleya mendelii with two sepals and only one petal, 

 the lower sepal bearing rudiments of the labellum in 

 the form of a narrow ridge running from the base of 

 the column down the centre of the sepal and terminating 

 in a deep purple-coloured contorted appendage. One 

 flower of Cypripedium Lawrencianum in which the 

 shield-like staminode was contorted. The labellum 

 was larger and longer than usual, measuring exactly 

 one inch longer than the inferior sepal. The two 

 lateral petals were curved. The inner side of the 

 right lateral petal was slightly lobed and inflected, 

 bearing the markings and colours on frontal and 

 dorsal sides exactly like the labellum, while on the 

 outer side all the characteristics of the opposite petal 

 were present. Two abnormal flowers of Cypripedium 



* I am indebted to Mr. H. Sams for kindly sending me the 

 first five specimens. 



