HA RD WICKE ' S S CIENCE- G SSI P. 



69 



principle we can explain inheritance, but not evolu- 

 tion, an extremely important consideration which is 

 notjeven hinted at in these papers. It seems to me, 

 however, that if our theory of evolution so far as it 

 goes rests on a scientific basis, our theory of heredity 

 also so far as it goes can be safely left to take care of 

 itself. For instance, if it can be shown that through 

 use'or disuse a muscle has or can be transformed into 

 a ligament or vice -versa, we -may rest assured that 

 the offspring of that organism will share the same 

 change, i.e. the mechanical or organic causes which 

 induced the modification in the parents will be bound 

 under similar conditions of life, etc., to work to the 

 same effect in the immature offspring, so that 

 practically it will come to the same thing in the end 

 whether this acquired character was hereditarily 

 transmitted or not. This is apparently all that the 

 Neo-Lamarckians claim when they hold that acquired 

 characters tend to reappear in some degree in the 

 offspring ; and as all logical evolutionists are bound 

 to believe in pantheism, spontaneous generation, and 

 Haeckel's law, who knows but that in the course of 

 time such changes actually take place in the uterus 

 itself, without the primary action of external con- 

 ditions of existence, etc., being any longer necessary? 

 Finally, it may be insisted that if acquired characters 

 are not inheritable, there is no possible logical stand- 

 point between the doctrine of special creation, i.e. of 

 many different independent types, and the doctrine 

 that each germ-unit of the lowest organisms contains 

 within itself all the potentialities that are actually 

 developed in the highest vertebrates. — Dr. P. Q. 

 JCcegan. 



BOTANY. 



Ornithopus roseus. — On July 15th last year I 

 found the above plant growing on the bank of the 

 Severn, close to Dowles Church, about one mile 

 above Bewdley. It is well established there, growing 

 in quite a wild state in great profusion. This is a 

 continental species. I am not aware of its having 

 been cultivated in this country ; it has, I believe, 

 been tried in France, but without much success. I 

 am at a loss to find a reason for its occurrence there, 

 unless the seeds have been brought over among 

 foreign grain, and somehow got deposited there. — 

 Jno. E. Nowers. 



GEOLOGY. 



More about Hastings. — It is generally con- 

 sidered probable that the greater .portion of the 

 invading Norman army landed at Bulverhythe — 

 I am referring to Mr. Holmes' interesting article, 

 " Notes on the Site of Old Hastings." The sluggish 

 stream which winds through the marsh-land, com- 

 monly termed " The Salts," still bears the name of 



the Haven. The site of Bulverhythe, as it existed at 

 the date of the invasion, is now submerged, about 

 three miles from the present high-water mark. Bul- 

 verhythe is now only represented by a few modern 

 cottages, the dilapidated walls of an ancient chapel 

 or oratory, and a roadside inn denominated the 

 " Bull," which there is some reason to believe stands 

 on the site of an old hospitium. It is, however, of a 

 discovery made a few years ago in the immediate 

 vicinity of the ruins of Hastings Castle that I would 

 now make particular mention. It may interest some 

 of the readers of Science-Gossip to know that a 

 little door, close to the entrance-gate of the castle, on 

 the left side as it is approached, leads to some 

 torture-chambers in a wonderful state of preservation, 

 apparently of Roman origin. An order is required 

 to view them, a wise precaution to prevent the 

 defacing of the walls, which are hewn in the solid 

 sandstone rock. On passing the door there is a 

 small chamber a few feet square. This had previously 

 been used by the caretaker of the ruins as a coal- 

 cellar. One day, when moving some rubbish, he 

 came upon a steep flight of steps leading to a narrow 

 arched passage — but I will endeavour to describe the 

 place as I saw it. Having obtained a candle, for the 

 darkness of the vault is intense, I passed down the 

 steps, which are curiously grooved in the centre, to 

 the passage. This passage is not cut in a direct line 

 but winds in certain places, and consequently the 

 arches of the roof — about eleven feet high — are 

 formed on the skew. Proceeding a few yards, I 

 came to a recess in the wall raised by a step about 

 seven inches high. In the wall were holes where 

 staples had evidently been fixed to fasten the necks 

 and extended arms of the victims, who were crucified 

 there and left to die, in the darkness, of starvation. 

 There were several of these recesses, and all bore the 

 same marks in the wall. One was evidently arranged 

 so that merely the toes of the victim could touch the 

 ground, and I could not only see where they had 

 worn smooth the sandstone steps, but on the candle 

 being held to throw a light sideways against the wall 

 the distinct impression of the human form, where no 

 doubt victim after victim had worn and darkened the 

 sandstone in the agony of his dying struggles. On 

 proceeding further, the passage turned abruptly to 

 the left and widened into a chamber about twelve feet 

 square. This, from marks in the wall, had evidently 

 been partitioned off from the passage. In it was a 

 small hollow in the wall, near the ground, about 

 eighteen inches square. It was blackened by the 

 action of fire, and as there was no flue connected 

 with it, it was probably used for asphyxiating those 

 who had been enclosed in the chamber. I may add 

 that the rough groove in the steps at the entrance of 

 the dungeon, may probably have been made by the 

 heavy fetters or chains of the victims who were 

 dragged down into the dreadful darkness never to 

 return alive into the light of day. — W. E. W. 



