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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Re " Secreting Glands in the Feet of 

 Flies." — We are sorry the following reached us too 

 late for insertion : " I am requested by Mr. Jenkinson 

 (who has been seriously ill, but is now much better) 

 to inform you that the numbers, viz., 47 and 48 

 affixed to illustrations in Science-Gossip should be 

 transposed for each to apply to its proper illustra- 

 tion."—^ F. Bell. 



New Zealand Bumble-Bees and Clover.— 

 Some years ago an interesting fact was laid before 

 the public by the late Charles Darwin, namely, that 

 red clover could only be fertilised and produce seed 

 through the agency of bumble-bees. On the New 

 Zealand plains the red clover grew with a rank 

 luxuriance, such as we know nothing of in this 

 country. But it could produce no seed, because there 

 are no bumble-bees in New Zealand, so the colonists 

 had to send every year to England for red clover 

 seed, which was both annoying and expensive. A 

 great many attempts were made by naturalists to 

 convey bumble-bees to New Zealand from this 

 country, the late Frank Buckland taking great in- 

 terest in this important work. The chief difficulty 

 lay in crossing the equator. There the bumble-bees 

 literally died off " like flies." They could not stand 

 the intense heat. But when vessels were fitted up 

 with freezing chambers, about ten years ago, it was 

 found possible to transfer British bumble-bees in a 

 hibernating state to the Antipodes. The bumble- 

 bees went into what they thought was their winter 

 sleep in England, and woke up in New Zealand. 

 Now the red clover in the latter country is fertilised 

 by them and produces seed. The bumble-bees have 

 multiplied abundantly, [even within the few years 

 since they were introduced. Indeed, there seems to 

 be looming a danger ahead lest they should become 

 as great a pest as rabbits. In a recent article in the 

 "New Zealand Journal of Science," Mr. G. M. 

 Thompson gives an account of the introduced bum- 

 ble-bees in New Zealand, as well as a list of the 

 plants and flowers visited by these bees. He states 

 that, with a few exceptions, he has never heard of 

 the introduced bumble-bees visiting the flowers of 

 New Zealand native plants ; that they have become 

 so extraordinarily abundant that the question has 

 arisen in his mind as to whether they would not be- 

 come as serious a pest to the apiarist as the rabbits 

 have proved to the farmer and cultivator, on account 

 of their [absorbing ' so much of the nectar of the 

 flowers. He also points out the fact in connection 

 with the life of the bumble-bee in New Zealand, 

 that in many parts of the colony it does not 

 hibernate at all, but is to be seen on flowers all 

 the year round. In parts of Australia the intro- 

 duced hive-bees are ceasing to store up honey, 

 having already found out there is no need for the 

 habit in countries where flowers blcssom all the year 

 round ! 



Protection of Birds. — The committee of the 

 Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society are very 

 desirous of bringing under the notice of landowners 

 and agriculturists the great desirability of affording 

 more efficient protection to useful birds, particularly 

 those which, as destroyers of vermin and injurious 

 insects, render immense service to the farmer and the 

 community at large. Frequent comments and letters 

 have recently appeared in the public journals as to 

 the disastrous effects resulting from the indiscriminate 

 slaughter of many useful species, not only in this 

 country, but also on the continent, and it is hoped 

 that the publicity given and the attention drawn to 

 the subject will lead to a ;more judicious [course of 

 action. The importance of this matter, in view of 

 the great devastation caused by the plague of field- 

 voles (mice) in some parts of Scotland, and past 

 experiences in Lincolnshire, cannot be overlooked, 

 and the opinions of the Scotch farmers in the districts 

 affected, quoted from the reports to the Board of 

 Agriculture, point to the folly of destroying owls, 

 hawks, and weasels. The barn owl, a true farmers' 

 friend, is much persecuted, but a more useful bird, as 

 a destroyer of vermin, does not exist. It has been 

 computed by competent observers, that when it has 

 young it will bring a mouse to its nest every twelve 

 or fifteen minutes, and as many as twenty good-sized 

 rats, perfectly fresh, have been counted in a single 

 nest. A recent communication to the daily papers 

 states that a nest containing five young ones, being 

 taken and placed under a hen-coop about a mile 

 distant, no less than twenty-four rats, large and small, 

 brought there by the parent birds, were found lying 

 outside the coop the following morning. The owlets 

 were at once returned to the place from whence 

 they were taken. The kestrel hawk, a great 

 killer of mice, is another bird which merits protection, 

 and it is much to be desired that game-preservers 

 would give their keepers stringent orders not to 

 molest it. It is greatly to be wished that some steps 

 could be taken by those who have the control of the 

 rivers and waterways of Norfolk to check the cruel 

 and dangerous practice of: shooting swallows and 

 martins, which has of late become so frequent in this 

 country, more especially in the neighbourhood of 

 Norwich. To such an extent is the destruction of 

 our native birds carried on, that it is not improbable 

 further legislation in the matter will be called for, 

 and it is to be hoped the Board of Agriculture will 

 continue to prosecute their enquiries into the 

 pecuniary loss accruing from such destruction. My 

 committee earnestly trust that all lovers of nature 

 will, by their own example and influence with others, 

 not only extend their protection to these our feathered 

 friends, but will also do their best (in accordance with 

 one of the fundamental objects of this society) to aid in 

 " the circulation of information which may dispel pre- 

 judices leading to their destruction." — IV. A. Nichol- 

 son, Hon. Sec. A T orfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society. 



