1881. ] Zoology. 235 
“In regard to oysters I have had a rather rough experience, and 
can with certainty say that they are poisonous. <A few days after 
the fish began dying, I had a quart of fine oysters for dinner. I 
had a lady visitor on that day, but she did not like oysters, and 
ate none. My daughter and I ate heartily of them, and after 
dinner I took my gun and went out to a pond to shoot some 
ducks. I took a colored woman (my cook) along, and before I had 
gotten half way I began to feel weak, and a mist came before my 
eyes. I kept on, however, to the pond, and when I reached it, 
I was so blind I could not see the ducks, although the water was 
covered with them. With the assistance of the colored woman, I 
got home, when I found my daughter similarly affected, and un- 
able to walk. Neither Mrs. Simms, the visitor, nor my cook were 
affected, which makes me know it was the oysters. The sickness 
and loss of vision gradually left us after drinking a cup of strong 
coffee... I am confident the death of the fish is caused by the dis- 
charge of poisonous gases from the bottom of the sea.”—Forest 
and Stream. 
CarRAcas (Venezuela), November 12, 1880. 
Tue Lac Insect.—In addition to Mr. J. M. Stillman’s article on 
“The origin of the Lac,” (Amer. Nart., Nov. 1880, p. 782-787), I 
may be allowed to say that H. L. Carter published a rather full 
life-history of the Lac insect in the Annals and Magazine of Nat- 
ural History, 1861. There exists also a special work, by J. E. 
O’Conor, under the title “ Lac; production, manufacture and 
trade,” a revised edition of which was printed in Calcutta in 
1876, 8vo, pp. 83. It contains Carter’s article in the appendix. Both 
confirm of course Mr. Stillman’s observation that the lac is a 
secretion of the insect, and O’Conor mentions thirty-five trees on 
which it has been found. The best fac is said to be found on 
the Butea frondosa, Ficus religiosa and Schleichera trijuga. 
I think Messrs. Triibner & Co., 57 and 59 Ludgate Hill, London, 
can furnish O’Conor’s book, which is one of the official publica- 
tions of the Indian government. In the number for September, 
1880 (page 669) of the American NATURALIST, my article on the 
fertilization of Cobe@a pendulifiora (published in Nature, June 17, 
1880), is mentioned ; but with the curious addition, that it ‘ con- 
firms Bonnier’s statement that the nectar is of no direct use to the 
plant.” Now Bonnier, as is well known, holds just: the opposite 
opinion, whilst I certainly gave the case of the Cobea as a relevant 
proof against the view he has lately tried to defend in the botani- 
cal part of the Axnales des Sciences Naturelles—A. Ernst. 
Deep-wATER FAUNA OF THE Swiss Lakes.—Dr. Asper gives a 
brief account of his investigations into the fauna of eleven of the, 
Swiss lakes, 
That of the Lake of Zurich would appear to be very rich. The 
Mollusca are represented by various genera,.and those delicate 
Cyclads, the Pisidia, are always present. The larve of Diptera were 
