RETROSPECTIVE REMARKS. 



63 



onca), (which is a famous swimmer,) and said to attract its finny prey 

 by dropping its spittle upon the water, have been published in the 

 Magazine of Natural History. 



That the winged pupae of Ephemera cast their skins, and with them 

 their beautiful wings, as stated at page 512, is a well known fact men- 

 tioned in introductory works on entomology. I once had the pleasure 

 of witnessing the pupa discarding its infantile dress for one better 

 adapted for that state of life into which it was about to enter; an 

 exhibition putting one in mind of a fair and innocent virgin laying 

 aside her maiden-dress to assume the gay apparel of a bride. 



" Rtjricola," having, at p. 449, spoken of his having obtained an 

 enormous mushroom, I am induced to draw the attention of your 

 readers to another record of a very large mushroom which, although 

 not equal to his in point of size, yet exceeds the usual dimensions. In 

 the Morning Herald, of October 16, 1833, it is stated that the family 

 of a Mr. Coulton, of the Pig and Whistle, Macclesfield, e< supped off 

 a mushroom, which was brought from Shirley Fold, and was in circum- 

 ference at the top two feet and six inches, eight inches round the stalk, 

 and weighed two pounds and a half." 



To some of the numerous queries of " N. N." (p. 535) who appears 

 by his preliminary observations to put but little value upon Natural 

 History, unless it be made conducive to the fattening of barn-door 

 fowls, I will endeavour to reply ; but I am somewhat suspicious that 

 his questions are put more with the desire of ridiculing our pursuits, 

 than to be informed upon the subjects mentioned in his communication. 

 He seems to think with Cobbett, that the study of Natural History is 

 next to useless, unless its principal object be the increase of our already 

 very ample stock of luxuries in the way of food. Though he does not 

 perceive that much information is derivable from studying the archi- 

 tecture of ff a cock-robin's'' nest, yet experience proves that a great 

 deal of useful knowledge may be reaped by those who pursue the 

 investigation of that or any other object, (however insignificant it may 

 appear to an ordinary and unthinking mind,) with a proper and philo- 

 sophic spirit. He is certainly much mistaken in asserting that the 

 Horticultural and the Zoological Societies have effected but very little 

 good. Let him procure a prospectus of each of these Societies, or 

 consult any well-informed botanist and a zoologist, and then, perhaps, 

 he will be induced to alter the opinion he has so rashly stated. The 

 Zoological Society have, I think, done as much as they well could do, 

 in endeavouring to introduce, foreign animals, possessing superior 



