ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR OCTOBER 195 
away after their work of devastation, previous to hiding themselves to complete 
their transformation into the chrysalis state. Now that the tree is down there is 
full evidence of the destructive work of these caterpillars, which have, during the 
remaining years of the tree’s life, considerably helped to hasten its death. In all 
directions of the old dead trunk and branches, can be seen the multitudinous 
tunnels of these wood-borers.” 
NATURAL HISTORY QUERIES. 
95. Egg'S of Ducks and Geese. — Can anyone explain the following ? 
Four eggs of a duck and four of a goose were kept in a gentleman’s gun room 
of ordinary temperature for a fortnight. Then they were put in an incubator 
for fourteen days and under a hen for three days. At the end of this time two 
eggs of the duck and three of the goose were hatched. 
Southacre, Swaffhatn, Edmund Thos. Daubeny. 
September , 1906. 
96. Vanished Grasshoppers. — In my childhood’s days I well 
remember how cheery the summer air used to be with the incessant “ chirp” of 
grasshoppers, and how one could scarcely rest a minute upon a meadow-bank 
without being more or less surrounded by these little creatures. Now I never see 
one. What can be the reason for this total disappearance? Is it universal, or 
confined only to Mid-Hants? 
Ropley . Marie S. Hagen. 
97. Alien Plants. — I am informed that the little Swiss and Italian flower 
Erinus alpinus came up abundantly at Chesters, Northumberland, after the 
excavations which were made in the Roman remains at that place some thirty 
or forty years ago. The theory then was, that the seed had been lying dormant 
ever since the Roman occupation, waiting for an opportunity to germinate, which 
at length was given it by the pick and spade of the modern antiquary. Can 
you tell me whether the Erinus seed would be likely to retain its vitality for 
so long a period ? 
According to “ Bentham and Hooker’s British Flora,” Erinus alpinus is 
established as an escape from gardens on the Roman wall on the borders of 
Yorkshire and Lancashire, and a relation of mine found it a few years ago on the 
walls of Berkeley Castle, in Gloucester. Bentham and Hooker also term 
Astrantia major , Linn., a garden escape, but its only habitat in England is not 
far from the site of a Roman villa, and close to the quarry from which its 
building material was taken, and, if it be the fact that such plants as the Erinus 
and Astrantia are not found except in proximity to Roman remains, why should 
they not be described as Colonists rather than as garden escapes ? 
Walton-on-lhe-Hill , Surrey, M. J. Teesdale. 
August 17, 1906. 
[I do not know of any tests of the duration of germinating power in the seeds 
of Erinus. Both Erinus and Astrantia have long been cultivated in English 
gardens, and occur as escapes in places having nothing to do with the Romans. 
Ed. N.N.] 
ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR OCTOBER, 1906. 
The beautiful planet Venus sets about an hour after the sun, and may possibly 
be observed very low in W.S.W. soon after sunset. 
Mars rises three hours before the sun at middle of October, and will be 
situated in E. region of Leo. The red light of this planet may be discerned at 
about 5 a.m. in the E. sky. 
Jupiter rises at 9 p.m. at middle of October, and will be a brilliant object 
