764 
Notes. 
[November, 
breeding season the beak of Fratercula arctica falls off in nine 
portions. Hence this species has two forms of beak — one in 
winter, small, and covered at the base with a membrane ; the 
other in summer, thick, large, robust, horny, and trowel-shaped ; 
marvellously well adapted for digging the burrows in which this 
bird nests. A similar phenomenon is observed in all the birds of 
the North Pacific comprised in the genera Fratercula , Lunda , 
Sagmatorrhina , Ceratorhynca , and Sitnorhyncus. Hence many 
species which have been founded merely on the form of the beak 
will require revision. 
MM. Couty and De Lacerda have made a series of experiments 
on the poison of the Brazilian serpent ( Bothrops jararacussu). 
The animals bitten or inoculated with the poison, whether in its 
natural state or diluted with water, all perished in from two to 
ten minutes. The first aCtion perceived was one of excitement, 
variable in its seat, as if the aCtion of the poison was localised 
sometimes in one organ and sometimes in another. Death was 
always preceded by a complete paralysis of the brain and spinal 
chord, with relaxation of the limbs and acceleration of the 
heart. 
M.J. Lichtenstein has carefully studied the metamorphoses of 
Lytta vesicatoria (the Spanish fly), which are exceedingly curious. 
The larva — like those of the nearly allied genera Meloe , Sitaris t 
and Epicanta — is piratical, infesting the nests of certain earth- 
bees, such as Halictus and Andrena , preying first on the eggs 
and young larvae, and afterwards on the store of honey. 
According to the Very decided testimony of a Persian now 
resident in Paris, fair-haired persons are not unknown in his 
country. 
M. Percy has communicated to the Societe des Sciences Phy- 
siques et Naturelles de Bordeaux, a paper on the effects of the 
parasitism of the Stylops upon bees of the genus Andrena, 
Certain species of this genus were formerly supposed to be inva- 
riably beset with this parasite, but on closer examination the 
author discovered that they were merely abnormal forms of other 
species modified by the presence of the Stylops. In Andrence 
thus attacked each sex loses more or less its characteristic 
structure and colouration, and tends to acquire those of the 
opposite. In a Stylopised female Andrena the ovarian tubes are 
completely arrested in their development, inducing complete 
sterility. In the male a similar atrophy is confined to one side. 
These results are merely due to the pressure caused by the pre- 
sence of the parasite. 
A paper on the “ Mutual Influence of Graft and Stock ” is 
given in the “ Zeitung fur Land wirthe ” (1878, No. 62, p. 353). 
E. A. Carriere grafted tomatoes upon common nightshade ( Sola - 
num dulcamara). Many of the plants reached the height of 
3 metres, and yielded abundant fruit, differing little in appearance 
