1882.1 
( 5i ) 
NOTES. 
The 44 Gentleman’s Magazine ” gives the following “ strange 
story ” : — “ While the subjedt of ghosts is attracting attention, I 
will offer a nut for our scientists to crack. For obvious reasons 
I am compelled to omit names. The wife of one of our most 
distinguished scientific men — I use the term 4 most distinguished ’ 
advisedly, since the reputation of the man in question is cosmo- 
politan — saw nightly an old man seated in an arm-chair, near 
the fireplace in her bed-room. Being thoroughly imbued with 
her husband’s views upon scientific subjects, she held her peace, 
and tried with partial success to convince herself that it was a 
delusion. Somewhat later this room was converted into a night 
nursery, and ultimately into a spare bed-room, with the result 
that each successive occupant, juvenile or of mature years, 
described the curious old gentleman who came and sat by the 
fire. My scientific friend has * pished ’ and 4 pshawed ’ at these 
statements, and has treated the whole matter as ridiculous. He 
has, however, been compelled to concede something to the vision 
or the delusion, and to quit the house.” 
Our attention has been drawn to an able letter on the incon- 
sistency of Anti-ViviseClionists, which appears in the 44 National 
Reformer.” We make a significant extraCl : — 44 A year or two 
ago some men were charged with skinning frogs alive, and then 
putting salt on them to see which frog could be made to jump 
the farthest. As this was done for sport, and for a wager, the 
magistrate had to dismiss the case, remarking that had such 
actions been done for any scientific purpose a severe penalty 
could have been inflidted.” 
Not wishing to be unjust to any body of men, we must modify 
the opinion we have expressed that the Free-thinkers of England 
were, as a whole, pledged to the Anti-Vivisedlionist movement, 
and consequently to be ranked as enemies of Science. 
The disease among peach-trees known as the 44 Yellows ” is 
gradually spreading in the United States, and without due care 
it will be imported into Europe. 
Mr. W. H. Edwards ( 44 American Naturalist”) questions the 
assertion of Mr. Scudder that Danais Ar chip pus is single-brooded 
over all North America, and continues on the wing through the 
season, laying eggs all the time. He, on the contrary, finds that 
there are three or four broods yearly in West Virginia, and that 
the females which have hybernated die in May, after having 
deposited their eggs. 
E 2 
