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THE ZOOLOGIST FOR 1855.
Pp. 4533—4928. Appendix ccv—ccxil.
LONDON: KE, NEWMAN, PRINTER, 9, DEVONSHIRE STREET, BISHOPSGATE.
THE
ZOOLOGIST:
A
POPULAR MISCELLANY
NATURAL HISTORY.
CONDUCTED BY
EDWARD NEWMAN, F.L.S., Memp. Ine. L.-C. Acap.
VOLUME THE THIRTEENTH.
LONDON: JOHN VAN VOORST, PATERNOSTER ROW.
M.DCCC.LV.
“Que de charmes, que d’idées douces, agréables nous présente | Histoire Naturelle! Que d’objets variés, interessans! Quelle source inépuisable d’obser- vations, de recherches, et d’instruction pour celui qui se sent un gott decidé
pour cette vaste science!”’—Davpin.
Cen DEN Ts:
The Roman numerals in the following Lists refer to the Appendix.
ALPHABETICAL LIST
AKERMAN, J. Y. The birds of London, 4702 AsHwonrrTH, Joun S. List of a few rare Lepidoptera cap- tured in Wales, 4814 Artxinson, Rev. H. G. : Capture of Gastropacha ilicifolia on Cannoch Chase, 4740 Arxinson, Rev. J. C., M.A. Memorandum on the habits of the jack snipe, 4656 Arkinson, W. S. Note on the sexes of Indian Lepi- doptera, 4909 Batss, H. W. Proceedings as a Natural-History collector in foreign countries, 4549; Observations on the habits of two species of Mygale, 4800 BERESFORD, GEORGE Smew near London, 4704 Boxtp, THomas JoHN The Ruff at Prestwick Car, North- umberland, Egyptian goose near Newcastle, Little auk in North- umberland, 4560; Capture of Nomada borealis at Gosforth, Northumberland, 4767 ; Pectoral sandpiper on the coast of North- umberland, 4808; Great abun- dance of “clegs” in Cumber- land and Northumberland, 4815 ; Crossbills in Northumberland and Durham, 4871; Capture of Sco- lytus destructor in the North of England, 4873 Bowrine, J.C. Note on the Coleoptera of Siam, 4910 Bramtey, T. Hoopoe at Low Layton, 4895
OF CONTRIBUTORS.
Bree, C. R.
Black hare shot at Brome, 4628; Rare birds captured near Stow- market,4629; Birds killed by cold, 4870; On the double-broodedness of Gonepteryx Rhamni, 4871; Memorandum on _ Gonepteryx Rhamni, 4916
Breer, Rev. W.T., M.A.
Gonepteryx Rhamni double-brooded,
4740, 4915 Briees, JoHN JOSEPH
Note on the congregation of swal- lows, 4558; Note ou the destruc- tion of swallows, &c., by the severity of the weather, 4808
BrockHo.es, J. F.
The hedgehog devouring its young, 4894; Note on the cuckoo, A valuable hen, 4895; Note on the habits of Epunda lichenea, 4904
BromrFire.p, W. A., M.D. (The late)
Note on the economy of Saturnia
Pyri, 4653 Crark, Rev. Hamuer, M.A.
Notes on certain British Hydro- cantharide, 4769: Synonymic list of the British carnivorous water-beetles, together with cri- tical remarks, and notices of foreign allied species, 4846
CoLiinewoono, Curpsert, M.B., &e.
Birds in the neighbourhood of Blackheath in 1854, 4592; Ca- lendar of natural phenomena ob- served at Purley Park, Berkshire, 4725
CooKxe, NicHoLas
Pigmy curlew and little stint near
Warrington, 4560
Coucu, JonaTHAN, F.LS., &c. A record of some of the effects of severe weather on animals, 4701 Curtis, Joun, F.L.S. Larva of Ctenicerus marinus, 4571 ; Economy of various insects, 4600 ; On the galls produced by Cynips Quercus-petivli, 4708; Note on Anommatus and Langelandia, 4800; On the Dytiscide, 4916 Datez, J. C., M.A., F.L.S., &c. Scorpion taken at Dorchester, 4898 ; Reputed British butterflies, 4903 ; Arcturus Sparshalii an Australian insect, 4904; Acrida Standishii at Glanville’s Wootton, Delphax longipennis at Glanville’s Woot- ton, 4906 Dovus.Lepay, HENRY Description ofa new species of Agro- tis, 4749; Gonepteryx Rhamni double - brooded, 4811, 4901; White swallow, 4871 Dove tas, J. W. Note on Psyche helicella, 4642; On greasiness of insects, 4677; Gonepteryx Rhamni_ double- brooded, 4812; Abundance of Noctuide, 4819; Occurrence of Tarus axillaris and Licinus de- pressus near Croydon, 4911 Downie, Mr. Improvements in bee-hives, 4600 D’Ursan, W.S. M On Saturnia Hyalophora cecropia, 4750; Spotted crake and avocet on the Exe, 4895 Durron, JoHNn Bee-eater in the Isle of Wight, 4870; Disappearance of the chough from the Isle of Wight, 4871 Epwarps, Henry Entomological Society and Museum at Melbourne, 4924 Evans, HeENry Spelotis valesiaca, S. cataleuca and Botys terrealis, near Beddgelert, 4654 Firen, A., M.D. Note. on Coccus Arborum linearis, 4641 Fox, CHARLES The vinegar polype, 4873, 4926 Freperick, GEorRGE S. Polish swan at Hornsey Mere, 4661 GARDINER, JAMES Creameéoloured courser on Salisbury Plain, 4913
vi
GATCOMBE, JOHN
Iceland Gull and other scarce birds in the neighbourhood of Ply- mouth, 4705
GRANTHAM, G.
Little ringed plover and smew near
Brighton, 4762 GREENE, Rev. Josepn, M.A.
Is Gonepteryx Rhamni
brooded? 4872 Gurney, J. H., M.P.
Note on the eagle which is said to attack the trained falcons of Asiatic falconers, 4631
GURNEY, SAMUEL, JUN.
Black swans breeding in confine-
ment, 4661 Guyon, GEORGE
Remarkable vitality in a specimen of Sitona fusca, 4563; Insensi- bility of reptiles to poisons, 4705; Singular state of a living He- lops, 4741; Tenacity of life in a Bembidium, 4767; Occurrence at Richmond, Surrey, of a Cole- opterous insect new to Britain, 4815; Mononychus Pseudacori in the seeds of Iris foetidissima, Curious effect of a magnet on flies, 4916
Harcourt, Epwarp VERNON Hen’s egg with double shell, 4762 Harpine, H. G.
Annual address to Society of British Entomologists, 4644; Double- broodedness of Gonepteryx Rhamni, 4902
Harpy, JAMES Scolytus destructer in Lancashire,
double-
4905 Hawker, Rev. Wiiiiam Henry, M.A. Local lists, 4645; Gonepteryx
Bbamni double- brooded, 4765 Haywarb, W. H.
Capture of the larva of Deilephila Galii and Stauropus Fagi at Devonport, 4903
Hiacins, Epmunp THomas
Supposed new species of flounder,
4596, 4914 Histor, Rosert Note on Melolontha Hippocastani, 4924 Hoaan, A. R. ‘ Entomologist’s Annual,’ 4562 Hoae, Joun, F.R.S, L.S, &e.
Notice of a tunny stranded in the
estuary of the Tees, 4594 Hox.pswortnu, E. W. H. Supposed insensibility of reptiles to
Vil
poison, Supposed unnoticed cha- racter in the angler or fishing frog, 4763
Hussey, Rev. Artuur, M.A.
Ravages of caterpillars,4546; Short- toed lark and Lapland bunting in Sussex, 4558; A white swallow obtained in East Kent, 4559; Richardson’s skua in Sussex, 4560; Inquiry respecting the name of an Australian spider, 4561; Deer feeding on the fruit of the horse-chestnut, 4913
Janson, E. W.
Motion communicated to seeds by
insects, 4565 JoHNSON, Rev. Jos Egg and young larva of Chrymodes Templi, 4741 Jones, J. M. White ant in India, 4656 Kavatz, Pastor, oF CouRLAND Elaters feeding on Aphides, 4910 Ketrt, G. S.
Remarkable act in an aged cat,
4761 Knox, R., M.D., F.R.S.E., &c.
Some observations on the Salmo Estuarius or estuary trout, 4662 ; On the food of certain gregarious fishes, 4709; Inquiries into the philosophy of Zoology, 4777; On the growth of the salmon, from the egg to the adult, 4792; Con- tributions to the philosophy of
Zoology, 4837 Lester, LESTER
Supposed new wrasse and other
fishes in Swanage Bay, 4913 Macuin, WILLIAM
Singular variety of Anthocharis Car- damines, Notodonta carmelita at West Wickham, Early appear- ance of Cucullia umbratica, 4562 ; Notodonta carmelita in Kent, 4740; Note on the breeding of Notodonta dicteoides, &c., 4873
Means, R. H.
Note regarding the name of the
Australian trap-door spider, 4765 MIiterR, C.
Multitudes of dead flies on a panicle of grass, 4741; Offensive smell of the fluid emitted by Melo- soma Populi, Habits and food of Tineade, 4742; Note on Tinea granella, 4905; Note on Ceram- byx moschatus, 4912
Miner, Sir W. M. E., Barr., M.P.
Snowy owl in Sutherlandshire, 4594
More, A. G.
On the three species of divers or
loons, 4628 Newman, Epwarp, F.L.S., Z.S., &c.
Singular specimen of Anthocharis Cardamines, 4568; White speci- men of the flounder, 4596; Silk felt produced by Saturnia Spini. 4599 ; Note on Helobia impressa of New- man, 4600; Address to the Ento- molugical Society, 4605; Remark- able variety of the woodcock, 4631; A word for the cockroach, 4641 ; Memorandum of the tadpole fish, 4673; Habits of Eastern butter- flies, South African honey-bee, 4675; A new enemy to the honey- bee, 4676; Curious act of auto- surgery in a teal, 4704; Go- nepteryx Rhamni double-brooded, 4706; A word on the use of ini- tial capitals to specific names, 4739; Remarkable variety of Cynthia Cardui, 4744; Note on Athons campyloides, 4745; The common broom the food-plant of Anarsia Geniste, 4746 ; Office of the wing-rays of insects, 4752; Snowy owl in Aberdeenshire, 4761; Note on Otiorynchus sul- catus, 4801; Duplicates of the genus Colymbetes, 4816; Memo- randum on Dr. Knox’s papers in the ‘ Zoologist,’ Spined loach near Dorking, 4836; The loach or beardie, The gudgeon in con- finement, Food of fishes, Trans- parent fishes, 4897; The sup- posed male of the argonaut, 4898 ; Double-broodedness of Gonepte- ryx Rhamni, 4902; Lithocolletis Bremiella in Britain, Note on Colymbetes dispar of Bold, 4905 ; Capture of Rhizotrogus ochraceus in Wales, Capture of Melolontha Hippocastaniin Scotland, Capture near London of a Coleopterous in- sect new to Britain, 4906; Occur- rence of a specimen of Xylocopa violacea near London, 4908; Note on Trochilium Chrysidiforme, Hats manufactured of the silken felt spun by Saturnia Spini, 4811 : The supposed new flounder, 4914; Description of a new British Tro- chilium, 4928; Descriptions of two new Deretaphri, ccix ; Cha- racters and some account of the economy of a supposed new species of Australian Bombyx, cexi
Vill
Newman, HENRY Enormous flight of Ephemere, 4816 Norman, ALFRED MERLE
On the introduction of forms of animal and vegetable life into new localities, 4544
NorMAn, GEORGE
Singular conduct in a robin, 4594 ; Large flocks of crossbills near Hull, 4808
PickaRD-CaMBRIDGE, Octavius
Curious capture of Pecilocampa Populi, 4562; On the corporeal sensations of insects, 4578; Ex- traordinary hen’s egg, 4703
Powys, Hon. T. L.
Bittern and goosander in Northamp- tonshire and redthroated diver in Plymouth Souud, 4762; Buona- parte’s gull on the Irish coast, 4762, 4809
Preston, T. A.
Curious act of auto-surgery in a teal, Electric property in the feathers of a woodpigeon, 4661
Price, SAMUEL
Vanessa Antiopa in North Wales,
4814 Reapine, J.J.
A list of a few rather interesting Lepidoptera that have occurred in the neighbourhood of Ply- mouth, 4898
Ricu, Mr.
A new British Cynips and the galls
made thereby, 4566 Roserts, ALFRED
Rare birds killed near Scarborough, 4558; Lesser whitewinged gull near Scarborough, 4560; Shag, American scaup and Continental wagtail near Scarborough, 4631 ; Wild fowl at Scarborough, 4660 ; Honey buzzards near _ Scar- borough, 4761
Ropp, Eowarv HEarLe
Supposed new snipe, 4704; Honey buzzard near Truro, 4807: Rose- coloured pastors near the Land’s End, Solitary snipe near Pen- zance, 4895 ; Note on the common night heron, 4913
Sareint, E. H.
Tetrodon Pennantii on the coast of
Ireland, 4560 Scnavum, H., M.D.
On Heterorrhina bicostata of West- wood, 4678; Remarks on Mr. Curtis's recent descriptions and figures of British Elateride, 4679
Scott, JoHN
Are the Psychide to be considered Bombyces or Tineina? 4653; Note on Argynnis Lathonia, 4873
SHarp, FREDERICK
Colias Edusa and Colias Hyale
near Brighton, 4899 SHEPHERD, EDWIN
Double-broodedness of Gonepteryx
Rhamni, 4899 Smiru, Rev. Bernarp, M.A.
Note on Ptilophora plumigera,
4562 SmitH, FrepERIcK
Economy of Brazilian ants, 4604 ; Toads long known to be enemies of the hive-bee, 4738
Spurr, Henry
An owl laying an egg after twenty
years confinement, 4761 Srarmnton, H. T. .
Entomological Botany (with more especial reference to the plants frequented by the Tineina), 4553, 4680, 4771, 4842, 4890; Galls produced by Cynips Quercus- petioli, 4571, 4640 ; Occurrence of the small genera of Tineina in tro- pical countries established, 4747 ; Habit of the larva of Glyphipteryx Haworthana, 4654; Gonepteryx Rhamni double-brooded, 4812
STEvENSON, H.
The Lapland bunting in Norfolk, 4631; Winter visitors to the Nor- folk coast during severe weather, 4660; Note on the hawfinch, 4703; Wild fowl on the Norfolk coast, 4704; Extraordinary hen’s egg, 4762; Roller in Suffolk, 4808
StretTcu, Ricwarp H.
List of land and freshwater Mollusca in the neighbourhood of Banbury, Oxfordshire, 4540; Correction of an error, 4635
Taytor, ALEXANDER 8,
Note on the great vulture of Cali-
fornia, 4632 Temeter, WivuiaM F.
Some remarks on the marine Fauna
of the South of Devon, 4575 Tuompson, WILLIAM
An unnoticed character in the struc- ture of the fishing frog or angler, Curious habit of the fringed- lipped lamprey, 4705; Marine vivaria, 4768; Short directions for the management of marine vivaria, 4816
Wacker, Francis, F.L.S.
‘List of spiders found at Piercefield,
near Chepstow, in 1853, 4561 Watuace, ALFRED R.
Description of Ornithoptera Brook- iana, 4619; The Entomology of Malacca, 4636; Proceedings as a Natural-History collector in foreign countries, 4803
Warineton, Rosert, F.C.S.
Memoranda of observations made in small aquaria, in which the balance between the animal and vegetable organisms was perma- nently maintained, 4533; On artificial sea water, 4573 ; Obser- vations on the natural histury and habits of the common prawn, 4695
Wartrins, Cuar_es W.
Double-broodedness of Gonepteryx Rhamni, 4900; Unusual abun- dance of Vanessa Io, 4903
Westwoop, J. O., F.L.S.
Luminosity of Helobia brevicollis, 4565; Introduction of Bombyx Cynthia into Malta and Italy,
4569; Locality of Papilio An-
tenor, 4571; Indian method of
preparing the silk of Bombyx
Cynthia, 4641; Rectification of
misstatements, 4746; Destruc-
tion of crops by insects, 4908 WILSON, JAMES
Salmon and salmon fry, 4763
Winter, Joun N.
Capture of Leucania musculosa at Brighton, Capture of Phlogophora empyrea at Brighton, 4904 ; Cap- ture of Lepidoptera at Brighton, 4916
Wottaston, T. Vernon, M.A., F.L.S.
Water-beetle new to the British Fauna, Note on the Orchesia minor of British cabinets, Note on the Tachyporus nitidicollis of Stephens, 4655; Descriptions of two Coleopterous insects new to the British Fauna, cev; Revision of the characters of Deretaphrus, cevil
Wooprorre, Mrs. F. Ornithology of the Diggings, 4761
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF SUBJECTS.
Acer campestre, insects feeding on, 4556 » Pseudo-platanus, insects feeding on, 4557 Acilius caliginosus, 4923 fasciatus, 4850 » sulcatus, zd. Acrida Standishii at Glanville’s Wootton, 4906 Esculus hippocastanum, insects feeding on, 4557 Agabus abbreviatus, 4855 affinis, 4854 agilis, 4853 arcticus, zd. biguttatus, id. bipunctatus, 4855 bipustulatus, 4856 brunneus, zd. chalconotus, 4854 confinis, 4855 congener, 7d, conspersus, 4856 dilatatus, 4853 elongatulus, 4854 femoralis, 4855
”
Agabus fontinalis, 4853
fuscipennis, 4855
guttatus, 4853
Heffneri, zd.
maculatus, 4855
melanarius, 4854
nigricollis, 4855
paludosus, 4854
Reichii, 4855
serricornis, 4853
Solieri, 4856
striolatus, 4854
Sturmii, 4856
subtilis, zd.
uliginosus, 4855
vitreus, id.
vittiger, 4854
» Wasastjerne, 4853
Agrotis Ashworthii, 4749
Althea officinalis, insect feeding on, 4554
Anarsia Geuiste, common broom the food-plaut of, 4746
Angler or fishing frog, an unnoticed cha- racter in the structure of, 4705 ; sup- posed unnoticed character in, 4763
b
Animal and vegetable life, introduction of forms of into new localities, 4544
Animal and vegetable organisms, balance between permanently maintained, in small aquaria, 4533
Animals, effects of severe weather on, 4701
‘Annals and Magazine of Natural His- tory,’ 4590, 4684, 4752, 4823, 4874, 4889
Ant, white, in India, 4656
Anthemis Cotula, insects feeding on, 4601
Anthocharis Cardamines, singular variety of, 4562; singular specimen of, 4568
Ants, Brazilian, 4604
Aphides, Elateride feeding on, 4910
Aquaria, smal], memoranda of observa- tions made in, 4533
Arcturus Sparshalii an Australian in- sect.4904
Argonaut, supposed male of, 4898
Argynnis Lathonia, note on, 4873
Artemisia maritima, insects feeding on, 4602
Astragalus Glycyphyllos, insects feeding on, 4842
Athous campyloides, 4745
Auk, little, in Northumberland, 4560
Avocet on the Exe, 4895
Beardie or loach in confinement, 4897
Bee-eater in the Isle of Wight, 4870
Bee, honey, South African, 4675; a new enemy to, 4676
Bee, hive, toads long known to be enemies of, 4738
Bee-hives, improvements in, 4600
Beetle, water, new to the British Fauna, 4655
Beetles, carnivorous water, synonymic list of the British, and notices of foreign allied species, 4846
Bembidium, tenacity of life in a, 4767
Birds, rare, killed near Scarborough, 4558; in the neighbourhood of Blackheath in 1854, 4592 ; rare, cap- tured near Stowmarket, 4629; visit- ing the Norfolk coast during severe weather, 4660; of London, 4702; scarce, in the neighbourhood of Ply- mouth, 4705; killed by cold, 4870
Bittern, common, 4630; in Northamp- tonshire, 4762
Bombyx, Australian, characters and some account of the economy of a sup- posed new species of, ccxi
Bombyx Cynthia, introduction of into Malta and Italy, 4569; Indian method of preparing the silk of, 4641
Bombyx (Doratifera ?) Oxleyi, cexi
Botys terrealis near Beddgelert, 4654
A
Bowen, John,‘ A Brief Memoir of the Life and Character of William Baker,’ 4691
Bunting, Lapland, in Sussex, 4558; in Norfolk, 4631
Butterflies, 4650; Eastern, habits of, 4675; reputed British, 4903
Buzzards, honey, near Scarborough, 4761; near Truro, 4807
Carduus lanceolatus, insects feeding on, — 4602
Cat, aged, remarkable act in, 4761
‘Catalogue of British Hymenoptera in the Collection of the British Mu- seum, 4877
Caterpillars, ravages of, 4546
Cerastium glomeratum, insects feeding on, 4554
Char, food of, 4714
Child and snakes, 4810, 4836
Chough, disappearance of the, from the Isle of Wight, 4871
Clark, William, ‘ Mollusca Testacea Ma- rium Britannicorum, 4758
“ Clegs,” great abundance of in Cumber- land and Northumberland, 4815
Cnemidotus cesus, 4857, 4919
A rotundatus, 4857
Coccus arborum-linearis, 4641
Cockroach, a word for the, id.
Coleoptera, British, proposed catalogue of, 4675, 4707; small, in the Tropics, 4748; of Siam, 4910
Coleopterous insects, two new to the British Fauna, cev
Colias Edusa and C. Hyale near Brighton, 4899
Colymbetes adspersus, 4852
bistriatus, zd.
consobrinus, 4922
dispar of Bold, note on, 4905
dolabratus, 5851
exoletus, 4852
fuscus, 4851
Grapii, 4852, 4922
notatus, 4851
pulverosus, zd.
a striatus, zd.
Colymbetes, duplicates of the genus, 4816
Conger, effects of severe weather on, 4702
Corticaria borealis, ccvi
Courser, cream-coloured, on Salisbury” Plain, 4913
Crake, spotted, on the Exe, 4895
Crossbill, large flocks of near Hull, 4808 ; in Northumberland and Durham, 4871
Crymodes Templi, egg and young larva of, 4741
Cuckoo, note on, 4895
Cucullia umbratica, early appearance of, 4562 Curlew, pigmy, near Warrington, 4560 Cybister Reeselii, 4850, 4923 Cynips, a new British, and the galls made thereby, 4566 Quercus-petioli, galls produced by, 4640, 4708 » Rose, galls of, 4743 Cynthia Cardui, remarkable variety of, 4744 Cytisus Laburnum, insect feeding on, 4775 Deer feeding on the fruit of the horse- chestnut, 4913 Deilephila Galii, capture of the larva of at Devonport, 4903 Delphax longipennis Wootton, 4906 Deretaphrus Erichsoni, ccxi po Wollastoni, ccx Deretaphrus, revision of the characters of, cevii Diver, blackthroated, 4630; redthroated, in Plymouth Sound, 4762 Divers or loons, on the three species of, 4628 Dytiscide, notes on, 4916 Dytiscus cireumcinetus, 4850 circum flexus, zd. dimidiatus, id. flavoscutellatus, 4923 lapponicus, 4850 latissimus, 4849 marginatus, 4850 punctulatus, zd. Eagle said to attack the trained falcons of Asiatic falconers, 4631 Ege of Ciymodes Templi, 4741 Egg, heu’s, extraordinary, 4703; laid by tawny owl after twenty years’ con- finement, 4761; hen’s, with double shell, 4762; extraordinary, zd. Elateride feeding on Aphides, 4910 Elateride , proposed monograph of, 4642 ; British, 4679 Entomological Botany, 4553, 4680, 4771, 4842, 4890 Entomological Society and Museum at Melbourne, 4924 Entomological Society, proceedings of, 4564, 4599, 4639, 4674, 4706, 4743, 4799, 4817, 4869, 4907 ‘ Entomologist’s Annual,’ 4562 ‘ Entomologist’s Annual for 1855, 4689 Entomology of Malacca, 4636 Entomostraca, 4723 Ephemera, enormous flight of, 1816 Epunda lichenea, note on the habits of, 4904
”
at Glanville’s
Erodium cicutarium, insects feeding on, 4618
Euonymus europeus, insects feeding on, 4682
Falcous, trained, eagles said to attack, 4631
Fauna, marine, of the South of Devon, 4575; British, two Culeopterous in- sects new to, ccv
Fish, tadpole, memorandum of, 4673
Fishes, on the food of certain gregarious, 4709; food of, 4897; transpareut, 4897; in Swanage Bay, 4913
Fishing frog or angler, an unnoticed cha- racter in the structure of, 4705 ; sup- posed unnoticed character in, 4763
Flies, dead, multitudes of on a panicle of grass, 4741; curious effect of a magnet on, 4916
Flounder , supposed new species of, 4596 ; white specimen of,id.; the supposed new, 4914
Forest-trees, insects injurious to, 4803
Fowl, wild, at Scarborough, 4660; on the Norfolk coast, 4704
Galls produced by a new British Cynips, 4566, 4571, 4640
Gastropacha ilicifolia, capture of on Can- noch Chase, 4740
Genista tinctoria, insects feeding on, 4773
Genus or natural family, on the relation of species or race to, 4837
“Geranium, insects feeding on, 4681
pratense, insects feeding on, zd. x robertianum, insects feeding on, id.
Geodephaga, new locality for, 4911
Geum rivale, insects feeding on, 4894
» urbanum, 4893
Glyphipteryx Haworthana, habit of the larva of, 4654
Gonepteryx Rhamni, double-broodedness of, 4706, 4740, 4765, 4811—4813, 4871, 4872, 4899—4902, 4915; me- morandum on, 4916
Goosander in Northamptonshire, 4762
Goose, Egyptian, near Newcastle, 4560
Gosse, Philip Henry, ‘The Aquarium, 4690; ‘A Manual of Marine Zovlogy for the British Isles, 4885
Gudgeon in confinement, 4897
Gull, lesser whitewinged, near Scar- borough, 4560; Iceland, in the neighbourhood of Plymouth, 4705; Buonaparte’s, on the Irish coast, 4762, 4809
Guyon, Gi ‘A-List of the British Species of Geodephaga,’ 4688
Gyrinus bicolor, 4868
distinctus, id.
39
”?
Gyrinus marinus, 4868
» minutus, zd.
» _ Natator, zd.
» _‘ditens, zd.
3» _Urinator, zd. Hematopota pluvialis, 4815 Haliplus cinereus, 4867
" confinis, 4868
¥ elevatus, 4866, 4919
bs ferrugineus, 4919
0 flavicollis, 4867
te fluviatilis, id.
ay fulvus, zd.
sd guttatus, id.
= lineatucollis, 4868 °
é maritimus, 4867 4d mucronatus, 4866 » obliquus, 4867
. ruficollis, id,
variegatus, 2d. Hare, black, shot at Brome, 4628 Hawfinch, 4631, 4703 Hedgehog devouring its young, 4894 Helobia brevicollis, luminosity of, 4565 »» lmpressa, note on, 4600
Helops, living, singular state of a, 4741 Hen, a valuable, 4895 Hen’s egg, extraordinary, 4703, 4762;
with double shell, 4762 Heron, common night, note on, 4913 Herring, 4715; food of, 4719 Heterorrhina bicostata, 4678 Hippocrepis comosa, insects feeding on,
4844 Homalota cambrica, ccv — Hoopoe at Low Layton, 4895 Hydaticus austriacus, 4850
" bilineatus, 4851
‘5 cinereus, zd., 4922
- Hybneri, 4851
A stagnalis, 4850
5 transversalis, 4851 ‘ verrucifer, id. zonatus, id. Hydrocantharide, British, notes on cer- tain, 4769 Hydroporus alpinus, 4859 a analis, 4861 - angustatus, 4865 a assimilis, 4858 - Aubéi, 4860 i bicarinatus, 4866 i, brevis, 4862 FS cambriensis, 4921 of canaliculatus, 4859 9 Ceresyi, id. - confluens, 4858 + cuspidatus, 4857 * Davisii, 4858, 4920 - decuratus, 4857
x
Hdroporus depressus, 4859
”?
dorsalis, 4860 duodecim-pustulatus, 4859 elegans, zd. elongatulus, 4864 erythrocephalus, 4862 fasciatus, 4858 ferrugineus, 4863 flavipes, 4865 geminus, 4866 glabriusculus, 4862 granularis, 4866 griseostriatus, 4859 Gyllenhalii, 4864 halensis, 4859 hyperboreus, 4858 inequalis, 4857 incertus, 4864 Lapponum, 4860 latus, 4861, 4921 lepidus, 4858 limbatus, 4861 lineatus, 4865 marginatus, 4861 marginicollis, 4859 Macklini, 4862 melanarius, 4863 melanocephalus, 4862 memnonius, 4864 meridionalis, 4865 minutissimus, 4866 neglectus, 4865 neuter, 4862
nigrita, id. nigrolineatus, 4858, 4921 nivalis, 4863
notatus, 4865 novem-lineatus, 4860 oblongus, 4863 obscurus, 4865 opatrinus, 4860 pallens, 4858 palustris, 4861 parallelogrammus, 4860 picipes, ¢d.
pictus, 4858
planus, 4921 platynotus, 4860 pubescens, 4862 pumilus, 4866 quinque-lineatus, 4857 reticulatus, 7d.
rivalis, 4858
rufifrons, 4863 Sanmarkii, 4858 Sansii, 4859 Scalesianus, 4865 septentrionalis, 4858 striola, 4864
tristis, 2d,
XML
Hydroporus umbrosus, 4865 5 unistriatus, 4866 a vagepictus, 4863 $4 vittula, 4861 xanthopus, 7d. Hygrotus bisulcatus, 4920 e decoratus, id, Hypericum hirsutum, insects feeding on, 4556 * perforatum, insects feeding on, 4555 % pulchrum, insects feeding on, 4556 Hyphidrus ovatus, 4857 Sr variegatus, td., 4920 Ilybius angustior, 4852 » ater, zd. » fenestratus, zd. » guttiger, zd. » meridionalis, zd. » obscurus, zd. », Prescotti, zd. uliginosus, 4853 Impatiens “Noli-me- -tangere, insect feed- ing on, 4682 Insect, Coleopterous, new to Britain, occurrence of at Richmond, Surrey, 4815; capture near London of a, 4906 Insects, motion communicated to seeds by, 4565 ; photographic representa- tions of, 4568; on the corporeal sensations of, 4578; various notes on the economy of, 4600; on greasiness in, 4677, 4707; office of the wing-rays of, 4752; in- jurious to forest-trees, 4803; de- struction of crops by, 4908; Cole- opterous, two, new to the "British Fauna, cev Inula dysenterica, insects feeding on, 4601 Iris foetidissima, Mononychus Pseudacori in the seeds of, 4916 Juncus glomeratus, insects feeding on,
4602 Laccophilus hyalinus, 4856 $4 minutus, zd. Pe testaceus, zd.
variegatus, 7d.
Lamprey, fringed-lipped, curious habit of, 4705
Lark, short-toed, in Sussex, 4558
Larva of Ctenicerus marinus, 4571; of Glyphipteryx Haworthana, 4654; of Cryinodes Templi, 4741: of Polyom- matus Agestis, 4743; of Deilephila Galii and Stauropus Fagi, 4903
Larve preserved in Canada Balsam, 4570
Lathyrus pratensis, insects feeding on, 4844
Lepidoptera, rare, captures of, 47425 in Wales, 4814; a list of a few rather interesting that have occurred in the neighbourhood of Plymouth, 4898; Indian, 4909; captures of at Brighton, 4916
Leucania musculosa, Brighton, 4904
Linum usitatissimum, insect feeding on, 4681
‘List of the British Species of Geode- phaga, 4688
Lithocolletis Bremiella in Britain, 4905
Loach or beardie in confinement, 4897
Loach, spined, near Dorking, 4836
Local lists, 4645
Lotus corniculatus, insects feeding on, 4777
»5 Major, insects feeding on, 4842
‘Manual of Marine Zoology of the British Isles, 4885
Marine vivaria, 4768; short directions for the management of, 4816
Medicago falcata, insects feeding on, 4775
Melasoma Populi, offensive fluid emitted by, 4742
Melilotus, insects feeding on, 4776
Melolontha Hippocastani, capture of in Scotland, 4906; note on, 4924
Micro-Lepidoptera, tropical, 4707
Mollusca, land and freshwater, found in the neighbourhood of Banbury, 4540; correction of an error, 4635
‘Mollusca Testacea Marium Britanni- corum,’ 4758
Mononychus Pseudacori in the seeds of Tris foetidissima, 4916
Mygale, observations on the habits of two species of, 4800
Natural- History collectors in foreign countries, proceedings of, 4549, 4803
‘Natural History Review, 4735, 4852
Natural- History specimens, Professor Bailey’s mode of giving permanent flexibility to, 4557
Natural phenomena, calendar of, ob- served at Purley Park, Berkshire, 4725
Noctuide, abundance of, 4819
Nomada borealis, capture of, at Gosforth, 4767
Noterus crassicornis, 4856
» levis, zd. 45 semipunctatus, zd. » Sparsus, 4922
Notodonta carmelita at West Wickham, 4562; in Kent, 4740 Pn dicteoides, note on the breed- ing of, 4873
capture of at
XIV
Omias sulcifrons, note on, 4679 Ononis, insects feeding on, 4775 »» arvensis, insect feeding on, zd. » Spinosa, insects feeding on, zd. Orchesia minor of British cabinets, note on, 4655 Orectochilus villosus, 4869 Ornithology of the Diggings, 4761 Ornithoptera, description of a new species of, 4819
Ornithopus perpusillus, insects feeding |
on, 4844
Orobus niger, insect feeding on, id.
Otiorhynchus sulcatus, note on, 4801
Owl, snowy, in Sutherlandshire, 4594 ; in Aberdeenshire, 4761; tawny, egg laid by, after twenty years’ confine- ment, zd.
Oxalis Acetosella, insects named from, 4682
Pecilocampa Populi, curious capture of, 4562
Pelobius Hermanni, 4850, 4920
Palemon serratus, 4695
Papers, Dr. Knox’s, memorandum on,4836
Papilio Antenor, locality of, 4571 !
Pastors, rosecoloured, near the Land’s End, 4895
Persica vulgaris, insects feeding on, 4844
Phenomena, natural, calendar of, ob- served at Purley Park, Berkshire,
4725
Phlogophora empyrea, capture of at Brighton, 4904
Pistacia Lentiscus, insects feeding on, 4602
Pisum, insects feeding on, 4843
Plover, little ringed, near Brighton, 4762
Poisons, insensibility of reptiles to, 4705 ; supposed insensibility of reptiles to, 4763
Polyommatus Agestis, larva of, 4743
Polype, vinegar, 4873, 4926
Prawn, common, natural history and habits of, 4695
Prunus Cerasus, insects feeding on, 4890
» domestica, insects feeding on, 4845
Lauro-cerasus, insects feeding on, 4893
» padus, insect feeding on, id.
» Spinosa, insects feeding on, 4891 Psyche helicinella, note on, 4642 Psychide, are they to be considered
Bombyces or Tineina? 4653 Ptilophora plumigera, note on, 4562 ‘Quarterly Journal of Microscopical
Science, including the ‘Transactions
”
of the Microscopical Society of
London,’ 4884, 4926
Reptiles, insensibility of to poisons, 4705 ; supposed insensibility of to poisons, 4763
Rhamnus catharticus, insects feeding on, 4683 95 Frangula, insects feeding on, 4771
Rhizotrogus ochraceus, capture of in. Wales, 4906
Robin, singular cunduct in a, 4594
Roller in Suffulk, 4808
Ruff at Prestwick Car, Northumberland, 4569
Salmo estuarius, some observations on, 4662 ;
Salmon and salmon fry, 4763
Salmon, food of, 4722; on the growth of, from the egg to the adult, 4792; artificial rearing of, and some of its results, 4831 )
Salmonide, dentition of, 4777; colora- tion of, 4786; proportions of, as compared with each other and with the generic animal, 4788
Sandpiper, pectoral, on the coast of Northumberland, 4808
Sarothamnus scoparius, insects feeding on, 4774
Saturnia (Hyalophora) cecropia, 4750
:, Pavonia-media, silk felt pro- duced by, 4599 Pyri, note on the economy of,
"4653 » Ricini, 4745 i Spini, hats manufactured of the
silken felt spun by, 4911
Scaup, American, near Scarborough, 4631
Scolytus destructor, capture of in the North of England, 4873; in Lanca- shire, 4905
Scorpion taken at Dorchester, 4898
Scoter, common, 4630
Sea water, artificial, 4573
Seeds, motion communicated to by in- sects, 4565
Senecio Jacobea, insects feeding on, 4601
Shag near Scarborough, 4631
Shell-fish burrowing into rocks, &c., 4597
Shrew, water, effects of severe weather on, 4702
Silk, culture of, in Piedmont, 4570; felt produced by Saturnia Pavonia- media, 4599
Sitona fusca, remarkable vitality in a specimen of, 4563
Skua, Richardson’s, in Sussex, 4560
Smew near London, 4704; near Brighton, 4762
XV
Smith, Frederick, M.E.S., ‘ Catalogue of British Hymenoptera, 4877
Smolt, May, what is the age of? 4794
Snake, great American, caught, 4896
Snake and child, 4810, 4836
Snipe, jack, memorandum on the habits of, 4656 ; supposed new, 4704; soli- tary, near Penzance, 4895
Society of British Entomologists, pro- ceedings of, 4572, 4644, 4741, 4820, 4911
Spelotis cataleuca near Beddgelert, 4654
an valesiaca near Beddgelert, zd.
Species or race, on the relation of to genus or natural family, 4837
Specific names, use of initial capitals to, 4739
Sphinges, 4652
Spider, Australian, inquiry respecting the name of an, 4561 |
Spiders, list of, found at Piercefield, near Chepstow, in 1853, 4561; Australian trap-door, note regarding the name of, 4765
Spirea Ulmaria, insects feeding on, 4893
Stainton, H. T., ‘ Entomologist’s Annual for 1855,’ 4689
Stauropus Fagi, capture of the larva of at Devonport, 4903
Stellaria Holostea, insects feeding on, 4553
a uliginosa, insect feeding on,
4554
Stint, litue, near Warrington, 4560
Swallow, white, obtained in East Kent, 4559; at Epping, 4871
Swallows, note on the congregation of, 4558 ; destruction of, by the severity of the weather, 4808
Swan, Polish, at Hornsey Mere, 4661
Swans, black, breeding in confinement, id.
Tachyporus nitidicollis of Stephens, note on, 4655
Tadpvle fish, memorandum of, 4673
Teal, curious act of auto-surgery in, 4661, 4704
Tetrodon Pennantii on the coast of Ire- land, 4560
‘The Aquarium: an unveiling of the Wonders of the Deep Sea,’ 4690
Tilia europea, insects feeding on, 4555
Tinea granella, note on, 4905
Tineide, habits and food of, 4742
Tineina, small genera of, occurrence of in tropical countries established, 4747
Toads long known to be enemies of the hive-bee, 4738
Tortricide, natural history of, 4742
‘Transactions of the Entomological So- ciety of London,’ 4592, 4828
‘Transactions of the Linnean Society of London,’ 4590
Trifolium, insects feeding on, 4776
arvense, insect feeding on, id. e medium, insects feeding on, id. us pratense, insects feeding on, id. Trochilium chrysidiforme, note on, 4811 * scolieforme, occurrence of
in Wales, 4928 Trout, estuary, some observations on, 4662; early spring or gray, 4714 Tunny stranded in the estuary of the Tees, 4594 Tyneside Naturalists’ Field Club, 4821 Ulex europeus, insects feeding on, 4772 », Nanus, insects feeding on, 4773 Vanessa Antiopa in North Wales, 4814 » 1o, unusual abundance of, 4903 Variety of the woodcock, 4631 ; of Cynthia Cardui, 4744 Vendace, 4712 Vicia Cracca, insects feeding on, 4843 »» Sepium, insects feeding on, zd. » sylvatica, insects feeding on, zd. Vinegar polype, 4873, 4926 Visitors, winter, to the Norfolk coast during severe weather, 4660 Vitis vinifera, insects feeding on, 4680 Vivaria, marine, 4768; short directions for the management of, 4816 Vulture, great, of California, 4632 Wagtail, Continental, near Scarborough, 4631 Wing-rays of insects, office of, 4752 Woodcock, remarkable variety of, 4631 Woodpigeon, electric property in the feathers of, 4661 Wrasse, supposed new, in Swanage Bay, 4913 Wren, effects of severe weather on, 4702 Zoology, inquiries into the philosophy ot, 4777 ; contributions to the philo- sophy of, 4837 ‘Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Herald,’ 4589
ADVERTISEMENT.
The ‘ ZOOLOGIST’ will be continued both as a Monthly and an Annual Publication. As a Monthly, it will contain thirty-two pages of letter-press, occasionally accompanied with illustrations engraved on wood; will be on sale two days before the end of every month; and will be charged One Shilling. As an Annual, it will be sold on or about the lst of December; will contain twelve Monthly Numbers, bound and lettered uniformly with the present Volume; and will be charged Thirteen Shillings. An Alphabetical List, both of Contributors and Contents, will be published once in the
year.
THE ZOOLOGIST
FOR 1855.
Memoranda of Observations made in small Aquaria, in which the Balance between the Animal and Vegetable Organisms was permanently maintained. By RoBERT WaRINGTON, Esq.*
Fresh Water. Memorandum 1.—{n my communication, dated September, 1852,+ I gave a detailed account of my observations on the thread or web which some species of the fresh-water snail form to effect or facilitate their passage from one spot or object to another, and thus either ascending or descending by its means; and the instances noticed up to that period had reference only to the varieties of the Limnez. In continuation of my observations on the same subject, I have now to state that the varieties of Planorbis, as also Neritina fluviatilis and Physa fontinalis, have, since that date, been noticed to possess the same power; and in the case of the latter, Physa fontinalis, the thread or web was so tough and strong, that on one occasion I was able, by means of a small rod introduced between the creature and its point of attachment, to move it out of its straight course a considerable distance, and, by then slowly drawing the rod upwards, I succeeded in raising the snail completely out of the water a space of about seven inches, suspended by its thread, so that, under these circumstances, the thread itself became distinctly visible.
From the observations which I have been enabled to make, I con- sider that I am justified in stating that all the fresh-water snails are possessed of this power.
* Read at the Liverpool Meeting of the British Association, and communicated by the author. + Published in the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1852, p. 3633.
XIII. B
4534 Notes on Animals in small Aquaria.
Memorandum 2.—As an evidence of the permanency of the balance capable of being established between the animal and vegetable organ- isms by the introduction of the water-snail or other phytophagous mollusk, as I have elsewhere described,* I may state that the same water in which my original experiments were made in March, 1849, has been in continual use up to the present time, several fish living constantly in it, without disturbance, and that it is now as bright and in as healthy a state as at the first period of its being employed.
Again, in a small jar of about one pint capacity, having a single plant of Vallisneria spiralis growing healthily in it, and with a few small water-snails as scavengers, I succeeded, during the spring of 1858, in hatching and rearing a young trout. The egg was obtained from Mr. S. Gurney, jun., and had been removed from his preserves in the river Wandle; the shell ruptured the day after my receiving it, and it was maintained in a perfectly healthy state during the whole of the period required for the development of the respiratory organs, and the complete though gradual absorption of the ovum. This develop- ment was perfected in fifteen days from the bursting of the shell, till the period that the fish could sustain itself contiuously in the water and was able to swim strongly. Having arrived at this stage of maturity, the vessel became far too small for the free use of its active powers of locomotion, and it was therefore transferred to a small tank containing several minnows, when, to my great annoyance, it was immediately seized and devoured.
As another instance of the voracity of the finny tribe and their destruction of each other, I may mention here that I had on a previous occasion placed several small trout fry over-night in an aquarium containing some gold-fish, but they must have been rapidly preyed upon, as no trace could be seen of them the following morning. These facts will demonstrate clearly the havoc which must take place in the rivers and streams among the young fry of various fish under ordinary circumstances, when they are proved to be devoured with such extraordinary rapidity even by such species as the gold-fish or carp tribe and the minnow.
Memorandum 3.—Care should be taken in the aquarium for fresh water to exclude the ordinary polype or Hydra fusca, particularly where certain species of fish are to be preserved, as with the minnow (Leuciscus Phoxinus), for these creatures, insignificant as they may appear, after a short time cause their death, and that under most
* Published in the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1850, p. 2868.
Notes on Animals in small Aquaria. 4535
extraordinary circumstances, as the following observations will tend to show :—In a small aquarium that had had gold-fish kept in it for a length of time, but which had been removed into one of larger dimen- sions and more fully exposed to the light, an enormous number of the Hydra fusca were observed to have made their appearance very soon after this removal. Wishing therefore to ascertain if the appearance and rapid increase of these polypes had been prevented by the gold- fish, the following experiments were made :—Fifteen individuals of the Hydra fusca were placed in the aquarium containing the gold-fish, but they very soon disappeared, having, I presume, been devoured by the fish; a second fifteen were then introduced, but with the same result. At the same time as this experiment was made, fifteen Hydras were placed in a tank containing four minnows (Leuciscus Phoxinus) and a pair of small eels, but as the minnows did not appear to touch them, the same number of polypes being counted over several times during a period of three weeks, they were soon forgotten altogether. After a space of about seven months had elapsed from this time, the - minnows were observed to assume a most extraordinary aspect, the head appeared very much swollen, and the eyes of all of them looked as though starting out of their heads, being forced upwards and in an outward direction and much enlarged; by degrees the gills of some of them became streaked with bloody markings, and this gradually extended to the base of the pectoral fins. The whole appearance was most distressing to contemplate, particularly as it was im- possible, from ignorance of the cause, to adopt any remedial measures. Judging from their appearance my impression was that they had been poisoned, and, assuming that it must have arisen from something putrescent which they might have raked out of the materials at the bottom of the aquarium, the whole of the water was drawn off clear by a syphon, the gravel and sand thoroughly washed, and everything replaced in the tank with the fish; no improvement, however, appeared io follow, the fish got worse and ultimately died. This was in June, 1853. Before this extraordinary change came on, the fish had been observed to cluster together in one particular secluded spot, and rarely came out as they had been accustomed to do, and when they did venture forth they rubbed or jerked themselves with much force against the gravel and rock-work, as though some- thing was irritating the skin: nothing, however, was visible. I had had these fish for about eighteen months in the same aquarium. As the water was perfectly bright and clear, and free from all odour or unpleasant taste, I procured six fresh minnows and placed them in
4536 Notes on Animals in small Aquaria.
the tank; for about ten days they appeared to be pretty healthy: they did not, however, swim about freely, but herded together in one corner of the aquarium, and then the same extraordinary change gradually came on which had been observed in the others, and after lingering for seventeen days they all died. On carefully scrutinizing the different parts of the tank with a magnifying glass, my attention was at once arrested by observing the enormous number of the Hydra fusca which were present, particularly on the parts of the aquarium where the fish had been accustomed to-feed; that is, along the water- line towards the light, at the base of the plants of Vallisneria spiralis, about half-an-inch above the gravel, and on the whole of the rock-work around the space where the minnows delighted to hide: here they might have been seen stretching out from the sides, hanging down from the top—in fact, in every possible direction: here, then, was a solution of all the evil. It now became a question how these pests were to be eradicated, and after canvassing in my mind a variety of suggestions, I determined to endeavour to remove them individually, and by this means they were speedily got rid of; from fifty to a hundred being taken out daily. The method by which this operation was effected was as follows:—A long glass capillary tube open at both ends was introduced into the water, having the finger kept tightly over the upper orifice, while, with the edge of the lower opening, the polype was detached from its hold; the moment this was effected and the Hydra began slowly to fall through the water, the finger was removed, and the water with the polype was thus rapidly driven into the tube by the pressure of the external column of water ; on replacing the finger the contained water and polype were removed. By persevering in this course they were caught with the greatest rapidity and dropped into another vessel before they had time to attach themselves to the interior of the tube, falling through the water like a miniature parachute. When situated in places where this mode of capture could not be employed, as on the leaves of the Vallisneria or on the under sides of the rock-work, they were pulled off with a jerk by means of a small pair of forceps. In this manner between four and five hundred polypes were removed from a small aquarium holding about six gallons of water. Since this some small carp and also minnows have been placed in the same water, and have continued now for upwards of sixteen months in perfect health.
It is a curious problem as to the manner in which this destruction of life was brought about:. my own impression is that the Hydras seized on the minnows whenever their extended tentacula were
Notes on Animals in small Aquaria. 4537
touched by the swimming fish,—stinging them, and causing a great degree of irritation; and that the polypes were torn from their position by the greater strength of the fish and carried to their places of retreat, where, by consequence, the mischief was continually accumulating. A similar removal from one place to another of an analogous creature, the young of the Actinia, takes place in sea water, from their attaching themselves by their tentacula to some moving denizen, the hold being released very soon after they are forced from their original attachment.
Sea Water. Memorandum 1.—In my previous experiments in this branch of the subject, commenced in January, 1852,* and of which some results were communicated to the British Association at their meeting last year at Hull,t I stated that the result of my experiments to ascertain the kind of sea-weed best fitted for maintaining the balance with the animal life was, under ordinary circumstances, in favour of the Chlorosperms, and that the Rhodosperms submitted to the like conditions did not answer the purpose desired and at the same time retain their colour and beauty, inasmuch as they very soon became coated with a growth of short green and brown Conferve (Conferva tortuosa ?), which entirely mantled the whole surface of the fronds and destroyed their characteristic appearance. During these investigations, however, it occurred to me that it might be possible to obviate this drawback, and I have, I believe, succeeded, after a series of experiments, in overcoming this inconvenience, and can now retain them in all their natural loveliness, and render them quite efficient for all the purposes required—that is, as consumers of carbonic acid and generators of oxygen.
The ground on which I have reasoned as a basis for these experi- ments has been the consideration, that nearly the whole of these red or pink-coloured sea-weeds are found either in deep water or under the shade of other Algz, and from the fact that they were also often known to occur in shallow rock-pools: it was hence fair to assume that the pressure of the column of water could not be an important element in the production of these coloured growths, and therefore that it must depend upon a modification of the light. Hence my idea was that the effects of the depth of the water might be capable of being imitated by tinting the light through the interposition of
oad
* *Garden Companion,’ January, 1852. t ‘ Zoologist’ for 1853, p. 4118.
4538 Notes on Animals in small Aquaria.
coloured media, and thus all the results observed in the vegetation, and much even of the healthy animal life of deep sea water could be, under this arrangement, assimilated; and this, 1 am happy to state, has proved experimentally to be the case, so that, by very simple means and with very little trouble, we shall be enabled to grow and preserve these elegant and beautiful plants in all their varied hues, as well as many of the wondrous forms of animal life usually found associated with them, for any length of time; and thus a much enlarged field for observation will be brought within the limits of our aquarium.
In order to obtain this desideratum, a medium having a blue or green tint has been had recourse to, and of such a nature as merely to colour, soften or diffuse the light, without materially diminishing its quantity. This was at first accomplished by the employment of a thin film of paint of the desired shade, of a thin silk gauze of a blue colour, by layers of tissue paper tinged blue and green, sometimes oiled to render them more transparent, at others the sheets of paper being superposed until the desired effect was pro- duced, or by coloured varnishes, blue, and blue and yellow, and mixed to the tint required. These materials should be applied to the surface of the glass, or interposed between the source of light and the water, in such a way that the whole of the light which directly illuminates the aquarium may be tinted of the proper colour. In proportion to the quantity of light at command and the varying aspect to the sun’s rays, so must the transparency of the colouring medium be adjusted. In my own case I have been obliged partially to employ coloured glass, as the other methods were found to impede too much of the direct light; but it must be borne in mind that this is in the midst of a crowded city, in a smoky atmosphere, and surrounded by tall houses. To such an extent has this plan succeeded, that several small attached pieces of delicate red sea-weed which I had received in October, 1852, and had become thickly mantled with the brown and green confervoid growth already alluded to, and which had not exhibited the least signs of vitality, on being placed in a small glass jar arranged with tinted and oiled tissue-paper, soon lost the whole of this parasitic growth, from its gradually decaying and being then con- sumed by the mollusks, the fronds assuming their deep crimson hue, becoming perfectly clear, and even after so long a period throwing out numerous young shoots or leaflets; and on one of these pieces several beautiful specimens of the Coryne sessilis made their appear- ance, together with groups of Lepralia and corallines.
Notes on Animals in small Aquaria. A539
Memorandum 2.—Another very interesting experiment that I have had progressing very successfully for some time past, is the preserving sea water in a perfectly transparent and healthy state without the use of vegetation of any kind, or, in some cases, even of u scavengering mollusk. The adoption of these experiments was in a great degree forced upon me from circumstances which have been already pub- lished. In the paper read before the Meeting of the British Associa- tion at Hull, I stated that in consequence of the ravenous propensities of the crabs and the varieties of rock-fish, I had been obliged to establish several small imitation rock-pools, so as to separate these various depredators from each other; and as some of these, the blennies, also attacked the common periwinkle and other mollusks which were employed as scavengers, the plant or vegetation conse- quently became of little use, and was therefore omitted altogether from the arrangement. It may be asked, then, how can the sea water under such circumstances be possibly kept in a healthy state? Why, thus: by exposing a very extended surface of it to the action of the air, and at the same time limiting its depth. The means that I have been adopting for upwards of twelve months consist in the employ- ment of shallow circular stone-ware pans of about eighteen inches internal diameter by five inches deep; these are filled for about two inches with water, the bottom is supplied with sand and shingle, and numerous fragments of rock-work are arranged at the sides, some close below the surface of the water, others rising in gentle slopes above, and others again grouped to form cavities of retreat, so as to accord with the habits of the crabs, blennies, &c., placed in them. The whole is covered with a sheet of common window-glass, raised about one- fourth of an inch from the edges of the pan by means of slips of wood, so as to allow a free current of air over the surface of the water, and at the same time impede the evaporation and prevent the greater part of the dust and soot from settling on it. By this arrangement a very extended surface of water is submitted to the oxidizing influence of the air, and the fish and crabs, by their continual movements, cause sufficient motion in the fluid to expose a fresh surface frequently to its action, and thus keep up its aération. But it must be borne in mind, that the oxygenation of the water thus effected is a very delicate equilibrium, and the maintenance of a healthy aération is liable to be disturbed by very slight interfering causes; nor do I con- ceive that this method would be applicable except to such marine denizens as are either of such low organization as to require but little aération of the water, or to such as the crab tribe, the blennies,
4540 Notes on Animals in small Aquaria.
cotties, gobies, and those creatures which delight in very shallow water, or which have the power of climbing out of their liquid element. The varieties I have myself kept in perfect health for the period mentioned are crabs, blennies, gobies, cotties, and varieties of Actinia. Cancer Menas has under these circumstances cast its skin three times during the present year, having increased in its dimen- sions most extraordinarily each time.
Memorandum 3.—The form of aquarium which, after upwards of five years’ experience and observation on the natural habits of the various animated tenants, I have now adopted, consists in a four-sided vessel having the back gradually sloping upwards from the bottom at © an angle of 45 to 50 degrees, and the consequently extended top sloping slightly downwards and resting on the upper part of the back. The bottom, therefore, becomes necessarily narrow. The front for the purposes of observation, and the top for the admission of light, are to be of glass; the back, ends and bottom being constructed of slate ; the whole fixed in a stout framework.
The advautages of this arrangement are :—
First. That it allows of a most extended view of the whole interior of the aquarium.
Secondly. That it enables the occupants to resort to water of any depth they may desire, or even to ascend the sloping back and emerge from the water.
Thirdly. It admits of a much larger surface of water being exposed to the action of the light; and
Fourthly. The sloping top allows the water which condenses on the glass, from the effect of radiation, to trickle off and return to the aquarium without first resting on the zinc or iron frame-work.
I need hardly mention that the sloping back is to be covered with light rock-work extending to a short distance above the water- line.
ROBERT WARINGTON.
List of Land and Fresh Mollusca found in the neighbourhood of Banbury, Oxfordshire. By Ricuarp StretcH, Esq.
THE nomenclature of this list is that of Gray’s ‘ Turton’s Manual.’
Neritina fluviatilis. Not uncommon in the Cherwell, but small. I collected about two dozen specimens in a few minutes. Turton (page 33) limits this species to the southern part of the island; but I have
Mollusks. A5AL
found it at York, along with Planorbis corneus and Cyclas rivicola, which he states are not found further north than Nottinghamshire. Paludina achatina. Abundant in the Cherwell and the Oxford Canal. Bithinia tentaculata. Common in most of our streams. » ventricosa. The Cherwell. Valvata piscinalis. Abundant in the Cherwell. » cristata. Rare. The moat at Broughton Castle. Arion ater. Very abundant.
“ hortensis. A few specimens in the same localities as Limax
agrestis. | Limax maximus. Not uncommon in damp situations.
» flavus. Rather. common in the cellars here. They are diffi- cult to find, as they do not come out of their hiding-places till about midnight. I found one specimen which was infested with a colony of white lice, which ran swiftly about its body without any seeming in- convenience.*
» agrestis. Very abundant.
Vitrina. pellucida. Common in moist herbage at. the bottom of hedges. | Helix aspersa. Common everywhere.
» hortensis. Not uncommon along with H. nemoralis.
» hybrida. A few specimens in a small wood, with hundreds of H. nemoralis.
» hemoralis. Very common.
» Pomatia. Ihave not found this species nearer ee Charl- bury Forest, where it is abundant.
» arbustorum. Common, but local ; feeding on the rank herb- age in damp ditches.
» lapicida. Not uncommon amongst loose stones at Charl- bury.
» pulchella, Common in moss and under stones. I have found the variety imbricata in dry situations, as mentioned by C. Ashford in his list of shells found at Ackworth (Zool. 4262).
» fulva. Not unfrequent in damp woods.
» aculeata. Amongst decaying vegetable matter at the bottom of hedges. |
», hispida. Common under stones.
», rufescens. Common in the hedge opposite the Union.
* This circumstance is of frequent, if not constant, occurrence.—Ep. XII. Cc
4542 Mollusks.
Helix concinna. Found along with H. rufescens. » virgata. Very common, feeding on the scanty herbage of the limestone rocks. »» caperata. Five or six specimens on a mud wall at Hanwell. » ericetorum. Hill-side near Wiggington Heath. Zonites rotundatus. Common under stones. 5, umbilicatus. Common in the limestone walls at Edge Hill and Chipping Norton. » pygmeeus. Pretty common in damp grass. » cellarius. Common under stones. » allianus. Ditto. »» purus. Frequent in damp ditches and woods. » nitidulus. Common under stones. » Yradiatulus. Occasional. » crystallinus. Rather common along with Z. purus. Succinea putris. Found in marshy situations, but not so plentiful as S. Pfeiffer. 9 Pfeifferi. Common in marshy ditches and osier-beds. Bulimus obscurus. A few specimens at the roots of trees. Zua lubrica. Common in gardens and woods. Achatina.acicula. A few dead specimens from a dry bank at Broughton. Pupa umbilicata. Common beneath moss and at the roots of grass. » marginata. A few specimens from Rainsbro’ Camp. Vertigo pygmea. Beneath the moss on the old wall of Rainsbro’ Camp. » pusilla. Same locality as V. pygmea. Balea perversa. Not uncommon on old walls at Sibford and
Astrup. Clausilia bidens. Not rare in the woods at Edge Hill. rs nigricans. Very abundant in woods.
Carychium minimum. Common at the roots of mossy grass. Limnzus auricularis. Some fine specimens from the canal and river.
. pereger. Very common, as also is the var. lineatus. 43 stagnalis. Common in the river Cherwell.
palustris. Very abundant in the Oxford Canal.
‘i truncatulus. Not uncommon along with L. palustris.
Ancylus fluviatilis. Common in running streams, but small and difficult to find, being generally covered with a greenish incrusta- tion,
Mollusks. 4543
Velletia lacustris. Not uncommon under the leaves of plants in the Cherwell. Physa fontinalis. In the Cherwell. Planorbis corneus. Not uncommon in the river. if levis. Moat at Broughton Castle.
> marginatus. Very common.
o vortex. Common in small ponds and ditches.
mn spirorbis. Ditto.
> nitidus. Rare.
et contortus. A few specimens of this species have oc- curred.
Cyclas rivicola. Very common in the Cherwell. » cornea. Common in the river. », calyculata. In a large pond at Hanwell. Pisidium nitidum. Ditto.
4 Henslovianum. Two or three specimens from the moat at Broughton.
re amnicum. Common in the river and along with P. nitidum.
7 cinereum. A large pond at Hanwell.
Anodon cygneus. Very abundant; the varieties are so numerous that I cannot say with certainty which are found in this neighbour- hood.
Unio pictorum. Not uncommon in the Cherwell.
Dreissina polymorpha. The sides of the canal for some distance are lined with multitudes of this species of all sizes:* the large speci- mens are much corroded at the umbones.
In conclusion, I will just mention a method of representing the animals of Mollusca generally, which is peculiarly applicable to the genera Arion, Limax, and others which have either a very small shell or none at all. I have seen it carried out to some extent in the cabinet of a friend of mine in this town, and the effect is extremely good. He models the animal ina paste made of new white bread, worked between the fingers to such a consistency that it is easily moulded without cracking, and when it is nearly dry he paints it the natural colour, and varnishes it over. The semitransparency of the body is beautifully imitated by this method if the paste is kept
clean. . RICHARD STRETCH. Parsons Street, Banbury, November 18, 1854.
4544 Animal and Vegetable Life.
On the Introduction of Forms of Animal and Vegetable Life into New Localities. By AurrRED MERLE Norman, Esq.
TIMES are changed. No longer is the student of the works of the Creation looked upon as half-witted, or despised as one who trifles away his time in an idle and useless pursuit. Each day is adding to the number of our naturalists. The time when the study of Nature was centred in the few is gone, we trust, never to return; and some acquaintance with the leading features of Natural History is consi- dered at the present day to be almost anecessary part of education.
Many have been the causes which have conduced to this most en- couraging state of things. Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Mu- seums, Ward’s cases, and glass tanks, have brought many of the most beautiful productions of the animal and vegetable kingdoms before the eyes of hundreds, who would otherwise have been ignorant of the existence of such gems. They have looked, admired and looked again ; the attention at length becomes fixed, and what was at first a mere idle gaze ripens into one of interest, and ends in enthusiasm. I have known many such instances, more especially resulting from ad- miration of the rich and endless variety of form and colouring dis- played by the prisoners in Marine Vivaria.
Another cause of the impulse which the study of Natural History has of late received, has been the establishment of Natural History Societies throughout the country ; and although the meetings of many such societies consist for the most part of persons who come to see their friends, and not from any real regard to the objects of the meet- ing, yet still they cannot listen to the lectures, usually delivered on such occasions, without receiving some instruction ; and their being present at any rate tends to make Natural History fashionable. Many of these societies, moreover, have already done much real scientific good in adding not a little, by means of carefully prepared local Faunas and Floras, to our knowledge of the geographical distri- bution of animals and plants.
The microscope has been a third and most invaluable incentive to many to look more closely into the works of Nature ; and while it has revealed to the astonished student the fact that each drop of water is in itself a world, the telescope has shown the world itself to be a mere drop of water as compared with the vastness of Creation.
-But much of encouragement as we may see in the enlistment which is so rapidly taking place, from these combined causes, in the
Animal and Vegetable Life. A545
ranks of science, and rejoice as we may over each recruit that is added to our staff of working naturalists, whether in field or barracks, we must nevertheless all look most carefully and cautiously, lest, instead of forming our troops into a firm phalanx, we fall foul of each other, and thus endanger the safety of our “ Natural Defences.”
The dangers referred to are many in number; but there is one to which I would wish in particular to call attention, as being of rapid growth in the present day, and to which the more scientific mode of studying Natural History now adopted has in a great measure con- tributed.
An acquaintance with the mere form of any natural object was formerly deemed sufficient, and Natural History was pursued for the sake of simply naming a collection of objects which would look pretty in a cabinet. Under these circumstances the mere descrip- tions of outward forms were all that were required; and but few en- tered upon scientific investigations of those classes of animals which they studied. Natural History has now soared above this degrading state of things, and every fact is esteemed as important which will in any way tend to elucidate any portion of the history of particular spe- cies; the minutest details of habit and food, growth and develop- ment, habits and economy, as well as of anatomy, external and inter- nal, are considered of value, and to be worthy objects of the most searching investigations.
In order that they may forward these views, many lovers of Nature, when they have met with some rarity in another district, are not con- tent with procuring specimens at the time, from a wish to possess so great a prize in their immediate neighbourhood, or for the still more natural and justifiable cause, that they may examine and watch the development of their protégés, but are in the habit of transporting ani- mals and plants from one district to another. But although the watching of the success that attends such trials may be highly inte- resting to the individual making the experiments, and the changes which result from difference of climate, soil, or food, in specimens of the animal or vegetable kingdoms, may be highly instructive to all, still such experiments as are now referred to should not be made without certain precautions having been adopted, lest, while in minor points the experiment be instructive and of value, in major ones it prove detrimental to the last degree. If every naturalist were to in- troduce exotic forms of life into this country, or carry animals and plants from one part of Great Britain to another, science would suffer one of the severest blows that could be dealt at it. Our previously
4546 Insects.
conceived ideas of geographical distribution would be subverted, and, in the inextricable confusion that would ensue, naturalists of the pre- sent time would hereafter receive but sorry justice, and would be thought to have overlooked many objects which our descendants had through their greater assiduity discovered ; while naturalists of future years would find themselves entangled in a very Penelope’s web in the vain attempt to unravel the knot we had tied, and to separate truly indigenous species from those that had been introduced.
I would earnestly beg, therefore, that any one who shall hereafter introduce any form of animal or vegetable life into a new locality, or may have already done so, will make known the same through the medium of the ‘ Zoologist,’ or any other such like publication, to his brother naturalists of the present and future times; and I trust that my namesake, Mr. G. Norman, will have the kindness to send the names of the Mollusca he has succeeded in naturalising in the North of England (Zool. 4435) for insertion, and thus set an example, which I hope all, under the same circumstances, will follow.
There is little doubt but that many forms of exotic animal life would as easily become acclimatised in this country as do those of the vegetable kingdom ; but whether it is desirable thus to introduce them is a matter on which there is a great diversity of opinion. All I wish now to enforce is the great importance of making known, in the most public manner possible, every instance of foreign importa- tion into this country, or into any particular neighbourhood. It would take up too much of your space were I to enumerate the many uncertainties that have arisen, with regard to the ascertaining of true natives, from the neglect of this most important measure in past times. Many such will occur to your readers in almost any branch of Na- tural History in which they may be interested. .
ALFRED MERLE NoRMAN.
Isle of Cumbrae, N. B. Sept. 10, 1854.
Ravages of Caterpillars. By the Rev. ArtHuUR Hussgy, M.A.
For the last two summers many of the gardens in this village have been infested by caterpillars to such an extent, that the cabbages have been utterly destroyed. When fully fed, the vermin, as usual, — crawled away in search of a spot where to undergo their next change,
Insects. A547
at which period the ridges of the surrounding walls presented a cu- rious appearance, being occupied by a continuous string of the crea- tures, generally travelling in the same direction. Last year a favourite goal was the roof of a large house, near which an immense host had been bred, and the walls, being white, rendered very con- spicuous the unbroken dark line of the insects, which for some time persevered in swarming up it, and which not merely entered the rooms, but crept into the beds, among clothes, or into any other place of concealment, the only remedy for the nuisance being to keep the windows closed. Though the owner of the premises employed a number of boys, his scholars, in sweeping with brooms the walls leading to the house, their exertions produced no visible effect; con- sequently they were soon relinquished. A band of melted tar was next drawn under the coping of the wall on the side whence the hos- tile hosts proceeded, but to no good purpose, for when the vermin reached the tar, they simply followed it to the extremity of the wall, where it ceased, and then resumed their former course. The rate, too, at which these little animals advance, is far more rapid than would be imagined, though some attention will prove that their mo- lions are really ie their sole object during the journey aE ane to be to “ move on.’
A large proportion of the caterpillars of 1853 took refuge in a malt- house, from which they could not escape as butterflies, the result being that for several weeks during the past spring and summer the maltster swept up daly many hundreds (700 or 800! I was informed) of the dead insects. Notwithstanding, though rather less numerous than in 1853, they abounded quite sufficiently this year to cause the annoyance and loss alluded to above, especially as they arrived in successive swarms: if the garden had been completely cleared of them, a fresh army was speedily to be perceived as busily ——— as its predecessor.
The ‘ Zoologist’ for 1846 records (Zool. 1442, 1443) the immigration about Dover from the Continent of an immense flight of white butter- flies, in the beginning of July in the same year, and the pest, from whatever cause it might proceed, certainly extended to this place, the cabbages that season, partially if not generally, having been entirely devoured. I then noticed for the first time the operation of the ichneumon flies, the effect being that few or none of the cater- pillars were observed by me in the chrysalis state, and that in 1847 the gardens were, if I recollect rightly, free from the ravages of the preceding year. My experience on that occasion induced me to
4548 Insects.
watch the course of events last autumn, but, though the ichneumons: were neither entirely absent nor yet inactive, the proportion of their victims to those which escaped seemed very small indeed. During this season, however, the number of “ fly blown” caterpillars must, I conceive, have been ten times that of 1853, even although the aggregate amount of both sound and unsound may have been less; from which circumstance I am disposed to anticipate the great mitigation, if not the total cessation, of the plague in 1855.
Among countless nests of ichneumons already changed to the chrysalis state, I searched long before I could discover an example of the little maggots in the act of emerging from the body of the cater- pular, but eventually succeeded very fully. By that time the cater- pillar is in a torpid condition (but not dead, since it moves if touched), remaining quite still while the parasites gradually extricate themselves with a wriggling motion, sometimes in such a quantity that it is impossible to count, without removing, them. I have seen a mass which I should estimate at two dozen at least. Their next change must occur very rapidly, for in one instance I examined a brood, of which only one was distinctly visible, and that was busily engaged in spinning the silky web wherein it was to be enveloped. On my return, in about twenty minutes, I looked again, when the little creature had completely concealed itself. A very large propor- tion of the ichneumon-cases have now for some time been empty, but what may be the general rule with regard to the perfect insect coming forth must be left to entomologists. The flies I have seen were very small.
In the first volume of the ‘ Zoologist’ (Zool. 826), I have related some illustrations I had noticed of the prevalence and sudden disappear- ance of certain insects, which disappearance, in one case, I was able to trace to its probable cause. The phenomena now described are of the same class, being among the innumerable proofs we possess of the care wherewith a wise and beneficent Providence maintains “ the ba- lance of power” in its creation; and showing that, although vermin of various degrees and kinds are occasionally sent in vast multitudes for our chastisement or our trial, provision is also mercifully made for the alleviation and final removal of the infliction.
In the course of the observations detailed above I remarked a few ' particulars, which may be appended to this account. Among the victims of the ichneumon flies I have not known one green cater- pillar, though they are sometimes offensively plentiful upon the cab- bage tribe. They may suffer, but I have never seen any which had
NA a, ~ Nv
Natural-History Collectors. 4549
done so: perhaps they protect themselves by their habit of pene- trating very deeply into the plant, besides that their colour renders them less conspicuous than others. Neither am I aware that the number of the green caterpillar ever approaches nearly to that of the variegated kind, as during the last two seasons. The latter insect, when uninjured, seems to me to undergo its change, if upon a plain surface, in a perpendicular position, with the head uppermost. F're- quently, however, it selects a depression in the face of a wall, or fixes itself under the coping bricks, or in some similar spot, when its posi- tion is necessarily varied according to the situation, but I have never, I believe, found a chrysalis reversed. When the insect has become merely a case for the parasites, it makes the final pause in any direc- tion, as often as not perhaps with the head downwards. Among the myriads which wander in search of a resting-place, not one perhaps of the sound, and very rarely one of the unsound, caterpillars will stop upon a wall exposed to the south or south-west, that is, to the winds from the sea. A favourite locality is a line of wall facing east- ward, and open throughout to the north-east; consequently they can have no instinctive apprehension of the effects of frost, contrary to the common and groundless notion of that being generally fatal to insect life.
Experience has suggested to a neighbour and friend, who has been much pestered with the creatures, that probably a very durable green dye might be obtained from the bodies of cabbage-fed caterpillars. Years of washing have not effaced the stain of one accidentally crushed upon linen, nor will water remove such marks from a brick pavement.
ARTHUR HUSSEY. Rottingdean, November 10, 1854.
Proceedings of Natural-History Collectors in Foreign Countries.
Mr. H. W. Barers.*—Santarem, March 27, 1854.—Although I can- not get ready a collection by this month’s steamer, [ think it well to write, and chiefly to let you know of the safe arrival, a fortnight ago, of the box of books and packet of letters forwarded by you on the 26th
_ of December last. I cannot give you an idea of the pleasure it caused
| * Communicated by Mr. 8. Stevens. XIII. D
4550 Natural-History Collectors.
me to receive so many cheering, valuable, and useful books and letters, especially as a long time had passed since hearing from you, and I had began to feel disconsolate. The seven vols. of ‘Suites 4 Buffon’ I very much needed, especially the Hymenoptera part, and henceforward you may depend upon it the bees, ants, &c., will feel the effect, and I hope many curious notes of habits can be prepared for the ‘ Trans- actions.’ You did quite right to send me the two vols. of Jardin des Plantes Catalogues. These catalogues are very necessary, as the best books we can get only describe asmall portion of the subjects, which . deficiency the catalogues supply, and thus a complete guide to col- lecting is made up between them. The last time I wrote (January last) I informed you of the safe arrival of not only the box of books you sent in May, 1853, but also the long-lost parcel of May, 1852, so that up to the present time not a single article or letter you have advised me as forwarded per Singlehurst & Co. is missing. I have not had such good fortune with the ‘ Illustrated News’ by mail; I have not received more than half the numbers sent; therefore do not send me any more by that conveyance. As to books I am quite set up in all the orders of insects, and do not require anything now except first-rate Monographs, as they appear, such as what I ordered of you, Lacor- daire’s ‘ Phytophages,’ and also such as F. Smith’s Monograph of Cryptocerus, and Catalogues of British Museum and Jardin des Plantes, as they appear. They at present seem to be working on different families and orders: of course, when the London and Paris Catalogues are on the same group, it is not necessary to send both. Chemnitz you can continue to send as it appears. In my January letter I ordered a few British Museum Catalogues, amongst them Part 1, Hemiptera; but, however, all the Zoological Catalogues (ex- cept those on British Fauna only) from this day forward would be use- ful to me, and you can send me them by degrees. Please thank Messrs. Hanbury, Janson and Baly for their notes and letters : to Mr. F’. Smith I will write, if there be time, before post closes. To Mr. Hanbury please say I never lose an opportunity of acquiring objects in his department. The difficulty is not in collecting together plenty of different kinds of balsams, resins, or medical roots and barks (really so or only reported), the real difficulty is in identifying these separate objects with the tree which produces them, and acquiring a flowering specimen ofit. ‘This is much aggravated by the loose terminology of the Indians, who give the same name to very different things. The same applies to useful woods, but still by degrees I am getting a cor- rect knowledge of these things. ‘To Mr. Baly please say that ¥ will
Natural-History Collectors. 4551
bear him particularly in mind in collecting the ants and bees: of the GE&icodema, since I have received his note,[ have found two species quite different from the true cephalotes, and I think it likely I may add immensely to the number of species ofants. The Eulaima I now know very well, and shall procure males and females of every species. One species, I believe, makes its nest in wood: the Mesoplie and Mesocheire of St. F. are very likely parasites on them. In the cy- clicous Coleoptera I will also bear him in mind: it was a favourite group with me last year, as I drew up a careful analytical description of all the generic forms—a mass of manuscript, with brief characters of about 400 species : although they are the only Coleoptera here one may call abundant in individuals, many of them (especially the Megalopi and Megaceles) require a long time to get a tolerable set of. Mr. Wallace, I suppose, will be off ere this, therefore next month will do to reply to his kind letter. I hope somebody will send mea copy of his other book, the Voyage. The Palms I have now two copies of, and it is really a very correct, useful book on the class. I can add many species, however, to his list, and I doubt not Mr. Spruce could dou- ble it. It is curious that two months before receiving your last letter I had been attending to the Termites. I began first to look for M. Schiddte’s new Staphylini and ended by becoming greatly interested in the Termites, without, however, finding the Staphylini. Some of the results of my examination up to the present date I intend to send you on separate sheets. The specimens will follow next month. I have examined about 100 colonies: some of the results I have come to are, that there are no truly apterous imagos; that there are only two kinds of larve, fighters and workers; that a large hillock is always an agglomeration of many very distinct species which build with very different materials; that some species cherish only one female and one male adult in a colony, whilst others have a great number, 50 or 100 adults, the male and female in about equal numbers. Lastly, I have detected a very good character to distinguish male and female in the pupa and adult states. I have found pupz in various. stages of growth or ecdysis, without, however, as yet, detecting the first moult from the larva to the pupa, to decide what becomes of the monstrous apophyses of the head and the mandibles of the soldier (fighter) larva. My remaining collections I will send next month, just before I leave for the Upper Amazons, which I expect will be early in May. The Cattleya, &c., I will look for when 1 get to a good place for them. I understand the business, I think, quite sufficiently. You make me very envious in only speaking of the Morpho Cypris, &c., of
4552 Natural-History Collectors.
Bogota. I wonder how they are captured, if they are like M. Adonis and Hecuba here: about five miles from Santarem these two Morphos and a third very red and orange in colour appeared for a few days at the beginning of the wet season, but they would never descend lower than from 30 to 40 feet. I watched them for hours, until I nearly dis- located my neck with looking up at them. The one Adonis I sent from Para, for my private collection was caught by a lad I employed, by climbing a tree.
Santarem, April 27, 1854.—By the steamer this month I send a cedar-wood chest containing six boxes of insects, a few specimens of economic. Botany, and miscellanies. The insects to be placed with my stock of private collection are those things which I find it most difficult to preserve in this climate ; and by degrees I see I shall have to send the whole of my private collections of other families, which become mouldy here more readily than the others. The collection for sale contains a large lot of ants, with many notes for Mr, F. Smith, a letter, anda collection of Termites, which I have had great trouble to keep from Acari and mould, many having been destroyed: my notes on these I consider important, containing several disco- veries I have made on their habits. The notes might be published in the ‘ Trans. Ent. Soc.’; if you would get the species drawn, described, and named, they would form a splendid paper; in fact, I flatter my- self, would attract much the attention of naturalists. The phial with Termites in spirits is in a tin box in the parcel: there is also a speci- men of a species of Orchis (lilac-coloured, but not a Cattleya I think) ; just show it and ask if good; I am growing one part of it on a tree in my garden. I wrote you last month acknowledging the receipt of your most welcome parcel of letters and box of books, which, up to this date, has been to me a continued intellectual feast, and given me lots of occupation. In the account of the insects I send you now, I have kept the ants and Termites as separate items; I want to see how they sell; the British Museum, I think, should have the Ter- mites, if they arrive in good condition; with the notes I send they become of value. Please to thank Mr. Hanbury on my part for the present of the pamphlets and the hints contained in his two notes. I scarcely expect to find any of the different kinds of balsams of Peru in the Valley of the Amazons, except it is near the eastern foot of the Cordilleras. ‘The present collection I have taken great care to keep free from mould. The ants and other Hymenoptera are pinned and
Entomological Botany. 4553
dried so carefully that I am sure they will be valued as specimens, if the moisture does not collect on them. I find the Diptera and Or- thoptera most difficult to keep, aud am afraid I shall be obliged to send them all to be kept in London, and therefore lose the pleasure and advantage of having them at hand to study. What I now send of the private collection I have made memoranda of, so as to know pretty well when I meet with a fresh species in future. I cannot yet send you a collection of showy Diurnes, as you request; there are none at Santarem except the very common, as C. Dido, the common Agraules, Callidryas, &c. I have never seen an Epicalia Ancea here, nor any of the handsome Para Papilios, except now and then a Sesos- tris. At EgaI could get you up a glorious collection of 1000 to 2000, and I am hourly expecting the Nanta steamer down, when I shall bargain with the captain to take me up here on his return (J suppose it will be considered a favour, besides costing £15 or £20 passage money).
H. W. BatTEs.
Entomological Botany (with more especial reference to the Plants JSrequented by the Tineina). By H. T. Stainton, Esq.
(Continued from page 4472).
Stellaria Holostea. Greater Stitchwort.
Common in hedges, frequently growing in considerable masses, and when in flower “ its brilliant white starry blossoms render it very con- spicuous.” The association of ideas with this plant is pleasant ; we think of it in connection with the lengthening evenings at the end of April, when everything is bursting into leaf, and the cuckoo’s song is first heard. I remember, when a child, I was told the plant was * Cuckoo’s Bread and Cheese,” but I have not observed this given as a synonym in any botanical work. As early as January we may find the larva of Gelechia tricolorella mining the leaves of this plant, and at a later period (March and April) screwing up the terminal shoots and feeding therein. (See ‘Transactions of the Entomological Society,’ vol. ii. New Series, plate x. fig. 1). In April the leaves are mined by the larva of Gelechia maculea, which at the end of May may be found in the capsules feeding on the seeds. (See ‘Transactions of the
4554 _ Entomological Botany.
Entomological Society, vol. ii. New Series, plate x. fig. 2). At the end of April and in May the larve of Coleophora solitariella may be noticed in their pale whitish cases attached to the under side of the leaves, in which they make pearly white blotches, by devouring the parenchyma. (See ‘Transactions of the Entomological Society,’ vol. ii. New Series, plate xi. fig. 3). The young larve of this last species may be met with feeding in October and November.
Stellaria.uliginosa. Bog Stitchwort.
A common but rather insignificant plant, frequenting moist places, and growing almost concealed among the ranker herbage; in the early spring (March and April), when the smooth shining leaves are just making their appearance, the small shoots are noticed to be dis- torted into various uncouth shapes: this apparent malformation is caused by the presence of a brown larva which feeds in the heart of the young shoots; it is the larva of Gelechia fraternella. (See ‘Transactions of the Entomological Society,’ vol. ii. New Series, pl. x. f. 3.)
Cerastium glomeratum (vulgatum). Broad-leaved Mouse-ear _Chickweed.
The larva of Gelechia fraternella, though most partial to the pre- ceding plant, may occasionally be found in the shoots of this, and the larva of Coleophora solitariella has also been observed feeding on this.
Malva moschata. Musk Mallow. Malva sylvestris. Common Mallow. Malva rotundifolia. Dwarf Mallow.
No Tineina larva is known to feed on any of these plants, though the two last are almost universally distributed: when we bear in _ mind how the larva of Gelechia malvella feeds in the seeds of the allied Althza rosea, the Hollyhock of our gardens, it is difficult to imagine that the seeds of our wild mallows, or “ cheeses,” as they are called by children, are not to the taste of any of the numerous larve of Gelechiz which are still unknown to us.
Althea officinalis. Marsh Mallow.
Speyer gives this as a food-plant of Eubolia cervinata; however, the larva of that species is more accessible on the Hollyhocks, which
Entomological Botany. 4555
grow nearer home than “ marshes, particularly near the sea,” which Babington gives as the habitat of this plant. [I am not aware that the Althzea officinalis has ever been examined by any Micro-Lepi- dopterist.
Tilia europea. Lime Tree.
The list of Micro-Lepidoptera feeding on this tree or its congeners (parvifolia and grandifolia which, for entomological purposes, do not claim a distinct notice) is rather formidable. Speyer gives the fol- lowing:—Smerinthus Tiliz, Aglia Tau, Endromis versicolora, Stauro- pus Fagi, Petasia cassinea, Notodonta camelina, Platypteryx sicula, Cossus ligniperda, Zeuzera AXsculi (the two last feeding in the wood), Hypogymna dispar, Leucoma Vau-nigrum, Dasychira pudibunda, Py- gera bucephala (which sometimes actually defoliates the trees pre- maturely), Gastropacha Pruni, Pecilocampa Populi, Eriogaster la- nestris, Acronycta Psi, Amphipyra pyramidea, Miselia Aprilina, Orthosia instabilis, O.stabilis, Xanthia Citrago, Cosmia trapezina, Hi- bernia defoliaria, Nyssia hispidaria, Biston hirtarius, Odoptera Alniaria, O. erosaria, O. angularia, Ourapteryx Sambucaria, Kurymene dola- _ braria, Harpalyce Corylata, Euthalia psittacata, and two of the Micro- Lepidoptera, Tortrix Ribeana and Rosana.
The Tineina larve feeding on the lime are few in number; Mme. Lienig found on it the larva of Cerostoma sequella in May ; she also states that the larva of Réslerstammia Erxlebella feeds on the lime in May and September, on the under side of the leaves, in which it makes large round holes; but, as I have elsewhere stated, I suspect there must be some mistake here; the larva of Coleophora anatipen- nella (the Tiliella of Schrank) sometimes feeds on this tree in May ; and in winter and spring the larva of Chrysoclista Linneella feeds on the inner bark: this species, which is so excessively abundant around London, is a rarity in many localities, and is nowhere common on the Continent. The larva of Bucculatrix Hippocastanella feeds on — the leaves of the lime in June and August; probably when young it mines the leaves, but on this point we are yet uninformed. It is sin- gular that no larva of Lithocolletis or Nepticula has hitherto been observed on this tree.
Hypericum perforatum. Common Perforated St. John’s Wort.
The larva of Cloantha perspicillaris (of which only one British specimen is known) feeds in July and August on this plant; the larve of the allied species C. radiosa and Hyperici (which have never been
4556 Entomological Botany.
detected here) also feed on it in June and July. Speyer also gives the larva of Anaitis plagiata as feeding on it. The larva of Catoptria Hypericana feeds in the shoots in May, and in the seeds in July; and at the end of May and beginning of June the larva of Depressaria Hypericella may generally be met with in the screwed-up heads of the plant, unless the contortion has been caused by that polyphagous nuisance to the collector Sciaphila subjectana: the larva of Gracilaria auroguttella mines the leaves when very young, making a slight pucker longitudinally, and afterwards constructs a neat cone of the leaf (see ‘Transactions of the Entomological Society,’ vol. ii. n.s. pl. xiv. f. 3), which, at first green, speedily turns dirty yellow, from the epidermis and half of the parenchyma being taken away from the inside of the cone; the cones are then very conspicuous, and may readily be noticed in July and September: when the larva is full fed it quits the cone, and twists up a short leaf longitudinally, making a miniature imitation of a cigar, within which it changes to a pupa: these cigars are at first quite green, but turn to a dirty greenish brown colour; they may be noticed at the end of July and during winter. The larva of Cemiostoma lustratella is stated to feed on this plant; but though no doubt it occurs here, it has not hitherto been detected as British. In September and the following months, the leaves are mined and slightly puckered by the larva of Nepticula Septembrella, which is, however, more partial to Hypericum pulchrum.
Hypericum hirsutum. Hairy St. John’s Wort.
The larve of Catoptria Hypericana and Depressaria Hypericella also feed readily on this plant. |
Hypericum pulchrum. Small Upright St. John’s Wort.
The principal food-plant of Nepticula Septembrella, the larva of which I have observed feeding in the glossy little leaves as late as December ; the delicate little patterns which it traces in these leaves are quite in harmony with the general neat appearance of the plant.
Acer campestre. Maple.
The food-plant of two of our rare prominents, Lophopteryx cucul- lina and Ptilophora plumigera, both of which have lately been met with on the chalk in Buckinghamshire, though on the same strata South of London they have not been observed. Speyer also enumerates Pygera bucephala, Xanthia sulfurago, Cosmia trapezina, Anisopteryx Aceraria (a species exceedingly likely to occur in the South of England) and
Entomological Botany. A557
Ephyra omicronaria. The larva of Dictyopteryx Forskaliana is ex- cessively abundant on this plant at the end of June, and the pupa may be conveniently collected in the leaves which have a corner turned down very closely. The active larva of Gelechia scriptella may be found in September doubling the leaves nearly in half, and tying the sides together by some strong silken cables. In July and in October the leaves are apt to have a slight distortion at the edges, caused by the larvee of Lithocolletis sylvella, which establishes its puckered mine on the under side of the leaf. No larva, either of a Coleophora ora Nepticula, has yet been observed on the maple. The seeds, or “keys” as they are sometimes called, merit attention, as probably they will be found to afford nourishment to more than one species of insect: I once found a Lepidopterous larva in one.
Acer Pseudo-platanus. Sycamore.
The larva of Acronycta Aceris, one of the most beautiful we have, frequents this tree, though also partial to the horse-chestnut; Speyer also enumerates the larve of Odoptera lunaria, O. illunaria, O. illustraria, Ptycholoma Lecheana, and Gracilaria rufipennella; the larva of the last-named species forms cones on the leaves (similar to those of G. stigmatella on sallows and willows) in the month of June.
ZEsculus hippocastanum. Horse-Chestnut.
Though not an indigenous tree, [ am obliged to mention it here, it being too important entomologically to be overlooked ; the wood is
_. eaten by the larva of Zeuzera A‘sculi, and the leaves by the larva of
Acronycta Aceris and Anisopteryx A’scularia. The larva of Buc- culatrix Hippocastanella should be found on the leaves in June and at the end of August, and this is the only Tineina larva at present known to frequent this stately tree. , H. T. STAINTON. Mountsfield, Lewisham,
January, 1855. (To be continued).
Professor Bailey's mode of giving Permanent Flexibility to Natural-History Speci- mens.—The mode of application which I have employed is to immerse the dry specimen for some time in a neutral saturated solution of chloride of calcium, which any one can make for himself, by saturating hydrochloric acid with marble, and then, after the specimen has become sufliciently softened to bend easily, remove it, and let it drain in the open air. In some cases, where the specimens do not imbibe the salt
XIIT. E
4558 Birds.
readily, it is well to soften them in warm water before immersion in the salt. A speedy impregnation will then take place, after which the specimens, if plants, may be subjected to moderate pressure in the usual way, and restored to the herbarium, while other specimens may be kept on shelves, or in any way usually employed for similar objects, and all will, for any length of time, retain sufficient moisture to prevent brittleness. The salt being neutral, no fear need be apprehended of its injuring colour or texture, while its antiseptic properties will aid in the preservation of matters liable to decay.— From ‘ Silliman’s Journal.’
Rare Birds killed near Scarborough.—The following rare birds have lately been killed in our neighbourhood :—one red-necked phalarope, fourteen gray phalaropes, five stormy petrels, four little auks, four purple-backed sandpipers, one red-throated diver (mature), one female goosander. On the 25th of November, a noble female specimen of the gyr-falcon was shot near Robin Hood’s Bay, on the moors of Sir John Johnstone, M.P.: the bird is in the finest adult plumage: beak pale blue; cere wax- yellow; irides black; head, neck, breast and lower part of body white: upper parts are white, sparingly marked with arrow streaks of black pointing downwards: the tail has no bars, but is white; legs yellow; talons brown: the crop was overloaded with the entrails of some animal, most probably a hare; the stomach with the feathers of grouse and portions of the grouse. The length of this majestic bird, from the point of the beak to the end of the tail, was 203 inches; full extent of wings when opened, 3 feet 10 inches; weight, 3 tbs. 3 oz. Sir John Johnstone has forwarded the bird to me to be preserved.— Alfred Roberts; King Street, Scarborough, December 1, 1854.
Occurrence of the Short-toed Lark (Alauda brachydactyla) and of the Lapland Bunting (Emberiza Lapponica) in Sussex.— My. Swaysland, of Brighton, the fortunate captor, as recorded in the ‘ Zoologist’ for this month, of the Sylvia galactotes (? galac- todes), possesses a short-toed lark and a Lapland bunting, both which were caught in lark nets in the neighbourhood of Brighton, and were kept alive for a time.—Arthur Hussey ; Rottingdean, November, 1854.
Note on the congregation of Swallows.—About the 14th of last August I noticed a number of swallows to roost every evening in a small willow plantation, in this parish. This number gradually increased, until about the middle of September, when they amounted to thousands—I was going to say myriads. To see their movements about roosting-time was one of the most pleasing sights which I have ever witnessed amongst the feathered tribes. About six o’clock every evening, several hundreds of birds, apparently those bred in the parish, collected together at a particular part of the air, and amused theniselves by twittering and hawking after flies. In a short time another body of swallows would arrive, evidently from another locality, and their arrival was announced by a burst of twittering from both parties: then arrived another from an opposite direction; the same actions were repeated, and it joined the main body. In this manner the original flock was augmented, apparently from all points of the compass, and it gradually swelled into a tremendous flight, which kept up such a loud, continued twitter, as to arrest the attention of the most inattentive. As I sat and watched the birds assembling, with unwearied delight, I have often been struck with astonishment at their amazing multitudes; for their numbers seemed really sufficient to people every town and hamlet in England. To watch them retire to roost was a singular spectacle: they collected over the willow-bed, circled round and round
_ Birds. 4559
at a great height above it for some time, then down came a hundred or two into the middle of the willows, like a shower of large black soot-flakes, the main flock continuing to circle round and round until it came immediately over the bed, when down came another shower of them, and so on, until the whole had descended. The noise which they made was precisely like that of a steam-engine when blowing off the steam; it could readily be heard at the distance of a quarter of a mile. Upon creeping cautiously up the plantation I found every twig, every leaf, bush and bit of herbage alive with birds, for they were shuffling about in order to settle down com- fortably ; ten or twelve would occupy one small branch scarcely two feet long. The stench arising from their droppings was very disagreeable, and the ground, strewn as it was with them, reminded one of some guano deposit upon the shores of the Pacific. To see them day by day set out in different directions, each to his appointed work— to watch them gradually congregating night by night at the same hour, and move off to roost almost to a minute—to witness the harmony which seemed to reign amongst them, their unanimity of purpose, and the completeness with which they acted, as it were, upon one organised plan, was extremely interesting, and reminded one more of an army of peaceful human beings gathered together upon some high occasion than a congregation of simple and diminutive birds. They came every evening to roost in the manner described until the 17th of September, when they departed, leaving only a few hundreds, which remained until the middle of October. I have seen the usual - autumnal congregations, but never saw one upon the same immense scale before. How came they to congregate in a locality which they never had visited before in such numbers, and five or six weeks before they usually assemble in the autumn? In the ‘Illustrated London News, of November 8, I read the following remarks of the Paris correspondent, who, writing of the cholera, which had been raging fearfully in that city, said, “‘A singular fact has been observed, viz., that the swallows, which had entirely deserted Paris during the time that the epidemic raged, are beginning to return. To prove how much the existence of this malady influences the feathered tribes, we may state that, in the month of June, 1849, when the cholera was at its height in Paris, a flight of swallows passing over Paris, which they had pre- viously deserted, a large number fell dead, and were picked up in. the streets or floated down the river.” During the period when the swallows assembled here in the multitudes which I have described, the cholera was raging fearfully in London and other large cities and towns. Is it probable that they had deserted localities where this disease was rife? Were they noticed to leave the suburbs of London during the prevalence of it? Large congregations, I know, occa- sionally are found in the autumn roosting upon willows upon the banks of the Thames and some other rivers. Are they ever found in immense congregations so early as the 14th of August? With us they do not flock much together until the latter end of September or beginning of October, departing, on an average, about October 20th.— John Joseph Briggs ; King’s Newton, Swarkeston, Derbyshire, November 14, 1854.
A White Swallow obtained in East Kent.—I have received information that, towards the end of October, a white swallow was killed in the neighbourhood of Sand- wich, having been observed and pursued by several persons. ‘The head, neck and upper part of the back were a delicate silvery light brown, shading off in the under parts, tail and wings, to a not very pure white ;” and the bird is stated to have “looked brilliant in the sunshine.” The gentleman who shot it has sent it to Mr. Leadbitter, in London, for preservation.—Arthur Hussey ; Rottingdean, November 10, 1854.
4560 Birds, &e.
Occurrence of the Pigmy Curlew (Tringa subarquata) and Little Stint (T. minuta) near Warrington.—Myr. Fletcher, Curator to the Warrington Museum, shot several specimens of Tringa subarquata and T. minuta on the sands above Runcorn on the 6th ult., and more have been killed since by other parties. They are rarely met with in the river Mersey.— Nicholas Cooke; Massey House, Penketh, November 6, 1854.
Occurrence of the Ruff (Tringa pugnax) at Prestwick Carr, Northumberland.— Perhaps it may interest some of the readers of the ‘ Zoologist’ to know that the ruff is occasionally procured so far north as Newcastle. Prestwick Carr, a tract of boggy moor, some 1100 acres in extent, and about seven miles north-west, is annually visited by immature specimens, or birds without the ruff; but this season several have been seen in full breeding-plumage; one or two of these were shot, and are now pre- served in the neighbourhood.— Thomas John Bold; Angas’ Court, Bigg Market, Newcastle-on-Tyne, December 6, 1854.
Occurrence of the Egyptian Goose (Anser AMigyptiacus) near Newcastle.—A fine specimen of the Egyptian goose was shot at Blaydon Flats, about three miles above Newcastle, on the 16:h of November last: it is in beautiful plumage, and has the appearance of having been a wild bird.—Jd.
Occurrence of the Lesser White-winged Gull (Larus islandicus) near Scarborough. —A specimen of this rare and valuable gull was obtained, under curious circumstances, on the morning of the 8th of December. I was taking the temperature of the sea from the outer pier, when I observed floating a gull which had been shot by some sportsman ; at first I took it to be a young specimen of Larus canus, but, observing no black on the tip of the wings, I felt satisfied it was a rarity, and when taken out of the sea it proved to be an immature example of the lesser white-winged or glaucous gull: it is not unfrequently met with at the Shetland Islands in the winter season, but, taken on our coast, is a treasure for the ornithologist. My specimen measures in length 21 inches; the wings, when closed, reaches 2 inches longer than the tail; eyes dark brown; colour, dull white, very beautifully clouded with pale ash-brown.—Alfred © Roberts ; King Street, Scarborough, December 11, 1854.
Occurrence of Richardson’s Skua (Lestris Richardsoni) in Sussex.—In the last week of September, during or just after a high wind, a skua gull, pronounced to be Richardson’s, was picked up in a dying condition by a shepherd upon the Downs above this village.—Arthur Hussey ; Rottingdean, November 10, 1854.
Occurrence of the Little Auk (Alca alle) in Northumberland.—During November, two or three specimens of tle little auk have been procured in Northumberland. One of these was picked up alive, in an exhausted condition, near the village of Cram- lington, which is several miles from the sea.— Thomas John Bold; Angas’ Court, Bigg Market, Newcastle-on- Tyne, December 6, 1854.
Occurrence of Tetrodon Pennantii on the Coast of Ireland.—I have much pleasure in recording the capture of another specimen of Tetrodon Pennantii, about fourteen days since, at Ardmore, County Waterford; being washed ashore, like the individual recorded by me in 1852, than which it is somewhat smaller.—E. H. Sargint ; 26, Dengille Street, Dublin, December, 1854.
Arachnida.
4561
List of Spiders found at Piercefield, near Chepstow, in 1853.—
Lycosa campestris
» lugubris
» saccata
» obscura Dolomedes mirabilis Salticus cupreus
» scenicus
» coronatus Thomisus cristatus
= bifasciatus
5 brevipes
B53 pallidus
5 incertus
- floricolens
ry citreus Philodromus dispar 9 cespiticolis
Clubiona erratica
” comta
» . amarantha 9 accentuata Ciniflo ferox
Linyphia montana “4 pratensis
% nebea
i pulla
J, insignis
$y fuliginea is marginata cauta
F tenuis
Neriene rubella » munda » dubia Pachygnatha Degeerii Epeira diadema » inclinata » antriada » cucurbitina jo) Coniéa » callophylla » scalaris » apoclisa » ceropegia
93) atrox 5° fusca Tegenaria atrica » albimacula Celotes saxatilis Tetragnatha extensa Theridion nervosum Dysdera Erythrina
* pulchellum 4 Hombergii ¥ lineatum Segestria senoculata.
Linyphia triangularis _—F, Walker; The Grove, Highgate, October, 1854.
Inquiry respecting the name of an Australian Spider.—It will be esteemed a favour if any reader of the ‘ Zoologist’ will mention the proper appellation of the Australian spider of which the habitation is a hole in the ground, with a moveable entrance. Of the example now before me, from the neighbourhood of Adelaide, the door is triangular, the apex being undermost, with the sides rather curved, and it is suspended by somewhat acting as hinges attached to the base of the triangle. When I first saw the specimen, soon after its arrival from the antipodes, the door opened easily, though now unfor- tunately it is fixed. It is impossible to ascertain of what the hinges are made and how constructed, or to describe the interior of the cell, without destroying the curiosity. The substance of the door resembles the surrounding soil, and appears to have been cut out of the solid surface, rather than compacted of compressed mud. If there are’ varieties of this insect, the generic name of the tribe can be given, though it will be impossible to identify the individual. The information requested may be either inserted in a future number of the ‘ Zoologist,’ or forwarded by post to the Rev. A. Hussey, Rottingdean, Brighton, who will be thankful for attention to this inquiry.
4562 Insects.
‘ Entomologists’ Annual.’ —It is with much pleasure that I have read Mr. Stainton’s proposal on this subject in the ‘ Zoologist’ for October; such a publication seems to be a great desideratum ; and I would venture to suggest that it is no less a desideratum that a similarly compiled record should be formed of the occurrences of rare species which are noted from time to time in the ‘ Zoologist’ and other periodicals: beginners are so constantly tantalised by learning that species marked rare by our great authori- ties have, since their works appeared, been more generally found, though the fact be only known to those who have regularly perused the public journals. Such a record, even if it were merely to mention the names of the species, localities and captors, with a reference to the page at which they are detailed more fully, would be a great boon to the younger followers, at least, of the science, and I think it might easily be conjoined with Mr. Stainton’s already determined work. To make the book exten- sively useful, every order of insects ought to be noticed in it, as the author would wish ; and I sincerely hope that all entomologists will combine to assist so desirable an undertaking.—A. R. Hogan; Charlton, Dundrum, near Dublin, October 10, 1854.
Singular Variety of Anthocharis Cardamines.—I have a specimen of this insect, taken. by a friend of mine at Hainhault Forest, which has the orange spot of the male on the under side of the right wing only; the upper side representing the perfect female.— William Machin ; 35, William Street, Globe Fields, Mile End.
Note on Ptilophora plumigera.—Having met with a few eggs of this Bombyx on maple sprays, last winter, and bred the perfect insect from them this November, I have pleasure in communicating a few facts about its transformations. The egg occurs about here on the young shoots of the maple in hedge-rows. It is light brown, circular, and has a white ring round it, which is, in fact, the under side. It is found singly, or in twos and threes, and is pretty visible in the sunshine. The larva appears about the middle of April, or as soon as the maple bursts; at first it is hardly perceptible to the eye, being transparent and of a pale’ yellow colour; it soon beeomes grass-green, with a dorsal stripe of darker green, bounded by two white lines: while young it is distinctly hairy. It sleeps during the day, frequently under the leaf it fed on the preceding night, and is of quiet habits and apparently social, as two often fold upon one leaf. Soon it changes its skin, and then assumes yellow rings about the shoulders, but retains the general grass-green tint and large transparent green head until ready to change: the white lines now become fainter, its habits are more active, and it feeds night and day ; lastly, the tint becomes blueish, like Camelina before its change, and the dorsal stripe disappears. About the end of May or early in June, the larva buries nearly two inches below the surface, and there spins an oval cocvon, from the top of which is sus- pended the pupa: this is cylindrical, compressed and bifurcate at the tail. By placing the breeding-cage (in my case, a flower-pot) in the sunshine, about the middle of November, I found the perfect insect emerged from the lower end of the cocoons—in one instance escaping through the bottom of the flower-pot. Of the two varieties, the light and the dark, the latter seems rarer.— Bernard Smith ; Marlow, December, 1854.
Occurrence of Notodonta carmelita.—It was my good fortune to take a fine specimen of this rare insect last year, and another this year, both early in May, at West Wickham. —William Machin ; 35, William Street, Globe Fields, Mile End.
Early appearance of Cucullia umbratica.—I took this insect in beautiful condition, on the 6th April last, at Wilmington.—Jd.
Curious Capture of Pecilocampa Populi.—A few days ago I was agreeably surprised at finding in an old garden-shed, where I usually keep my breeding-cages, fourteen
-
Insects. 4563
males of Pecilocampa Populi sitting on the window and other parts of the shed, some of them rather worn, but others in beautiful condition. Not being otherwise able to account for so unusual an occurrence of an insect I have never before met with and have always regarded as rather rare, I set it down to their having been driven in for shelter in a sudden and violent storm of wind and rain that had taken place late the night before, which was previously very calm and bright: however, the next day, visiting the shed again, the night having been throughout remarkably quiet, I found in it, to my great surprise, eleven more, some sitting on what I had before considered an empty breeding-cage, but which, on close examination, I found to contain a female of the same species, apparently lately out, and in fine condition: this of course ex- plained at once the appearance of the males. Now, though it is a well-known mode of capture of various species—of the Bombyx, &c., in particular—to expose a female in a gauze-covered cage, yet the instance I mention is remarkable, both from the number of males attracted by a single female in an out-of-the-way situation, under a north wall and at a distance from trees, and their remaining after daylight, and reposing in such a position as to be discovered and taken with the greatest ease: these facts may be useful as hints in experiments with this mode of capture in respect of the rarer Notodontide. The female, being a desirable acquisition, was of course made a speci-
men of immediately, and I need hardly say that not a single male has appeared since her removal. I was not aware of having placed in the cage any larva of P. Populi; but, on recurring to my notes of a Day in the New Forest last June, I find one of the beating for an oak on the 22nd of that month “a large gray flattish, hairy larva, irregularly marked with black,” which, as it has never answered to its number in any other furm, I conclude was the producer of this moth, but from which I had ceased to look for any perfect insect, concluding it to have been previously affected by some parasitical devourer. — Octavius Pickard-Cambridge; Bloxworth House, Dorset, December 14, 1854.
Remarkable Vitality in a Specimen of Sitona fusca.—I was much surprised this morning, on taking up a phial containing insects collected at Petersham on the 28th of September, to find a specimen of Sitona fusca alive, having been seven weeks all but one day in the bottle. The laurel-leaves which had beeu enclosed with it still retained a considerable aroma, though not of course that hydrocyanic smell which is so quickly fatal to all insects. The Sitona was not only alive, but vigorous, travelling along at little less than the customary pace, and much more actively than many Curculios do when in full health. In the same bottle, which contains barely a cubic inch, and was well corked, were three more of the same species, together with Apion striatum and others, Haltice, Atomariz, Demetrias atricapillus, Notoxus monoceros and some small Brachelftra, all, however, quite dead. I have remarked, in introducing insects into a phial with laurel-leaves, that the Brachelytra are usually the first to yield, then the Malacoderma and Geodephaga, and that the Curculeonide resist the influence longest ; Diptera and Hymenoptera seem very svon overcome. It is somewhat remarkable that one Sitona should appear little affected under circumstances that killed three others,— George Guyon ; Richmond, November 15, 1854.
A564 Entomological Society.
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Donations.
November 6, 1854.— Epwarp Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.
The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the donors :—‘ Entomologische Zeitung,’ July to October; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. ‘Revue et Magasin de Zoologie, 1854, No. 9; par M. F. E. Guérin Ménéville ; by the Editor. ‘Journal of the Society of Arts’ for October; by the So- ciety. The ‘Atheneum’ for October; by the Editor. The ‘ Literary Gazette’ for October; by the Editor. The ‘ Zoologist’ for November; by the Editor. ‘Smith- sonian Contributions to Knowledge,’ vol. vi.; ‘Seventh Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution for 1852;’ ‘ Directions for Collecting, Preserving, and Transporting Specimens of Natural History,’ 2nd Edition; ‘ Regis- try of Periodical Phenomena,’ one sheet; ‘Catalogue of the Described Coleoptera of the United States,’ by Friedrick Ernst Melsheimer, M.D., revised by S. S. Haldeman and J. L. Le Conte, 1 Vol. 1853 (6 copies); ‘List of Foreign Institutions in Cor- respondence with the Smithsonian Institution ;’ ‘ Natural History of the Red River of Louisiana ;’ (reprinted from the Report of Captain R. B. Marcy); all by the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, U.S. ‘ Boston Journal of Natural History,’ vol. vi. No. 3; ‘Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, pp. 225 to 384, November, 1852, to April, 1854 ; both by the Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. ‘ Proceed- ings of the Royal Society,’ vol. vi. No. 102; ‘ Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society,’ Vol. cxliii. Part 3, Vol. cxliv, Part 1; ‘ List of the Royal Society, 30th No- vember, 1853; all by the Royal Society. Plutella annulatella (2) and Tinea ochra- ceella (2) ; by George Wailes, Esq. A box of Scotch Lepidoptera and Coleoptera ; by Mr. Foxcroft.
Election of a Member.
Professor Edward Solly, F.R.S., F.L.S., &c., was ballotted for and elected a Mem-: ber of the Society.
Ecvhibitions.
Mr. Stevens exhibited a new British beetle, Otiorhynchus septentrionis, Herbst, a single specimen taken by Mr. Foxcroft at Rannoch. He also exhibited some insects sent from Port Natal by Mr. Plant, including the rare Goliathus Derbyanus and Tefflus Delargorguei ; also two living examples of an Tulus which were imported in a case of plants, and had been in his possession more than a fortnight.
Mr. Salt sent for exhibition a fly presented to him by a medical friend, who wrote concerning it “It was apparently blown out through the nostril by a gentleman who had long had pain in the face, and discharge of pus from the nose and throat. It is supposed to have been lodged in the ‘antrum of Highmore,’ a cavern that exists na- turally in the bones of the face.” It appeared to be Phora urbana. Mr. Westwood said he had reared species of this genus of fly from wool and animal rejectamenta, such as old crab-shells. My. Walker had reared them from Fungi, and Mr. Curtis from the body of one of the Sphingide.
Entomological Society. 4565
Mr. Stainton exhibited a specimen of the rare Elachista triseriatella, taken by Mr. Hogan near Dublin, and specimens of a new Simaéthis, for which he proposed the name S. Parietarie, the larve having been found by Mr. Harding on Parietaria officinalis. )
Luminosity of Helobia brevicollis.
Mr. Westwood said Mr. Gould had placed in his hands a specimen of the common beetle Helobia brevicollis, which he found one evening lately near Windsor, having been attracted thereto by its luminous appearance. Mr, Westwood thought the Inminosity was due to adherent particles of phosphorescent matter arising from some decaying animal, or a Geophilus—one of the luminous Scolopendre—on which the Helobia had been feeding ; both these views, indeed, had been advanced with respect tc a luminous Goérius, at a Meeting of this Society on December Ist, 1851, by the late Mr. Stephens, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. Smith.
Motion communicated to Seeds by Insects.
Mr. Janson, adverting to the Report of the discussion on this subject at the last meeting, said that in his remarks on that oecasion he did not mean to deny that any motion could be communicated to the seeds by the imprisoned larva, but he still maintained that the possibility of larve, perfectly enclosed in seeds, having the power of causing the seeds to jump had not been explained. ‘The instance quoted from Kirby and Spence he did not think was analogous, for that was evidently a naked chrysalis unencumbered by an extraneous envelope.
Mr. Westwood read the statement in Kirby and Spence’s ‘Introduction,’* which had been referred to, where, alluding to Réaumur’s Memoir upon the enemies of caterpillars, they say, “ Round the nests of the Processionary Bombyx he found numerous little cocoons suspended by a thread, three or four inches long, to a twig or leaf, of a shortened oval form and close texture, but so as the meshes might be distinguished. ‘These cocoons were rather transparent, of a coffee-brown colour, and surrounded in the middle by a whitish band. When put into boxes or glasses, or laid in the hand, they surprised him by leaping. Sometimes their leaps were not more than ten lines, at others they were extended to three or four inches, both in height and length. When the animal leaps, it suddenly changes its ordinary posture (in which the back is convex and touches the upper part of the cocoon, and the head and arms rest upon the lower) and strikes the upper part with the head and tail, before its belly, which thus becomes the concave part, touches the bottom. This occasious the cocoon to rise in the air to a height proportioned to the force of the blow.” In the _ same chapter of the ‘Introduction’ it is also recorded by the author, “ that in 1810 a young lady informed him a friend had brought a similar chrysalis, which was found attached by one end to the leaf of a bramble. It repeatedly jumped out of an open pill-box that was an inch in height. When put into a drawer, in which some other insects were impaled, it skipped from side to side over their backs, for nearly a quarter of an hour, with surprising agility. Its mode of springing seemed to be by balancing itself upon one extremity of its case. About the end of October one end of the case grew black, and from that time the motion ceased; and about the middle of April in
* Vol. ii. page 299, 4th Edition. XITl. F
4566 Entomological Society.
the following year a very minute ichneumon made its appearance by a hole it had made at the opposite end.” Réaumur could not ascertain the fly that should legiti- mately come from the cocoon, for different cocoons gave different flies: whence it was evident that these ichneumons were infested by their own parasite. This might have been the case with the cocoon mentioned by the lady.
Mr. Westwood said, that though in this account the chrysalis was stated to be attached to the leaf, yet it was evidently an enclosed pupa, for its case is immediately afterwards mentioned. Since the last meeting he was satisfied the larve in the seeds were Lepidopterous, and thinking it possible that only those seeds moved that contained a larva infested by an ichneumon, he had inquired of Sir William Hooker if there were any exceptions, among the affected seeds, in the power of jumping, but was informed all gave equally strong leaps. |
Mr. Curtis said that at the last meeting he had observed “he expected the seeds contained the larva of a Bruchus,” and in confirmation of Réaumur, and of the possi- bility of an insect confined in a hard case having the power to give it motion, he had stated that “he had a compact horny oval cocoon formed by an ichneumon, which bounded about on a table like an India-rubber ball, shortly before the fly hatched.” In order to identify the fact with the insect, he had searched for and found the specimen which had been disregarded for twenty years, and he now had the satis- faction of exhibiting the insect with its cocoon, and the label attached to it when the fly hatched. It was a Campoplex allied to C. majalis, Grav., and probably described by that author ; but the species of this genus being very difficult to identify, he would not venture to characterise or name it.. These Ichneumonide are parasititic on the Tortricide and smaller moths, and also on the Curculionide.
Mr. Lubbock said it would not be difficult to demonstrate, according to the laws of matter and motion, that the muscular power of an insect in the situation referred to, if exerted in a particular manner, would cause a jumping motion in its envelope.
A new British Cynips and the Galls made thereby.
Mr. Rich, present as a visitor, exhibited some sprays of oak thickly covered with bunches of large galls. In Somersetshire generally, and in part of Gloucestershire, they were so abundant that the oaks were covered with them, to the extinction of the acorns, the loss of which, for feeding their pigs, the farmers greatly regretted, although he believed that in the value of these galls they had more than an equiva- lent, for their chemical qualities were nearly equal to those of the imported galls of commerce.
Mr. Curtis said, Mr. Rich recently gave him an example of this gall, and he had since received some of the galls with a specimen of the fly from his friend W. H. L, Walcott, Esq., who obtained these galls from an oak growing near the Hotwells, Clifton. Having paid great attention to the Cynipide,* and bred most of those which are produced from oak trees, he had often been doubtful regarding the true Cynips Quercus-petioli of Linneus, but he was convinced the specimen he now
* Vide vols. i. ii, iii. iv. and vy. of the ‘Gardener’s Chronicle, for the economy and figures of Cynips aptera, C. umbraculus, C. Quercus-tiare, C. lenticularis, C. Quercus-pedunculi, C. Quercus-ramuli, C. Quercus-castanee, and C. Quercus-folii.
Entomological Society. 4567
exhibited, which was bred with a few others from the galls alluded to, is the Linnean species. He believed all that have hatched are females, but as there are many maggots alive in some of the galls he expected the males would appear in the spring.
Cynips Quercus-petioli is described by Linneus in his ‘ Fauna Suecica, No. 1523, where he refers to Reesel, who has given good figures of the galls, fly, &c.* The flies are much larger than any other species which has been described as British, and they are nearly allied to those produced from the galls of commerce, the Diplolepis galle- tinctorie of Olivier. He was inclined to think the species was of recent introduction into England, for during the time of his researches into the Cynipide neither he nor the many friends who assisted him with specimens from all parts of the country had ever seen it, and such conspicuous galls could hardly have escaped notice if they had existed.
Mr. Stainton said that for the last four or five years he had noticed these galls in Devonshire, but not in such profusion as now stated.
The President said he had some doubts if this was the Cynips Quercus-petioli of Linneus, for the galls were situated in the axil of the leaf, and not on the petiole.
Chrysomelide of Australia.
Mr. Baly read the concluding portion of his Memoir on the Chrysomelide of Australia.
New Part of the Transactions.
Part 2, vol. iii. N.S. of the Transactions, published in October, was laid on the table.
December 4, 1854.—Epwarv Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.
Donations.
The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the donors :—‘ Catalogue of the Birds in the Museum of the East India Company,’ Vol. i.; by the Hon. Court of Directors of the East India Company. The ‘ Literary Gazette’ for November; by the Editor. The ‘Atheneum’ for November; by the Editor. The ‘ Zoologist’ for December ; by the Editor. The ‘Journal of the Society of Arts’ for November; by the Society. ‘ Revue et Magasin de Zoologie,’ No. 10, 1854; by the Editor. ‘Insecta Britannica, Diptera, Vol. ii., by F. Walker; ‘ Lepi- doptera—Tineina,’ by H. T. Stainton ; by the Committee of the ‘ Insecta Britannica.’ ‘List of Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,’ Part i. Lepidoptera—Heterocera; ‘ List of Specimens of Dipterous Insects in the Col- lections of the British Museum, Part v. Supplement 1; ‘ List of Specimens of Neu- ropterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,’ Part iv., Odonata ; ‘ List of the Specimens of British Animals in the Collection of the British Museum,’ Part xiv., Nomenclature of Neuroptera; all presented by Mr. F. Walker. The First Annual Supplement to ‘Insecta Britannica, Lepidoptera—Tineina, by H. T. Stainton; by the author. —
* “Tnsecten Belustigung,’ iii. Supp., tab. 35 and 36.
4568 Entomological Society.
Election of a Member.
George Wailes, Esq., Newcastle-on-Tyne, was balloted for and elected a Member.
Exhibitions.
Mr. Pickersgill exhibited a fine specimen of Argynnis Lathonia, and a variety of Vanessa Urtice in which the colours of the upper wings were not distinct but suffused, and the under wings were almost entirely black. Both these butterflies eS caught near Eastbourne, Sussex, on the 29th of July last.
Mr. Saunders exhibited two examples of a small patelliform nidus, probably of a spider, attached to a leaf of Chailetia latifolia received from Rio Negro.
Mr. Stevens exhibited some Coleopterous larve, which had destroyed a large cherry-tree drooping by forming galleries in the solid wood, a log of which he also showed. The larve were probably those of Gnorimus nobilis.
Mr. Tweedy exhibited a box of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera, among which were some new species, just received in fine condition from St. Domingo.
Photographic Representations of Insects.
Herr Pretsch, Manager of the Imperial Printing Office at Vienna, present as a visitor, exhibited a great number of magnified positive photographs of various insects and parts of insects.
Mr. Westwood observed, that though these figures gave very good general repre- sentations of the objects, yet the details were not sufficiently accurate for entomo- logical purposes; indeed, he had never seen the small parts of insects delineated by this process with the clearness necessary to render the figures of scientific value.
Mr. Curtis thought that, if greater distinctness in detail could be attained, the photographic process would be invaluable for representations of the wings of the Ichneumonide and the neuration of wings generally.
Singular Specimen of Anthocharis Cardamines.
The President exhibited a specimen of Anthocharis Cardamines, which had been placed in his hands by Mr. W. Machin, of Mile End: the insect combined the characters of the sexes in a remarkable manner: the whole of the upper surface of the upper wings, as well as the antenne, head, thorax and abdomen, present the normal appearance of a female: there was nothing whatever to induce a doubt of the individual being a female: the same observation applied to the left wings on the under side, but the right upper wing on the under side was adorned with the bright orange mark distinctive of the male. Many insects were known to be subject to what he (the President) had called hemigynism, 7.e. when the individual is divided by a right line down the back, the one half being male and the other half female; the peculiarities of each sex extending not only to the distribution of colour, but also to the structure of the antenne, eyes and genitalia; but the present instance differed from any that he had previously seen, in the fact of the entire upper surface being female.
Entomological Society. 4569
Introduction of Bombyx Cynthia into Malta and Italy.
Mr. Westwood exhibited a sample of the silk produced at Malta from cocoons of Bombyx Cynthia, which sample was given by the Governor, Sir William Reid, to Dr. Templeton, and by him forwarded to Mr. Westwood with the following letter :—
“ Valetta, November 10.
+ My dear Westwood,
‘“‘T take advantage of the Governor's kind offer to send you the enclosed silk, unwound from the Cynthia cocoons by Signor Lotteri, an Italian, skilled in silk- winding, who declared that his fingers stuck together for a very long time afterwards, so gummy and resiny was the binding matrix of the silk. The result seems very fine, and is, I believe, very strong, in comparison with the silks of similar thickness. At Casal Zebbourg a gentleman introduced, from the Governor’s gardens, some of the worms, got little boys to tear the cocoons to pieces, and native women to spin it; and there is now hanging, in the window of Mr. Goodenough’s shop, a pair of stockings and some lace-work made from the spun silk: the stockings have a muddy look, the colour of the enclosed, but in other respects appear fine substantial affairs, such as country people would be glad to get; and I believe they are everlasting. The great business is to get a machine to tear the cocoons to pieces, and that will soon follow, I presume. They have got the worm now into Tripoli in a fine healthy state; and planting castor-oil plant is now the order of the day everywhere.
“TI trust the packet of live cocoons arrived safe, which were sent to you by the Governor's directions, per last mail. His Excellency was much pleased by the note in the ‘ Atheneum’ respecting them.
, “ Very truly yours, (Signed) “R. TEMPLETON.”
Mr. Westwood added that he had received the cocoons referred to, and found that some at least of the pupz inclosed were alive, notwithstanding the long journey and the change of temperature to which they had been subjected.
The Secretary read, from the ‘ Journal of the Society of Arts, November 10, the following extract from a despatch forwarded by Governor Sir William Reid to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle :—
“We have here in Malta gone through all the operations as practised in Assam, except weaving the silk thread into cloth. For this we have not yet a sufficient quantity; but the worms are breeding here faster than we can rear the castor-oil plant: they are now (in October) thriving in the open air, and as they consume the leaves of the castor-oil, they travel from plant to plant, feeding upon several, but apparently doing well only on the Ricinus.
“The French Government have applied, through their Consul, for a larger quantity of eggs, both for France and Algeria, and I have been enabled to supply him with as many as he requires.
“‘In consequence of statements published in the ‘ Journal of the Society of Arts,’ I have had an application from the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of Grenada, in the West Indies, for eggs of this silkworm. Some fresh cocoons will be sent from hence to Grenada, and I am not without hope, from the way in which they are being
4570 Entomological Scciety.
conveyed, and with the assistance of the Directors of the Royal Mail Steam Company, that eggs in a sound state will reach the West Indies.”
The Secretary also read the following extract from the ‘ Turin Gazette,’ inclosed in the above-mentioned despatch :—
“ Culture of Silk in Piedmont.—Sig. Vincenzo Griseri, the first person who has undertaken the rearing of the Bombyx Cynthia worm upon leaves of the castor-oil plant, and the first who introduced it into France, has now terminated his second experiment of rearing the said worms. Sig. Griseri, conceiving the great service that these valuable insects might render in the production of silk, diligently distributed them to the various provinces of the State, as also in Brianza, and has received from all quarters accounts of a successful result. He succeeded last spring in rearing these worms even upon the castor-oil plants while in the ground and in the open air, in the garden of the Chemical Laboratory, under the observation of Chevalier Cantu, Director of that establishment, the Minister, Conte de Cavour, his Excellency the Duke of Guiche, Minister Plenipotentiary of France, Professors Abbenne and Borsarelli, and many other distinguished personages. From this mode of treatment Signor Griseri discovered that these worms do not suffer from a low temperature, nor from strong winds, nor from continued rain; but, on the contrary, he obtained finer and better- formed cocoons than those produced by the ordinary method, all which circumstances have been submitted to the Royal Academy. After the first experiment he published, through the printers Chirio and Mina, the mode of bringing up these worms. In the second experiment he also fully succeeded, and found that the cocoons were superior to those brought from Calcutta and Malta, on which account he came to the conclu- sion that this new silkworm, a native of Bengal, has found its own climate in our country. An experiment is now being made as to the mode of extracting the silk, which has been confided to the care of able throwsters, and from some samples already produced it results that this silk is finer and more elastic than our common silk; further, two more important facts have just been communicated by Sig. Griseri, namely, that he has succeeded in feeding these worms exclusively upon willow-leaves and lettuce-leaves, and has obtained cocoons similar to those produced from the leaves of the castor-oil plant. During these experiments Sig. Griseri was assisted by the Countess Marianna Antonini, an experienced producer of silk, and Sig. Francesco Comba, a distinguished naturalist, who kindly offered him their aid and advice. Sig. Griseri intends next spring to try the rearing of our native grubs, the Pavonia major and the Pavonia minor, which feed upon various wild plants, and yet produce silk, as he has already confirmed this by experiment. There is reason to believe from these experiments made by so celebrated a silk-grower, well known by the numerous services he has rendered in rearing and improving the race of silkworms, that the culture of silk will receive a development, the limit of which can hardly be foreseen, as the object is nothing less than to convert the vegetable matter of the most common leaves into the valuable substance of silk.”
Larve preserved in Canada Balsam.
Mr. Westwood said he had received examples of insect larve preserved in Canada balsam, by a gentlemen in Zurich, and he wished to state that they could be furnished at a very reasonable rate.
Entomological Society. 4571
Galls produced by Cynips Quercus-petiolt.
Mr. Stainton, adverting to the mention of this subject at the last meeting, read the following extract of a letter received from R.C. R. Jordan, Esq., of Queen’s College, Birmingham :—
“The galls are old friends of mine, I have known them for twenty years: of late they have been more common. I have here some fine specimens of the Cynips, or rather, in searching them out, I have four specimens: I have known the Cynips for three years. About five years ago a medical man at Lympstone, near Exmouth, used them always to make his ink, and tried to impress upon the country people the use that might spring from making them an article, so to speak, of exportation. But of course, as with all other things of this sort, they would gather the galls for him to make the ink, when paid for it, but never made any attempt to sell them elsewhere. They would be a good substitute for the nut-galls, and deserve to be used instead.
“The Cynips appears in September, perforating the gall by a single round hole. The galls themselves are first green, afterwards brown: the larve may be occasionally found in them in spring. I have never found any other than a Cynips larva in the galls: in the common cherry-like gall on the under side of the oak leaves, there is a larva of a saw-fly occasionally, and I have a notice of an ichneumon-parasite on the Cynips.”
Mr. Stainton added that, since the last meeting, he had ascertained these galls were more than usually abundant this year in Devonshire.
Mr. Curtis hoped that Mr. Stainton would procure some of these galls, for he still doubted if those seen by Mr. Stainton and Mr. Jordan were identical with those he had referred to Cynips Quercus-petioli.
Mr. Westwood said he had announced the discovery of this species in England, in the ‘ Gardener's Chronicle, some time since.
Larva of Ctenicerus murinus.
Mr. Curtis read a letter from the Rev. C. A. Kuper Trellich, Monmouthshire, - stating that he had found, under a loose stone, a larva of a reddish colour, which he believed to be that of Ctenicerus murinus.. The locality was the top of a wall in an elevated bleak situation, whereon stems of gorse had been laid and had decayed, in which stems, he presumes, the larve feed, for he had often found the perfect insects thereon while immature.
Locality of Papilio Antenor, Drury.
Mr. Westwood stated that this butterfly was long known only by the figure of Drury, until Mr. Hope received a specimen, taken, as he stated, by Ritchie, at Soudan, in Central Africa, which, however, was doubted by Mr. Edward Doubleday, who considered the species to be an Asiatic form. He had now to announce that the British Museum had just received a specimen from Madagascar. Was it possible the species could have so wide a geographical range, or had there been some error in the former instance ?
Mr. Westwood also took this opportunity to state, as bearing upon this subject, that a beetle, Pachylomerus femoratus, stood in Mr. Hope’s collection as African ;
4572 Society of British Entomologists.
another species or sub-species of the genus had now been received from Mozambique, on the Eastern Coast of Africa, and yet it had a great resemblance to the forms from Tropical Western Africa.
Economy of various Insects.
* Mr. Curtis read a paper entitled ‘ Notes on the Economy of Various Insects.’
Essay on the British Formicide.
Mr. Smith read ‘ An Essay on the Genera and Species of the British Formicide,’ in which twenty-eight species were described, being an addition of eleven species to the list of species known in 1851.—J. W. D.
SociETY oF British ENToMOLOGISTs.
November 7, 1854.—Mr. H. Harprine, President, in the chair.
Messrs. Jobson, Thorne and Oxley were balloted for and admitted subscribers to the Society.
The President exhibited a box containing, in great variety, the Peronea cristana, and remarked on the extraordinary abundance in which that insect had occurred during the present year, and contrasted this with its apparent scarcity during several preceding years: he also exhibited some specimens of Eudorea murana, which he bred from lichens found on old walls; the insects were accompanied by the pupa cases: also specimens of Depressaria liturella with its food, a species of wild mint ; and a new insect allied to Cochylis stramineana.
December 5, 1854.—Mr. HArnine, President, in the chair.
The President exhibited the following Lepidoptera :—
Peronea Schalleriana, together with its pupa-case and food-plant, the common meadow-sweet (Spirea Ulmaria).
Cnephasia subjunctana, together with its pupa-case and food-plant, the small spreading rest-harrow (Ononis reclinata) : the larva spins together the leaves of this plant, thus making a domicile in which to undergo its transformations.
Cnephasia Perterana, with pupa-case and food-plant: the larva draws together the petals of the mouse-ear hawkweed (Hieracium Pilosella), and feeds on the stamens.
Cnephasia Virgaureana, with pupa-case: the food of this species varies greatly ; the President had bred specimens from the common crowfoot, blackthorn and other plants ; many others of the genus are not particular on what plant they feed.
Sericoris lacunana, with pupa-case and food-plant, the common millefoil (Achillea millefolium); the larva draws together the leaves which protect the young buds, and feeds on the interior or heart of the bud.
Coleophora Viminetella, with pupa-case and food-plant, the common sallow (Salix caprea): a good description of this insect would be found in the ‘Insecta Britannica’ (Tineina, vol. iii. p. 223).
Coleophora Onosmella, with pupa-case and food-plant, the viper’s bugloss (Hchium vulgare).
On Artificial Sea Water. 4573
On Artificial Sea Water. By Rosert WaRINGTON, Esq.
In the ‘ Zoologist’ for August last (Zool. 4400) appeared a short communication from Mr. Gosse, on the artificial formation of sea water, and having lately had my attention especially directed to this paper by a friend who wished to put the formula given into practice, I was surprised at the difference in the proportions of the ingredients as compared with what I had myself employed in the course of 1853, more particularly from the circumstance, that when Mr. Gosse called upon me in January last, and consulted me on the feasibility of the plan, I told him that there could be no difficulty in the matter, as I had made and had then in use several small quantities artificially pro- duced, and that all that was required was that a good analysis should be taken as the basis for deducing the proportions, and at the same time referred him to the source from which I myself had worked, namely, Dr. E. Schweitzer’s analysis of the water of the English Channel, taken off Brighton. | 7
Now, as numerous parties have been inquiring respecting this sub- ject, and the erroneous formula has been copied into other journals, it may prevent much annoyance as well as disappointment if this matter is set right. The error appears to be twofold, the one arising from miscalculation, the other from assuming that the sulphate of magnesia, as given in the analysis, represented the ordinary crystallized salt, and not the anhydrous sulphate, which is always the case in giving ana- lytical results, and which is, indeed, so specified by Dr. Schweitzer in his paper, when he states that the dry residue obtained by the evapora- tion of 1000 grains of water amounts to 35°25628 grains, consisting of
the following ingredients :—
Chloride of sodium . . . . . . . . . 1.) . . . 2705948 grains.
bs Ofmisgneium das omise 20) 0) bas aie7/aqS8°66658 3:1;
- SEROMA: pis nalt onkizeacl- haticaic saad a0 Geos cont Beroitie OL TRACTIESINM ~ 5) nts we ow me ee oy os, 002929... Dememte OV Miseiesia 4. ss Gt wk lt lt, 2BOSTST ME Cg So ee et aie sa’. | CO OdaOl 1m Pompuste on memes EY 10, cosy Wt O03 MON 02) 7 AggGey 4:
Now, as these results all stand in the same denomination, grains, it is competent fur us to treat them as pounds, ounces, or any other weight that may best suit our purpose, and as the decimal notation is so readily capable of facilitating these deductions, there is no difficulty
XIIT. G
A574 On Artificial Sea Water.
in at once arriving at the correct relations. Thus, the gallon of water being equal to 10 pounds, if we wish to estimate the proportions of materials for that quantity, or for 100 pounds, 10 gallons, it only requires that the decimal point should be removed, in the first case, two figures, or, in the latter, one figure to the left, and we have the whole operation completed and the result exhibited in decimal frac- tions of the pound; thus for 100 lbs. or 10 gallons :—
Chloride of sodium . . . . 2°706 - of magnesium. . . 0°367 5 Of potassium §: .-.. -OOs76
Bromide of magnesium . . 0°003
Sulphate of magnesia . . . 0-230} mY Eepus rr aR RA - oflime® 4)! .), $45. .9:0440
i RES FAL Ms 003 | anhydrous = 0-178 crystallized sulphate.
It will be observed, that, in order to simplify the notation, I have decreased the extended places of decimals and employed the nearest amount to such fraction, by this means throwing off three places of figures. Then, by reducing these decimal fractions to the nearest value in terms of avoirdupois pounds and ounces, the proportions will stand thus for the 100 pounds of water produced :—
/
Gosse.
Chloride ofscdium . . . ..... « « 43} ounces. 35 ounces.
” Of mgenesigm i ee ot ali 44 ,,
BS OE POUASSIUMA Lois SS peg oi ae ae OMe peat Of. os Bromide of magnesium. . . 4 21 grains. — Sulphate of magnesia anhydrous 38. 02. shyly 7% ounces. ae Sulphate of lime anhydrous 23 oz.= crystallized. 23 ,, —-- Carbonate of limé@:.. BENS E°GL ) aleceore 49/2 graing a
In order to exhibit the extent of the error I have alluded to, I have placed in the adjoining column the proportions deduced by Mr. Gosse from the same analysis and for the same quantity of water, one of the ingredients having been omitted, besides the two that exist in so small a quantity. Now, as Dr. Schweitzer’s analysis is on a given weight of which the saline ingredients constitute a part, it becomes necessary to deduct their weight from the 10 gallons of water employed: this, it will be seen, amounts to 602 ounces, or in round numbers to 60 ounces, which is equal to three imperial pints, so that 9 gallons and 5 pints will be the true proportion of water to be used.
The next point that presents itself is as to the best mode of obtaining these saline ingredients for the manufacture of the artificial sea water,
Zoophyies. 4575
as many of them, not being usually kept for sale, would have to be made for the purpose. There cannot be a question that by far the simplest plan would consist in the evaporation of the sea water itself in large quantities at the source, preserving the resulting salt in closely stopped vessels to prevent the absorption of moisture, and vending it in this form to the consumer; the proportion of this dry saline matter being 564 oz. to the 10 gallons of water, less the 3 pints. This plan was suggested by Dr. E. Schweitzer himself for the extemporaneous formation of sea water for medicinal baths, and, on inquiry since writing the above, I find that such a preparation is manufactured by Messrs. Brew and Schweitzer, of No. 71, East Street, Brighton, under the title of “ Marine Salts for the instantaneous production of sea water.” Mr. H. Schweitzer writes me, that he has for many years made this compound in accordance with his cousin’s analysis. The proportion ordered to be used is 6 oz. to the gallon of water, and stirred well until dissolved.
RoBERT WARINGTON. Apothecaries’ Hall, November 1, 1854.
Some Remarks on the Marine Fauna of the South of Devon. By WILLIAM F. TEmMpPLeER, Esq.
(Continued from page 4468.)
ZoopHyta—Anthozoa Hydroida.
Hydractinia echinata. On Buccinum undatum, Budleigh-Salterton ; ova present in March.
Coryne pusilla. Rock pools, Littleham Cove and Ladram Bay. This zoophyte is much infested with parasites, amongst which I have noticed the beautiful Lichanophora or fan-bearer.
Tubularia indivisa. Dredged off Otter Point by C. J. Harris, Esq.
Sertularia polyzonias. Rocks between tide-marks, Dawlish, Shaldon, Teignmouth, attached to the rocks; very common from the Plymouth trawls.
‘5 rugosa. Parasitical on Flustra foliacea; Slapton Sands.
? rosacea. Very fine, parasitical on Plumularia cristata, on the Slapton Sands; not uncommon from the Plymouth trawlers on Plumularia falcata and Sertularia polyzonias.
4576 Zoophytes.
Sertularia pumila. Abundant everywhere, but very fine amongst the rocks on the Shaldon side of Teignmouth.
a tamarisca. Plymouth trawlers.
us abietina. Dawlish, abundant on Slapton Sands; Coppinia arcta may be found growing from it in smal] yellow tufts.
argentea. Very fine on the Warren, Exmouth, attached
to mussels; it should be well examined with a lens, for the very small and pretty Campanularia syringa which grows from it. Thuiaria articulata. I have found it on the Slapton Sands and the * Warren, Exmouth, but it is very rare on the Devonshire Coast. Antennularia antenina. Fine in Torbay, and also fine and very plentiful from the Plymouth trawlers.
a ramosa. May be obtained from the Plymouth trawls ; it is much more common than the foregoing species, and forms the largest portion of the refuse of the trawls.
Plumularia falcata. Plymouth trawlers; on the beach, Dawlish, at times in large quantities.
= cristata. Rocks to westward of Dawlish between tide- marks; growing on the backs of Corwich crabs, and roots of Laminaria to be found on the Slapton Sands.
a pennatula. Plymouth trawlers; I found a fine specimen thrown up by Otter Mouth, Budleigh-Salterton, after a heavy gale.
"3 setacea. Rock pools, Exmouth.
- myriophyllum. From the Plymouth trawlers.
Laomedea geniculata. Parasitical on Laminaria digitata, cast on shore on the beach, Budleigh-Salterton. a gelatinosa: Parasitical on Fucus serratus beneath the Hoe, Plymouth, abundant; also rock pools to the east of Exmouth. Campanularia volubilis. From the Plymouth trawlers and Plymouth Sound, by dredge. a syringa. Exmouth and Dawlish, growing on An- tennularia antenina. ” verticillata. Slapton Sands, very fine; Plymouth trawlers ; vesicles in the month of May. ci dumosa. Plymouth trawlers, abundant, and also at times on the beach, Dawlish.
Anthozoa Asteroida.
Gorgonia verrucosa. Budleigh-Salterton, many and fine specimens may sometimes be procured here, cast on shore after heavy gales.
Zoophytes. A577
Anthozoa Helianthoida.
Caryophyllia Smithii. Attached to rock near low-water mark, near Hope’s Nose, near Torquay; I mention this on the authority of Mr. Ralfs.
Actinia coriacea. Abundant amongst the rocks at Shaldon, near Teignmouth, Littleham Cove, Budleigh-Salterton.
a bellis. Beneath the Hoe, Plymouth; also rock pools, Ilfra- combe.
Lucernaria auricula. Abundant on Zostera marina, Mill Bay, Salcombe Estuary. It is also to be found in Littleham Cove, but rare.
Potyzoa—Polyzoa Infundibulata.
Tubulipora patina. Parasitical on Alcyonidium gelatinosum, Slapton Sands. Crisia eburnea. Parasitical on other zoophytes, from the Ply- mouth trawlers; also from the trawlers, Ilfracombe. Eucratea chelata. Fine specimens, parasitical on Halidrys sili- quosa, beneath the Hoe, Plymouth, after a southerly wind. Anguinaria spatulata. Beach, Budleigh-Salterton; parasitical on Alge. Hippothoé divaricata. On old shells, Budleigh-Salterton. Lepralia tenuis. On valve of Pecten maximus, Dawlish. unsata. Ilfracombe, between tide-marks, Hole and Small- mouth. ya pediostoma. Hole, Ilfracombe. » semilunaris. On beach, Budleigh-Salterton, and beach, Exmouth, on dead shells. Cellularia reptans. On Flustra foliacea, trawlers, Ilfracombe. Flustra foliacea. The Warren, Exmouth; more abundant on the Slapton Sands; trawlers, Ilfracombe. » cChartacea. Trawlers, Ilfracombe. » avicularis. On Flustra foliacea, trawlers, Ilfracombe; on Eschara foliacea, Budleigh-Salterton. Salicornaria fasciminioides. Fine on Slapton Sands, and brought in abundantly by the trawlers at Plymouth and I]fracombe. Alcyonidium gelatinosum. On the Warren, Exmouth; the beach, Dawlish; very abundant on the Slapton Sands; on the beach, Wildersmouth, []fracombe, and from the trawlers, Ilfracombe.
4578 Insects.
Serialaria lendigera. At times abundant beneath the Hoe, Ply- mouth ; parasitical on Halidrys siliquosa.
Bowerbankia imbricata. On the beach to westward of Dawlish. It is most abundant growing on Fucus serratus in the Salcombe Kstuary, two or three miles towards Kingsbridge.
PS. In the former paper, I made some remarks on the Plymouth trawlers, as to their overcharge for the refuse of the trawls, and I spoke of it as worthless rubbish; perhaps I was not justified in this remark: the larger portion of the refuse of the trawls consists of fine specimens of Antennularia ramosa; amongst it may also be found the crustaceous Atelecyclus heterodon, and, in the Echinodermata, beautiful specimens of scarlet Goniasters.
WiwuiaM F. TEMPLER. Oban, Argyleshire,
December, 1854.
On the Corporeal Sensations of Insects. By Octavius PickaRD- CAMBRIDGE, Esq.
THE accusation of deliberate cruelty that has, by many humane and well-meaning persons, been cast upon the prosecution of the science of Entomology generally, and upon collectors of insects (who are not necessarily ‘‘ entomologists,” in the true meaning of the term) especially, has by different friends been so urged against me, an almost enthusiastic lover of the study and collection of this order of creation. Although, from the earliest period of my collecting, con- vinced of the comparative immunity of insects from what we call pain, and subsequently strengthened in that conviction by observations both in Entomology and other branches of Natural History—which is also probably the case with most entomologists who have at all directed their attention to the point—still I venture to put forth the following considerations on this subject, hoping that more experienced physio- logists than myself will add to them the results of their researches, and that they may tend to remove from the minds of non-entomologists the idea of our being unnecessary and merciless inflictors of pain upon creatures, by their defenceless state entitled to our protection and support. |
‘
Insects. 4579
I will here first premise what I think all will agree in, that, even supposing pain to be inflicted, there is no class of men who show more real regard for the well-being of insects than true entomologists. Just observe the different modes of treatment to which these creatures are subjected by those who are and those who are not entomologists ! the former, from a study of their habits, economy and position, as instruments in the great scheme of creation, are so deeply impressed with their importance, that, save specimens for the purpose of study (and these it is their great object to deprive of life by the speediest possible method), they are most jealous of the wanton destruction of a single insect; and to see these creatures, in the full enjoyment of life and vigour, performing their allotted part in the system of nature is an entomologist’s most delightful occupation, while one who has not made them the subject of study and observation may perhaps have some vague idea of their being for some good purpose, inasmuch as “in wisdom they were all created,” though more commonly but little really impressed by such a consideration, looks upon insects, at least those with which he is more immediately brought in contact, as wholly noxious and troublesome, and the unfortunate wasp, spider, cater- pillar or other creature, is crushed with no more heed to its use or feelings than if it were a blade of grass; and if taxed with thoughtless cruelty, he tells you, as I have been frequently told, that it does not matter, seeing they are certainly not responsible creatures.
I have not here made any mention of the destruction of really noxious insects; but when any species is proved to be a real pest there is no one more ready or more qualified to aid in its removal than an entomologist; and, indeed, it is to him, almost without ex- ception, that mankind are indebted for the discovery of many minute and destructive insects, and the means of exterminating, or, at all events, keeping them within due bounds; and, on the other hand, it is not unfrequently his pleasant office to rescue some inoffensive creature from undeserved obloquy and consequent immolation, on account of some fanciful injury or ignoraut prejudice: this has hap- pened to myself several times; once-in particular when, hearing that, in a neighbouring parish, a farmer had caught and secured the “ cause of the potato disease,” I made inquiries, and was able to save from destruction and unmerited reproach sundry larve of the death’s-head (Acherontia Atropos). Again: not long since, on showing an old gamekeeper a large box of the larve of the emperor moth (Saturnza Pavonia-minor), his exclamation was, “ Lor, sir, they be poisonous !
4580 Insects.
I do always put my foot on ’em, and zao I do kill ’undreds o’ ’em on the heath;” but its habits and transformations having been shown and explained to him, he was much struck, and promised to cease his thoughtless warfare.
But, after all apology has been made for entomologists, it must be admitted that they have a double character, one as “collectors,” the other as “ true investigators:” numbers there are merely of the former, who collect either for the sake of possessing some rarity or for having a fine series of beautiful objects, or for the excitement and difficulty of their capture: numbers, again, combine all this with a true love and admiration of them as creatures and as a scientific study. Many, again, collect for all the above reasons, and the additional one of making a profit by their sale, while many do so for the purposes of profit alone; all these motives are justifiable, and those who collect for any of the above reasons, other than for study, if of an intelligent disposition, are, from the necessary observations they must make in their pursuit, in a fair way to become in time something more than mere collectors; and, in fact, I doubt whether all entomologists cannot trace their present love of the science to some of these motives.
I might here (and it would be, indeed, a pleasant task) trace the general tendencies of the study of insects on the minds and habits of its devotees, and the numberless moral lessons, unheeded by those who neglect the wise man’s command, “ Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise,” that this study forcibly impresses us “that the works of the Lord are great,” and that the sanction imme- diately following ‘sought out of all them that have pleasure therein,” is peculiarly applicable; but my object now is but to show cause against the stigma of cruelty attaching to the pursuit of Entomology, by considering whether insects feel what we call “ pain,” in anything like the degree appreciable by ourselves or other warm-blooded ani- mals, under similar inflictions or laceration of their parts: and here the question arises, ‘‘ What is pain?” which I define to be “ Un- pleasant sensations experienced by living organized creatures on violence being offered to their parts.” Sensation, from all we can find out by observation, is the peculiar result of a living nervous organization ; it is not of necessity connected with life, for in that case all the vegetable kingdom may lay claim to it, and if we exclude this portion of creation from its influence, where, between it and the animal kingdom, is the line to be drawn, on one side of which is sensation and the other side none? Thus, sensation may be defined
Insects. A581
as the “perception of the organs of sense,” which are so constituted as to inform their possessor of the contact or proximity of external — objects, and the perceptions so excited may be either pleasurable or the contrary—z.e. may produce either pleasure or pain.
As to the degree in which these sensations are felt by animals other than man we can have no direet evidence, and can therefore only reason on them by analogy: thus, we find that certain inflictions produce certain effects on man; the like inflictions produce pretty similar results on all animals possessing a warm-blooded nervous organization similar to man, and as we are assured by man that such inflictions on him are accompanied by certain peculiar unpleasant sensations, z.e. by pain, I think we may not unreasonably conclude that such sensations, differently modified in some cases by other principles intervening, are also the results of the like inflictions on those similarly constituted animals. I am aware that this is but a presumption in favour of all warm-blooded animals possessing the same corporeal feelings; but it is still a fair presumption, although we know that many similar injuries do occasionally produce very different degrees of pain, even on different individuals of our own species, and, therefore, as we cannot infallibly deduce any particular amount of pain from any particular injury on one species of a large class, still less can we do so in reference to all the species of that class: however, the general truth of the proposition will, I think, be granted.
Passing on, then, to animals of a very different organization, still nervous but with a circulation of cold fluids, such as reptiles and fishes, we find that similar inflictions produce on them by no means the same results as on warm-blooded animals: a tortoise has been known to live four months after deprived of its brain, and without showing any symptom of suffering (see Dalzell’s Introduction to translation of Spallanzemi, p. 45).° Neither are insects or worms, likewise of a cold circulation, affected by injuries in anything like the degree that warm-blooded animals are: thus, once when out walking I had captured one of the largest species of dragon-fly, and after nipping the thorax pretty sharply, and apparently killing it, I pinned it to my walking-stick with a pin, the size of which, compared with the present entomological pins, was quite a lark-spit; however, after carrying it in this way for about half an hour, it began to flutter as violently as if totally uninjured, and disengaging itself from the stick, flew straight away, pin and all, at a considerable height in the air, until I lost sight of it in the distance. More recently I had taken
XIII. H
4582 Insects.
a beetle, Lacanus parallellopipedus, and after immersing it for a few moments in scalding water, it being apparently quite dead, I pinned it to a piece of cork, and placed it in an open drawer to dry ; two days after, missing it from the cork, I searched high and low, but could not find it, until at last it was found crawling away, with the pin still in it, at a distance of several yards from the drawer. Could we, or any other warm-blooded animal, have performed this, after a similar infliction ? Again, it is well known that some species of moths may be pinned to a tree while at rest during the day, and appear to know nothing of the matter, for aught we can tell from any movement they make, until their usual period of flight arrives, when vain efforts are made to regain their liberty, and the only apparent inconvenience is the being jived to the spot (see Introduction to Westwood and Humphries’ ‘ British Butter- flies, &c.). Ihave myself witnessed similar instances, though at this moment I forget the species.* Ihave also seen a hornet (Vespa crabo) severed at the junction of the thorax and abdomen during a voracious repast on a pear, but this injury did not for some minutes appear to interrupt its enjoyment of the meal, and even when aware of its loss the only effect seemed to be the prevention of flight by the absence of the natural balance of its body. Is it, then, agreeable to our know- ledge and ideas of the effect of pain to suppose that if, in any of these. instances, there had been felt what would certainly have been our sen- sations under such injuries, they would have taken it so quietly and unconcernedly, and with scarcely more apparent feeling than would have been visible in a vegetable? and would not the physical effect of such maltreatment on ourselves have been to produce speedy, if not instantaneous, death? and if, therefore, we find injuries and violence to their parts producing on insects and warm-blooded animals such very dissimilar results, shall we not be justified in concluding that their feelings on these occasions are also of a very dissimilar nature ?—that is, if a total dissimilarity of organization produces, as far as direct evidence goes, totally different effects, may we not reasonably con- clude that the difference is kept up even as to those effects of the pre- cise amount of which we have no direct evidence? there appears to me, at all events, a strong presumption in favour of such a con- clusion.
Again, there are some parts of our own bodies that are sensitive in very different degrees from other parts ; and some, again, such as those
* JT have just had a striking instance of this with a number of small specimens of P. Popwli,--O. P.-C. ; December 10, 1854.
Insects. 4583
easily reproduced, the hair, nails and teeth (to a certain age), in which there is no feeling whatever, neither is there in the bones, and this shows that pain and the living material of nervous organizations are not necessarily connected; nor does the fact of pain in these parts, in a disordered or diseased constitution, affect this conclusion. Now, some insects, as the daddy-longlegs (Tipula pectiniformis), probably most species of spiders and some moths—I have witnessed this power in the angleshades (Phlogophora meticulosa)—part with their legs voluntarily on provocation or excitement, accompanied with but very little force: crabs, lobsters, and probably other species of that order, have the same power, and so independent appear to be these parts that their possessors, or rather losers, not only seem not the least con- cerned at the loss, but, as is the case with our hair and nails, these por- tions of their bodies are—in the case of crabs and lobsters, to my own knowledge—reproduced in due time: the slow-worm (Anguis fragilis) also, and lizard (Lacerta agilis), by muscular exertion, can throw off portions of their tails, which I have every reason to believe are repro- duced.* There is, then, an analogy, in this respect, between such parts of the lower animals and the independent parts of man, and it seems reasonable thence to infer that the respective sensations in these corre- sponding parts are similar. There appears to be a sort of graduated scale in the comparative value of these independent parts in the dif- ferent orders of animals, though, in all, they are the parts least essential to actual existence: thus, in the highest orders, the hair and nails; in the next, or cold-blooded, as reptiles, portions of the tail; in Crus- tacea, Arachnida and insects, more important parts, as legs and wings ; lower again, as in worms, any portion may be cut off, and the head will be in full existence ; and, lowest in animal order (the Polypi), are still less sensible to maltreatment; whence we pass, by insensible degrees, to the vegetable kingdom, in which scarce any amount of de- privation of parts, at the right seasons, appears to affect the vital - energy. But as the above analogy, if granted, would only point to a probable immunity from pain in the limbs, &c., and their peculiar sets of nerves, and not in the body, where the principal nerves and matter are collected, I will notice another thing, which would apply equally to the whole of the insect ; man and other warm-blooded animals may be viewed, in a general way, as composed of a mass of organized matter interspersed with nerves, all of which centre in one place—the
* In Mr. Gosse’s work on Jamaica he has found this is the case with a species of lizard he met with there.
4584 Insects.
brain—this mass of matter enclosing and supported upon-a framework of bones, while insects, Crustaceans and Arachnida may be defined as a collection of nerves not centreing in one point, but with different centres, which, conjointly with other organs and a small amount of organized matter and juices analogous to the flesh and blood of warm- blooded animals, are enclosed in a case more or less solid, in some a mere cuticle, but in others horny, as in beetles, or as crabs and Mol- lusca, whose shells are as hard or harder than any bone: in other words, the one have the bones inside and the other the bones outside. Now, man’s chief seat of feeling is in the softer parts, and those prin-. cipally outside, that is, on the external surface of the body; he has little or no feeling in the substance of the brain or medullary matter, as the marrow, which flows from the brain, nor has he in the substance of his bones or hard outer cuticle, or in the mass of his flesh or in his blood. Why, then, should it be supposed that those animals which consist chiefly of these parts, namely, nervous matter, organized matter analogous to flesh, juices to blood, and hard cuticle to bone, and have none of that peculiar organization which we see in ourselves necessarily concomitant with acute feeling—why should it be supposed that they feel more pain than is experienced in analogous parts of warm-blooded animals ?
Again, it is certain that the lower the temperature of our bodies the — less sensibility is there in them; and, it being certain that the tem- perature of the animals under consideration is by nature greatly below that of ourselves, it appears to me fair to conclude from it that their comparative sensibility is, in consequence, much less than ours: also, from the fact, that what used to be the most painful operations in surgery can now, by Mesmerism or magnetism and other means, be rendered entirely painless, we see not only that life, simply, and sen- sation are not necessarily connected, but that neither are a nervously organized life and sensation; and proves, moreover, that, under cer- tain conditions of existence, animals can be actually without corporeal feeling. Whence I do not think it will be considered presumptuous to throw out, as a speculation, the idea that insects may be devoid of acute corporeal feeling, from the operation of magnetism, or some other such agent, acting on them under purely natural laws.
It is, @ priori, an argument in favour of a very different degree of corporeal feeling among the different orders of animals, that others of the external senses are very variously experienced ; smell and taste, for instance, and even the sense of hearing. Who doubts that the sensations of an animal who greedily devours putrid meat or drinks
Insects. 4585
from a stagnant pond are, in respect of the sense of taste, widely dif- ferent from those of one who revolts at the mere idea of such a repast ? And so of hearing; who will say that the senses of hearing of an animal on which no sounds seem to make any, far less a pleasant impression, and of one who is ravished or painfully annoyed by certain sounds, are the same? It may be said that insects have no organs of hearing and tasting, whereby they could appreciate things in the way other animals do, and therefore it proves nothing; but, allowing this, in either case it shows how widely dissimilar in every material particular, in these respects, different creatures are, for if one sense is wholly wanting, why may not another be? and if the same cause produces pleasure on the one hand and disgust on the other, can their respective sensations be the same?
Let us look at the matter in another point of view: it is certain that impaling alive for a length of time and then being released, and many other severe injuries, loss of legs, wings, &c., have no permanent bad effects on insects, neither ultimately destroying nor suspending the main objects of their existence (multiplication of the species being among the chief), and, as I have noticed above, even the loss of the whole abdomen was not at first perceived, and would not for some time have been fatal, and, if this is so, is not the sole, or, at all events, the prin- cipal reason, as far as we can trace cause and effect, for their being endowed with acute corporeal feelings absent? Such injuries would be, many of them, instantly fatal to warm-blooded animals, and, at any rate, most of them would materially interfere in the carrying out the lot appointed them in the scheme of nature. So here we find as, in tracing out the workings of a benevolent Creator, we should expect to find that such animals are endowed with senses of such a delicacy and acuteness as may warn them at once, on the slightest injury, to avoid the threatening calamity. I conceive, therefore, that it would be to the last degree irreconcileable with what we know of the universal benevolence of God in the creation, to suppose that, without apparently any sufficient reason, myriads on myriads of His creatures, placed in situations peculiarly liable to injury and exposed to violence beyond all others, witness the thousands trodden under foot at every step we take, or destroyed in operations of gardening and husbandry, not to mention the countless swarms, the main end of whose creation appears to be to suffer a violent death, in being devoured as the appointed food of other animals—would it, I say, be reasonable to suppose that these orders are endowed with acute corporeal feelings?
With many persons, I am aware, it is sufficient -proof of an acute
A586 Insects.
feeling of pain in insects, that when impaled they often struggle violently and writhe themselves about, but I believe it is well known (I have experienced it myself over and over again) that moths and beetles, and other insects, may be impaled when at rest and show no knowledge of it, but take hold of the pin and remove the insect from its position, and it will struggle and writhe immediately ; replace it, so that its feet may again have a firm hold, and it is perfectly quiet; and this is sufficient to show that no argument can be drawn from the fact of struggling and writhing, since these are evidently excited by some other cause, and are not therefore necessarily connected with pain. Again, it is well known to collectors that when insects still alive are pinned in the collecting-box, a cool situation will keep them perfectly quiet for any length of time, but bring them into a warm atmosphere, and all their wings are set fluttering immediately, though some, and I may particularly mention Eulepia cribrum as an instance, will not move, either in a cool or warm position, until their time of flight arrives. No one will, I think, argue from this that the temperature affects their feelings; the simple explanation of the circumstance ap- pears to me to be that their muscular activity alone is instantaneously awakened or lulled by changes of time and temperature, in this their impaled state, as we know it is in their state of liberty. Ifa warm atmosphere were essential to the activity of insects, it would afford ground for supposing that other properties and senses, as feeling, &c., might also be awakened by it; but it.is not essential, for some species C. Brumaria, for instance, may be seen in a state of the greatest activity during the coldest nights of winter. Nor am I aware that any degree of cold or heat raises or lowers the temperature of the insects themselves, though this is a fact which requires experiment to put it beyond doubt. Bees, indeed, it is well known, generate a con- siderable degree of warmth, even in the depth of winter, but this also is a fact now, I believe, unaccounted for.
I have thus set down in a cursory way, and without attempt at any methodical arrangement, the considerations which appear to me to lead to the irresistible conclusion that insects, and many others of the lower orders of the Creation, but insects especially, are by no means susceptible of the acute corporeal sensations that man and other warm- blooded animals undergo. In recapitulation, therefore, of these con- siderations in a more regular order, it appears that—
First, from a comparison of the effects, both physical and as shown by outward demonstrations of inflictions and injuries on warm-
Insects. 4587
blooded animals, taking man as their type, and cold-blooded animals, insects in particular, as serving our present purpose, it seems im- possible to conclude that their respective corporeal sensations are in any degree similar, but, on the contrary, the comparison points to the most extreme amount of dissimilarity.
Secondly, from a state of coma, induced by magnetism, being favourable to insensibility of pain in ourselves, it is evidently not absurd to suppose insects devoid of feeling, since they may possibly be by nature under some such influence.
Nor, thirdly, is it absurd to suppose them devoid of, or at any rate with but a very low state of the sense of feeling, since many like senses are in other creatures of such different intensity, and probably some senses occasionally absent altogether, or recompensed by others totally different !
Fourthly, from a comparison of the ultimate effects of injuries on the different orders of creation, the chief reason for being endowed with acute feelings appears, from considerations also of divine bene- volence, to be absent, and therefore it does not seem unreasonable to conclude the absence of such feeling !
Fifthly, from the fact of a high temperature of body being con- nected with sensibility in ourselves, its absence would appear to show a want of sensibility in insects ! -
Sixthly, from a physiological comparison of their composition and internal and external organization with that of other creatures, it is highly probable that insects have little or no feeling whatever.
Seventhly, from a consideration of the circumstances connected with the struggling and writhing of insects impaled alive, it would not be reasonable to connect tt with an acute sense of feeling.
I have given no authorities for any physiological positions I may have advanced, for what I have now written has been in the absence of works on the subject to which I could refer, and is therefore chiefly from recollection of former reading and personal observations, so that should there be any erroneous or dogmatic assertions I shall be too happy to have them pointed out and corrected ; and, in fact, my prin- cipal reason for broaching the subject at all is to invite discussion, and to endeavour to draw forth the opinions of good scientific anatomists and physiologists.
I fancy now that I hear some one say that it will prove anything but a boon to the insect world to show them to be destitute of acute feeling—that the thoughtless will have no reason to be more thought-
4588 Insects.
ful, and the humane, having none of the pangs of apprehended cruelty, will lose their chief inducement to treat them well; but I myself have no fear of any such result: that the thoughtless may be thoughtless still is very probable, but the humane, being spared the pangs of inflicting pain will be not only able, but hundreds will be induced who before would not hear of such a thing, to study these creatures closely, without fear of being disgusted, and it is from their being made a general object of study and investigation that I antici- pate for them a thoughtful and lenient treatment, and I think 1 may even assert that the thoughtless in these matters are now but few and far between, and likely to become still fewer: on the other hand, if what I have said shows anything it shows that an enormous number of animated beings are still gifted with an acute sense of pain; so that there is no fear of deadening in the human mind, for want of exercise, the beautiful sentiments of mercy and pity, which will now be the more forcible as they will be less misdirected. Octavius PickARD-CAMBRIDGE.
Hatch Beauchamp, Taunton, November 3, 1853.
PS. Seeing that the subject of cruelty to insects is mentioned in a paper on ‘ Killing Insects,’ by G. B. Buckton, Esq. (Zool. 4503), who notices the disinclination of writers to broach the subject, I trust the present paper (written, as may be seen by the above date, last autumn) will be received as the first stray shot fired from the hitherto-silent fortress, to be followed up by the heavy batteries of other more skilful marksmen. One or two other facts mentioned by myself are also noticed by Mr. Buckton, but the different dates of our papers preclude any idea of intentional plagiarism; I think it also but fair to myself to state that I have never read it, nor was I before aware of Messrs. Kirby and Spence’s treatise upon this subject, as mentioned by Mr. Buckton. .
O. P.-C. Bloxworth House, November 30, 1854.
[I could not have admitted Mr. Pickard-Cambridge’s paper after peremptorily closing the brilliant but too extended discussion on the same subject, contained in the early volumes of the ‘ Zoologist,’ had that gentleman reopened the question then at issue, but his observations appear too general to invite reply —H. Newman. |
Notices of New Books. 4589
NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.
‘The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Herald, under the command of Captain Heury Kellett, R.N., C.B., during the years 1845—51.’ Published under the authority of the Lords Com- missioners of the Admiralty. Reptiles and Fish. By Sir JoHN
- Ricwarpson, Knt., C.B., M.D., F.R.S. Part III. Royal 4to, 32 pp. letter-press, 7 Plates. Price 10s. 6d.
WE have already expressed our inability to understand the plan of this beautiful and expensive work ; we therefore address ourselves only to the contents of the portion before us, of which we give a synopsis, without pretending to have made any ‘ited ery as to the scope, aa or arrangement.
Osteology etritneayeanaidow? p. 141; Elephas primigenius, p. 142. -
Reptiles. — Lophosaura Goodridgii, Gray, p. 148, Tab. XXVI.; Craniosaura Seemanni, Gray, p. 148, Tab. XXV.; Gecko Reevesii, Gray, p. 151, Tab. XXVIII.
At p. 155 we learn that other species of reptiles and batrachians were collected on the voyage; a list of fourteen is given, among which occur “ Rana, nova species from Canton;” “ Gecko, near Naultina, from the Island of Gorgona, Coast of Peru;” “ Rana, nova species from Mazatplan ;” ‘“ Grammatophora and Emys scabra, from same locality, not marked. Likewise upwards of fifty species of snakes :— Crotalus, Dendrophis, Boa, Pelamis, &c., from — various places, but chiefly from Western Mexico,” p. 156. |
Here are the indications of important and yatwnwle additions to cur Reptile Fauna, and we look forward with high anticipations to the publication of these novelties in that elaborately minute and wonder- fully accurate style for which Sir John Richardson is so deservedly celebrated: we have no notice as to the date of publishing these details, but the author proceeds, on the same page on which the exciting announcement is made, to
Fish.—Anchisomus geometricus, p. 156, Tab. XXX.; Anchisomus angusticeps, p. 159; Anchisomus multistriatus, p. 160, ‘Tab. XXIV. ; Anchisomus eebatets p. 161, Tab. XXXI.; Platessa stellata, p. 164, Tab. XXXII.; Platessa glacialis, p. 166, Tab. XXXII.; Salmo
XIII. I
4590 Notices of New Books.
consuetus, p. 167, Tab. XXXIII.; Salmo dermatinus, p. 169, Tab. XXXIIT.
‘Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. Vol. XX1., Part II}. 4to, 58 pp. letter-press; 5 plates. Price 12s., 10 Members gratis. |
This Part contains the following papers :—
‘Notes on the Vegetation of Buenos Ayres and the Neigh- bouring Districts. By Charles James Fox Bunbury, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S., &c.
‘On the Genus Aquilaria.’ By the late William Roxburgh, M.D., F LS., &c., with Remarks by the late Henry Thomas Colebrooke, Esq., F.RS., F.LS., &c.
‘On Acradenia, a New Genus of Diosmee.’ Ry Richard Kippist, Ksq., Libr. L.S.
‘On the Genus Myrmica and other Indigenous Ants.’ By John Curtis, Esq., F.L.S., &c. |
“Note on the Elatus of Trichia.’ By Arthur Henfrey, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S., &c.
‘Note on the Genus Ancistrocladus of Wallich. By G. H. K. Thwaites, Esq., F.L.S., &c.
‘Remarks relative to the Affinities and Analogies of Natural Objects, more particularly of Hypocephalus, a Genus of Coleoptera.’ By John Curtis, Esq., F.L.S., &c.
‘On the Osteological Relations observable among a few Species of the Bovine Family.’ By Walter Adam, M.D.
‘The Annals and Magazine of Natural History.’ Nos. 83 and 84, dated November and December, 1854; price 2s. 6d. each. London: Taylor & Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street.
No. 83 contains the following papers :—
‘Contributions to the Natural History of the Infusoria. By A. Schneider. [Extracted from Miiller’s Archiv. for 1854, p. 191.]
‘“Zoosperms of Spongilla.” By H. J. Carter, Esq.
Notices of New Books. 4591
On the Genus Lycium.’ By John Miers, Ksq., F.R.S, F.L.S., &c.
‘On the Occurrence of the Bottle-headed Whale (Hyperoodon bidens, Flem.), and Remarks thereon. By William Thompson, Esq.
*On the Primitive Diversity and Number of Animals in Geological Times.’ By L. Agassiz. [Extracted from ‘Silliman’s Journal’ for _ May, 1854, ]
‘Memoranda of Observations made in small Aquaria, in which the Balance between the Animal and Vegetable Organisms was _ per- manently maintained.’ By Robert Warington, Esq. ~ ©On a Mode of giving Permanent Flexibility to Brittle Specimens in Botany and Zoology.’ By Professor J. W. Bailey, U.S. [Ex- tracted from ‘ Silliman’s Journal’ for July, 1854.]
Bibliographical Notice: —A Manual of Natural History, for the Use of Travellers; by Arthur Adams and others.
Proceedings of Learned Societies :—Zoological.
Miscellaneous:—On the Natural and Artificial Fecundation of AXgilops by Triticum; by M. Godron [extracted from the ‘ Comptes _ Rendes,’ July 17, 1854, p. 145]. The Ounces; by Dr. J. E. Gray. . The African Seal (Heliophoca atlantica); by Dr. J. E. Gray.
The papers contained in No. 84 are as follow :—
‘Remarks on Associations of Colour, and the Relations of Colour and Form in Plants.’ By G. Dickie, M.D., Professor of Natural History, Queen’s College, Belfast. ‘
‘On Linaria Sepium of Allman.’ By C. C. Babington, M.A., F.R.S., &c. [From the ‘Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh.’ |
‘Characters of Four Indian Species of Cyclophorus, Montfort, followed by Notes on the Geographical Distribution of the Genera of the Cyclostomacea in Hindostan.’ By W. H. Benson, Esq.
‘ Description of a New Bivalve Mollusca.’ By H. and A. Adams.
‘On Artificial Sea Water” By Robert Warington, Esq.
‘On the Genus Mermis.’ By Dr. G. Meisner. Analysis by Dr. W. J. Burnett. - [From ‘Silliman’s Journal’ for July, 1854].
‘On the Fecundation of the Conifere.’ By Dr. W. Hoffmeister.
Proceedings of Societies :— Royal — Zoological — Botanical of Edinburgh—Linnean.
Miscellaneous :—Note on Alpheus affinis; by W. V. Guin, F.G:S. On a New Species of Rock Kangaroo; by Dr. J. E. Gray.
4592 Birds.
‘ Transactions of the Entomological Society of London.’ New Series. Vol. IIL, Part 3. Demy 8vo., 48 pp. letier-press; 2 plates. Price 2s. 6d. London: Longman. 1855.
This part contains the following papers :—
‘Descriptions of four New Species of Beetles belonging to the Family Pausside. By J. O. Westwood, Esq., F.L.S., &c.
‘On some of the Difficulties of Entomological Students, as exem- plified by recent experience in the genus Elachista.” By H. T. Stainton, Esq.
‘Description of a New Genus of Coleopterous Insects inhabiting the Interior of Ants’ Nests in Brazil.’ By J. O. Westwood, Esq., PES -, Re. :
‘Essay on the Genera and Species of British Formicide.’ By Frederick Smith, Esq.
This is a valuable and interesting part, and one which will be par- ticularly acceptable to the British Entomologist.
Birds in the Neighbourhood of Blackheath in 1854.—The following indigenous birds commenced their song in this order :—
Robin, Erythaca rubecula, Jan. 1. Yellowhammer, Emberiza flava, Feb. 26. Thrush, Turdus musicus, Feb. 5. Greenfinch, Coccothraustes chloris, Feb. 28. Chaflfinch, Fringilla ccelebs, Feb. 6. Bunting, Emberiza miliaria, March 3. Wren, Troglodytes Europeus, Feb. 7. Blackbird, Turdus merula, March 5.
Sky Lark, Alauda arvensis, Feb. 12.
Some of these birds were rather late in commencing their song, owing perhaps to the very severe weather at the beginning of the year. The redbreast sang bravely through all the winter frost and snow: of the rest, the chaffinch and wren commenced
with a weak ditty something like the autumnal song, while the others were tolerably * strong in song ”’ from the first.
Summer Birds of Passage, with the dates of their appearance.
Chiff-chaff, Sylvia hippolais, April 3. Love Lane, Lee.
Willow Warbler, Sylvia trochilus, April10, Elmstead.
Tit Lark, Anthus arboreus, April11. Plumstead.
Blackcap, Curruca atricapilla, April 11. Plumstead Common. Redstart, Phenicura ruticilla, April 13. Greenwich Park. Whitethroat, Curruca cinerea, April 14. Annerley.
Wryneck, Yuna torquilla, April 15. Abbey Wood. —
Birds. 4593
Sand Martin, Hirundo riparia, April 15. Beckenham.
Swallow, Hirundo domestica, April 15. Sydenham.
Nightingale, Philomela luscinia, April 16. Love Lane, Lee, and Abbey Wood. Sedge Warbler, Salicaria phragmitis, April 16. Near Burnt-Ash Farm. Martin, Hirundo urbica, April 17. Kidbroke.
Grasshopper Lark, Salicaria locustella, April 17. Shooter's Hill. Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, April 30. Dartford Heath.
Wood Warbler, Sylvia sylvicola, May 3. Greenwich Park.
Whinchat, Sawxicola rubetra, May 4. Farm Lane, Lee.
Lesser Whitethroat, Curruca sylviella, May 5. In my own garden. Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa grisola, May 6. Greenwich Park. Swift, Cypselus apus, May 18. Wimbledon.
It appears to me that some at least of these birds commenced singing on the day of, or the day after, their arrival: such was especially the case with the willow warbler and the redstart. On the day I first heard them my attention was only arrested by two or three weak notes, which was all I heard, and that frum only a single individual of each species; and yet there could be no mistake, for, singular to say, on the fol- lowing morning every grove was resonant with their voices. I was particularly struck with these two cases, and only less so in the case of other birds. It seemed as though they arrived in song, but the fatigue of the journey rendered it necessary for them to rest a few hours before giving utterance to their buoyant feelings.
It is to be remarked, in reference to the foregoing list, that the weather in the first half of the month of April was bright and warm, but towards the 19th or 20th it changed to dull and cold, and every one must recollect the very severe night of the 23rd. This checked the influx of our summer visitors for a time, and, although up to that period fresh arrivals were taking place every day, a fortnight elapsed, during which Nature retrograded and the remaining birds wisely kept aloof.
I was unfortunately not in a position to note the cessation of the summer song with any accuracy ; but I observed that the following birds recommenced their song later in the season :-—
Blackbird, Turdus merula, Aug. 4, Swallow, Hirundo domestica, Sept. 1. Robin, Erythaca rubecula, Aug. 5. Goldcrest, Regulus auricapillus, Sept. 12. Willow Wren, Sylvia trochilus, Aug. 23. | Chaffinch, Fringilla celebs, Oct. 15. Blackcap, Curruca atricapilla, Aug. 30. Lark, Alauda arvensis, Oct. 18. Chiff-chaff, Sylvia hippolais, Aug. 31. Thrush, Turdus musicus, Oct. 19.
Wren, Troglodytes Europeus, Aug. 31. Hedgesparrow, Accentor modularis, Oc- Starling, Sturnus vulgaris, Sept. 1. tober 19.
I am much inclined to believe that, at least in the majority of instances, the birds which first begin by favouring us with their long-lost voices in the autumn are the young birds of the year; in some cases I am sure of it, from having seen the young birds themselves utter the note to which my attention has been directed owing to its having been so long silent. I do not assert that they alone sing in the latter part of the season, but I believe they are generally the first to break the autumnal silence. The redbreast is by far the most indefatigable vocalist: throughout the whole year he was silent only from July 17th to August 5th, and then the quiet was profound: for weeks together his was the only voice heard, and nothing seems to impair his powers:
4594 . Birds, &c.
so incessant is his music that the small recording voices of his progeny are unheard. In conclusion, the swallow left us on the 5th of October; but nearly three weeks’ after- wards, on the 22nd of the same month, I saw a single swallow flying briskly about at Auchincruive, four miles from Ayr, N. B., at 5 in the afternoon, the weather being cold, wet and inclement. — Cuthbert Collingwood; Purley Park, Berks, December, 1854.
Occurrence of the Snowy Owl (Strix nyctea) in Sutherlandshire-—About the 15th of October, 1853, the forester at Altneharrow, in Sutherlandshire, observed a very remark- able bird on Knock Stack, a high rock in the forest. He had his rifle with him, and killed what turned out to be a very fine adult specimen of the snowy owl, which is ' now in my collection. He says he has never seen or heard of any bird like it during the whole time he has lived at Altneharrow. It is the largest British specimen I have ever seen.— W. M. E. Milner ; Nunappleton, December 30, 1854.
Singular Conduct in a Robin.—Some few weeks ago I was amusing myself with a common snake (Coluber natrix), and in order more perfectly to observe its beautiful and graceful motions I placed it on the lower branches of an apple tree. This ar- rangement had evidently been watched by a robin, for immediately the snake com- menced climbing towards the top of the tree the robin perched himself about a yard distant from his head, and followed him closely wherever he went, occasionally ven- turing even within a few inches. The snake did not regard the presence of the bird, but appeared quite indifferent, while the inquisitiveness and daring of the latter were really very interesting. All this took place within a few feet of where I was standing, and, although the tree was shaken rather violently at times, the robin seemed so ab- sorbed in the contemplation of his strange neighbour that he took no notice of my presence. May not similar occurrences have been observed in other countries, and thus have given rise to the absurd tales told of the power of fascination possessed by reptiles ?—G. Norman; Hull, December 20, 1854.
Notice of a Tunny stranded in the Estuary of the Tees.—I beg to send the follow- ing account of a very large fish, which two fishermen of Stockton found on a sand- bank in the estuary of the river Tees, in September last, and which has proved to be a fine specimen of the Thynnus vulgaris of Cuvier:—In October, 1854, I was in- formed that two fishermen had found a remarkably large fish, which was to them quite unknown, on a sand-bank of the Tees, where it had very recently been stranded. The description of this strange fish, as given by these men, was as follows: it had a head much like that of a salmon; the large back-fin was spiny and erect, like that of a perch ; the tail was curved and spreading. The colour on the back was nearly black, but that on the under part light.. I at this time received a large bony scale, which had been taken from the front of the fish, as well as a portion of the thick and smooth skin of the back, containing numerous imbedded smaller scales. From this account it occurred to me that this unknown fish was most probably a tunny, which, in its pur- suit of herrings and other small fishes, had run itself upon a sand-bank, where it was left by the receding tide. Again, in the latter part of December, 1854, I obtained the following further information, from the same source in Stockton, respecting this
_ which evidently (from the age and en-
Fishes. 4595
fish. The fishermen described the flesh on being cut as much resembling a piece of highly salted bacon, z.e. red with salt or saltpetre: they said its weight was ‘ pretty well on to 60 stone,” and that three strong men could, with difficulty, move it over from one side to the other. My informant had shown one of these men Mr. Yarrell’s figure of the common tunny, in his ‘ British Fishes, which he at once pronounced to be the identical, aud to him unknown, species. He also showed me the tail, which di- rectly confirmed my supposition of its being a tunny. This was of a very regular crescent-shape, with one-half or division exactly similar in curvature to the other: it had 18 rays in each half, = 36 in the entire caudal fin or apparatus; and between the two divisions and sides a cartilaginous keel was well defined. The width between the tips of the crescent, or from one tip of the’ tail to the other, I found to measure 2ft.8tin. Mr. Pennant, in his ‘ British Zoology,’ (p. 362, vol. iii. edit. 1812) has described a large tunny, which had been captured in Inverary, when he was there, in 1769, the tail of which, he says, “ was in form of a crescent, and measured 2 feet 7 inches between tip and tip.” If, therefore, the wide spreading of the tail be any true or uniform character, from which an estimate of the size of the fish could be fairly taken, the Tees specimen would be evidently larger than that recorded by Pennant. I then requested my informant to inquire, when he next saw the fishermen, if they had observed any small appendages or finlets on the body, where it tapered towards the tail, as this seemed to me to be the only character wanting to decide what little doubt could remain in my mind as to the identity of the species. Next, on my third visit to him at Stockton, on January 5th, 1855, he, to my great satisfaction, exhibited to me two strips of the skin cut from the back and belly, with these finlets attached, which of course determined the species beyond all question. The number of spinous finlets or fin-like appendages on the skin from the back amounted to eight, whilst the number of those from underneath was nine; but I know not whether all of them had been carefully saved. Yet, from the descriptions of different naturalists, it is clear that these spurious finlets vary in number, for Linneus and Fleming reckon them “ utrinque ucto ;” Artede and Cuvier “ octo seu novem ;” Gronovius writes “ utrinque novem ;” and Jenyns “nine above and below.” Also Pennant, in the Inverary specimen, makes them “eleven above and ten below.” May these finlets increase in number, as the fish itself increases in size andage? Their colour was of a dirty yellow, edged with dark brown or black. Of the other fins that were at the same time shown to me I need make no mention, except indeed of the pectoral, which was remarkable from its extremity being cleft or divided, and
tireness of the strong black skin) had not been recently done, if accidentally done in its origin. The annexed dia- gram 1 represents its form, with the plain skin devoid of rays between the cleft, whilst 2 gives the form of the pec- toral fin from Pennant, and 3 that as figured in Donovan’s plate 5. The total length of this pectoral fin was 124 inches, and the number of rays was 31 or 32, according as one, which appeared double or branched into two at a little distance from its base, be counted one or two: the
4596 Fishes.
whole was covered with a black, smooth and leathery skin. Mr. Jenyns, in his specific characters of the common tunny, says (p. 362, ‘ Manual Brit. Vert. Animals’), the pectoral is “ contained five times and a half in the entire length:” if this measure be correct, and not found to vary as the fish becomes aged, the entire length of the Tees fish would have been just about 5 feet 9 inches. I cannot, however, but think that this measure is liable to some variation, because Pennant’s fish was 7 feet 10 inches long, or 2 feet 1 inch longer than the former, whilst the spread of the caudal crescent of the Tees fish was 14 inch wider than Pennant’s These characters seem to me to require further investigation, which perhaps can only be effected in the Mediterranean, as in our own seas the tunny is so rare. The large scale, or rather osseous plate, which was taken from the corselet on the thorax of the Tees specimen, proved on measuring it to be an oval, a little more than 13 inch in length by 14 inch in width; but. the small scales that are imbedded under the external leathery skin of the back are rounder, and many averaged nearly $ths of an inch in diameter. The disposition of these smaller scales and the great strength of the coating itself are very remarkable; and as I could find no description of them in any work on Ichthyology, I gave a brief account of them ina short communication which I made to the Linnean Society, on the 5th of December, 1854, since which time I have had the satisfaction of thoroughly identifying the species. I may observe that the only time I have seen a freshly caught and perfect tunny was in the month of June, at Palermo, when two able-bodied fish- ermen were carrying it on their right shoulders, the one walking a few feet before the
other; but I had not then an opportunity of visiting a Tonnara and witnessing the _
method of catching this large and most useful fish.—John Hogg ; Norton, adantigiso on-Tees, January 10, 1855.
Supposed New Species of Flounder.—Having lately obtained in this neighbourhood several specimens of a Platessa (floun- der) which differs in. many respects
YY from the common flesus, I send a
AN slight sketch of it. Very dark brown
\\ (almost black) ou both sides. The
: length of the head, as to the whole
length of the fish, is as two to nine;
the pectoral, ventral and caudal fins
are considerably longer than in the
same sized specimens of Platessa fle-
sus; but the greatest peculiarity is the
deep notch, in the dorsal line, imme-
diately behind the eye. The fin-rays
af in number are—D. 58; P. 10; V. 6;
Wy A. 41; C.18. In all other respects
, oy it is similar to the common flounder.
: The largest specimen is about 6 inches
long. I should feel greatly obliged if any of the correspondents of the ‘ Zoologist’
would supply me with duplicates of recent and fossil fishes’ ear-bones.—Edmund Thomas Higgins ; Birkenhead, December 26, 1854.
White Specimen of the Flounder (Platessa flesus)—In his invaluable work on
British Fishes, Mr. Yarrell remarks, “ Varieties of the flounder occur much more
commonly than those of any other species of flat-fish. I have before me, while now
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