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hardened and cracked. Fig. 4 represents a motionless form, in which the cilia are wanting.

In fig. 5 each of the gonidia has become changed into a cluster of gonidia like the parent plant, each with its own proper envelope, but all contained in the original covering. This seems to be clearly a condition of vegetable growth. It is remarkable

that in this, and in a corresponding form (fig. 7) in which the gonidia are without cilia, there are only fifteen clusters; not sixteen, as one would naturally have expected.

In a state of decay, the envelope seems to break up into indistinct cells (fig. 10), each of which contains a gonidium. This seems to indicate that there is a proper envelope to each gonidium, as well as one common to all.J. S. Tute.

The Gray Wagtail.—Some years ago a discussion took place in the pages of the Zoologist on that curious habit which the Gray Wagtail (Motacilla boarula) has of sometimes fluttering for hours together at some particular window in a dwelling-house. Various reasons were there assigned for this strange propensity. Mr. H. Doubleday suggested that the bird was seeking its food; but as no insects could be discovered, and the bird did not seem to pick up anything, this explanation was considered untenable. Others supposed that the bird seeing its own image in the glass, mistook it for its lost mate, which it was endeavouring to rejoin; but it was shown that, at the time indicated, the bird could have no mate. A third solution was that some reflection from the window had the same effect on the Wagtail as a piece of looking-glass is known to have on Larks; but this seemed a mere fancy, as fear is the prevailing influence in the latter case, but not at all in the former. An instance of the exhibition of this odd habit took place a while ago at the house of a neighbour of mine. Day after day the bird kept fluttering at the window of the common kitchen, and how often soever driven away, always returned. So unusual a circumstance began to be talked about, and a report soon got abroad that the house was haunted, and there were not wanting those who believed it. One Sunday afternoon many scores—nay hundreds—of people from a neighbouring town came to see the ghost. This was so annoying to the farmer that he let loose a rather formidable-looking bull, the sight of which soon effected a clearance; and the next morning the poor bid had to bear the penalty of its notoriety; it was shot, and that without a silver sixpence in the charge. But superstition apart, this habit of the Gray Wagtail, not recorded, I think, of any other bird, is a very strange one, and one worthy of investigation. Do any of the readers of Science Gossip know whether it has ever been satisfactorily explained?—W. R.

Tom-tits and Celery-fly.—A few days before your republication of the description of the insect which is the cause of what is commonly called celery blight, my ubiquitous friends the Tom-tits discovered that the larvæ were cleared in two days. Let us, therefore, save our small birds.—J. W. Laurence, in Gardener's Chronicle.

Squacco Heron.—I understand that a specimen of the beautiful Squacco Heron (Ardea comata) has been shot this year on the pond at Lord Eldon's place, Encombe, in the county of Dorset.—C. W. Bingham.

Clouded Yellow Butterfly.—A great number of the beautiful butterfly, "Clowded Yellow" (Edusa), have been taken during the past week in this neighbourhood. Connoisseurs here say they are evidently fresh from the chrysalis, their wings being quite soft, and the whole insect in a state of beautiful perfection. One young enthusiast took fifty in two days (last Friday and Saturday), all unusually large, and of brilliant colours. This is the third brood this season—one in June, one in August, and now one in mid-October.—Frederick Hudson, Ventnor, Isle of Wight.