no grooves about the incisors, not very long hairs or "smellers " on the nose. Coloration a brownish gray. — G. LINCECUM, Long Point, Texas.- Communicated by the Smithsonian Institution.

NOTES ON CEMIOSTOMA.—I desire to correct a statement made by Mr. Mann in the June number of the NATURALIST, p. 339, viz., that Cemiostoma coffeellum is "the only species of Cemiostoma which is known outside of the limits of Europe."

This is a mistake. In the Transactions of the London Entomological Society," Ser. 2, Vol. v, pp. 21 and 27, and in Ser. 3, Vol. ii, p. 101, certainly two, and if my memory is not at fault, three species, are described from India, and in Vol. iii, p. 23, of the "Canadian Entomologist," I have described a species, as C. albella, which I had then found mining the leaves of poplar trees (Populus alba, P. dilatata and P. monilifera). Since then I have found it also mining the leaves of willows (Salix alba and S. Babylonica). It resembles C. susinella very closely and as Susinella mines the leaves of P. tremuloides in Europe, I shall not be surprised if it proves to be that species. It would be difficult, if not impossible, now to ascertain the original food plant of C. susinella (if albella is identical with it). But it would not be very surprising if it fed on the weeping willow, and has followed its migrations from a time. perhaps anterior to that when the Hebrews hung their harps upon the willows by the rivers of Babylon.

If therefore C. albella is only a synonyme of C. susinella, it is a European or Asiatic species. And judging from the food plant, C. coffeellum is also an Asiatic (or African?) species. It would thus seem that we have as yet no indigenous species of Cemiostoma.

Mr. Stainton, Dr. Clemens and others, mention a "spring brood,” a "fall brood," etc., of Microlepidoptera. At page 184 of Vol. iii, Can. Ent., I have stated as the result of my observations that the Lithocalletide (in which family I would include Lithocalletis, Leucanthiza, Philocnistis, Cemiostoma, Tischeria, and perhaps Lyonetia) continue to propagate their species as long as the weather remains warm enough: so that the number of generations in a year is (subject to the length of time passed by each species as larva, pupa and imago) a mere question of climate, and that the different generations overlap each other so that there is no such thing as separating them into distinct broods. This is likewise true of some species of Gracillaria. I do not know how it is

as to Lyonetia of which we have but one species described by Dr. Clemens from a single captured imago. But I am glad to see that Mr. Mann's observations as to the number of broods of C. coffeellum, confirm mine as to the Lithocalletide generally.

Mr. Mann writes the termination of the specific names of the Tineina, ellum instead of ella. As a matter of grammatical purity this may be well enough, but the termination ella has been so universally adopted, and in use so long that it is too late now to change it, and as a matter of convenience it had better be retained. -V. T. C., Covington, Ky.

THE RATTLE OF THE RATTLESNAKE.-Being interested in the controversy now in progress in the pages of the NATURALIST relative to the use of the caudal appendage of the rattlesnake, and knowing that all the facts concerning it must be duly considered before any definite conclusion can be arrived at, I have presumed to proffer my mite and suggest some inquiries, the consideration of which may throw some light on the subject.

All movements of the animal are accompanied by the peculiar sound; at least, such is my observation and I have had ample opportunities for observing. The more forcible or vigorous the movement the louder the rattle. When moving through tall stiff grass the sound emitted is much louder than when the movements are not so retarded. This peculiarity I noticed two years ago when on the frontier in this state. One day while sitting in the door of my tent, a large rattlesnake appeared on the tramped ground in front. He seemed to be moving "leisurely" across, his movements being attended with a "gentle" rattle. After watching him about two-thirds the way across the tramped ground, I started toward him, when he increased his speed and the rattling sound correspondingly increased in frequency and character.

Inquiry A. Is the rattling produced by vital or mechanical means? The increased rattling when the movements are retarded would seem to indicate the latter. The rattle of the dead animal when moved, emits the same peculiar sound, or shaking the rattle in the closed hand is attended with a like result, the sound being somewhat muffled in character, dependent upon being conveyed through the hand. The greater the number of segments in the rattle the greater the sound; the larger ones emitting the louder sound but being of a lesser pitch than the smaller ones.

Inquiry B. Does the fact of the increase of the number of segments with the age of the animal militate or substantiate the theory of "Natural Selection" as applied to the phenomena? The older the animal the louder the rattle. It seems to me that this fact tends to disprove the mimetic claim of Prof. Shaler and the "self-protective" feature of Mr. Henderson. Both of these features, Mimicry and Protection, may be included, but neither, nor both combined, will account for the whole of the phenomena, in relation to this fact—the young requiring greater facilities for obtaining food and more extensive measures for protection. — T. W. DEERING, Leavenworth, Kansas.

VENOMOUS FISH. It is generally known that the wounds inflicted by the weevers (Trachinus) of our coasts, and by the stingrays, are rendered poisonous by a mucous excretion adhering to the spines of the head, back, and tail of these fishes; and a most perfect poison-organ, analogous to the poison-fang of snakes, was described some years ago by Dr. Günther in two fishes (Thalassophryne) from Central America. Dr. Le Juge has found at the Mauritius another still more dangerous kind of venomous fish; it was long known to ichthyologists under the name of Synanceia verrucosa, and is readily recognized by its monstrous appearance, the head being deeply pitted, and the body scaleless and covered with warts. It is by no means scarce, being found throughout the Indian Ocean, and known at the Mauritius as the "Laffe." There are thirteen spines in the dorsal fin, each provided at its base with a bag containing the poison, and with a pair of deep grooves along which the poison is guided to the wound. As in all the other fishes of this kind, the poison-apparatus is merely a weapon of defence, and comes into action when the fish is seized or trodden upon. The action of fish-poison upon the human organism appears to be less rapid than that of snakes; though patients who neglect to apply remedies similar to those used for snake-bites expose themselves to serious consequences, which may terminate even fatally. In one case a fisherman died on the third day from a severe wound. Dr. Le Juge mentions that the fishermen of Mauritius successfully apply poultices of the leaves of a composite plant, Microrhynchus sarmentosus. (Transact. R. Soc. of Arts and Sciences of Mauritius, 1871.) Academy.

VITALITY OF REPTILES.-I wish to draw your attention to some experiments by the Rev. William Buckland, as well on account of

their interest as to prevent their needless repetition. I do not recollect where I found the account of them, but I give the substance from memory. Twelve frogs were carefully weighed and placed in holes drilled in limestone, and the holes were covered with glass lids, cemented with clay, and the glass protected by slate, also cemented with clay. Twelve were treated in the same way in a block of compact sandstone, and another lot were placed in holes drilled in the trunks of trees. At the end of a year they were examined. Those in the wood were dead and partly decayed, as were those in the sandstone. About half of those in limestone were living and of these all but two had lost weight; and two had increased in weight. The cement closing the cell of one of these was cracked so that small insects may have found their way into it, and served as food; and although no crack could be found in the cell of the second it was probably fed in the same way, as in a third cell, also without any discoverable crack, in which the frog was dead, several small insects were found. The living frogs were closed up again, and at the end of the second year, all were dead. The frogs were examined frequently, during their continement, by removing the slate without disturbing the glass, and in all cases the living ones were found not torpid, but awake and active. -W. K. BROOKS, Suspension Bridge, N. Y.

CHANGE OF TEMPERATURE IN WATER CONTAINING RECENTLY FERTILIZED SHAD EGGS.-In the September number of the NATURALIST, 1871, the question was asked, "Can any one give us an explanation of the fact that, as reported by A. S. Collins, when shad eggs swell after impregnation, the water in the pan becomes about 10° colder?" Such a fact requires, of course, careful and repeated observation to establish it. But, in connection with it, the following (from "Nature," January 18, 1872) has some interest. At the Academy of Sciences, Paris, January 2d, "a note on the heat absorbed during incubation, by M. A. Moitessier, was communicated by M. Balard. The author finds that the specific heat of fecundated is less than that of unfecundated eggs when treated in the same manner, and infers that a portion of the heat absorbed by the former during incubation is transformed."

According to the recognized use of the term "specific heat," it is obvious that this statement should have been, that the specific heat of fecundated eggs is greater than that of unfecundated ones; as heat is said to be absorbed by the former. The trans

formation, however, which is referred to, is exactly what occurred, to the mind of the writer, upon reading the item concerning shad eggs; but he was diffident about expressing it, until meeting with the above confirmation, both of the fact and of the explanation. There are few cases more satisfactory, in favor of the correlation between life-force (growth-force, bioplastic force) and the other physical forces, than heat.—II. HARTSHORNE, Philadelphia.

ANOTHER NOTE ON THE SAME.-My idea is that germination in the seed of plants requires heat, so does the impregnation of the eggs named. Hence the absorption, so to speak, of the heat from the water. We all know that conception in the animal requires heat, making the conclusion above obvious.-N. COLEMAN, Otsego, Michigan.

NEST AND EGGS OF HELMINTHOPHAGA LUCIE.—This interesting little bird was discovered in Arizona, and first described, by Dr. Cooper (Proc. Cal. Acad. 1862, 11, 120) and afterward written. about by the same gentleman (B. of Cal. 84), by Baird (Rev. 178) and by ourselves (Ibis, 1866, 260; Proc. Phila. Acad. 1866, 70); this is its record, up to date, the nest and eggs remaining unknown. Lieut. Charles Bendire, U.S.A., writing to us from his camp near Tucson, Arizona, May 19, 1872, says: "I found to-day the nest of a very small warbler, four inches long, which has a bright chestnut spot on the crown, and the tail coverts of the same color, the other upper parts cinereous, the lower parts dull white. I cannot find it in Baird's work. The eggs, four in number, are nearly globular in shape, and hardly larger than those of a hummingbird, white, with fine red spots on the larger end. I am afraid I shall be unable to save them, as they contain large embryos. The nest was placed between the bark and main wood of a dead mezquite tree, about four feet from the ground.” — ELLIOTT COUES.

OCCURRENCE OF COUCH'S FLYCATCHER IN THE UNITED STATES. The same valued correspondent speaks of finding this bird near Tucson; it has not, I believe, been hitherto taken north of Mexico. It is a slight northerly variety of the Tyrannus melancholicus, a species of wide distribution in Central and South America. · ELLIOTT COUES.

THE FOOD OF THE BLACK BEAR.- A few days ago I secured