P. nitens most certainly has floating leaves on the Continent, although they have as yet not been observed in Britain. The most typical British nitens is undoubtedly that found by Dr. Moore, in a lake near Castle Gregory, Ireland," We may observe that specimens, when collected in running streams, or rivers, can never be mistaken for P. heterophyllus.—James F. Robinson.
Local Floras—In the list of local Floras given in the January number of Science-Gossip, I find for Aberdeenshire "Flora Aberdonensis" (1838), by G. Dickie. I beg to state that there is a fuller and later edition of this work, viz., "The Botanist's Guide to the Flora of Aberdeen, Banff, and Kincardine," with map (1860), 5s., by Professor Dickie. Published by A. Brown & Co., Aberdeen, and Longman & Co., London,—Tom W. Ogilvie.
Localities for Rare Plants.—As I have been unable to send a parcel of plants to the Exchange Club, having sent a lot abroad, I thought the following localities for some rarities I came across may be of service to my confrères, About Kingston: Caltha Guerangerii, Geranium rotundifolium, Trifolium subterraneum, T. striatum, Carduus pratensis, Inula pulicaria, Campanula Rapunculus. This, Dr. De Crespigny, in his little book, thinks, has disappeared; it is still to be found, sparingly. Hottonia palustris and Scilla autumnalis, Crepis taraxacifolia, and at the foot of Rox Hill, on nettles by the Mole, Cuscuta Europæa. This also Dr. De C. thinks has disappeared; it grows in one spot. Leonurus Cardiaca was found by the Itchen, near Winchester. In the Isle of Purbeck I found, Trifolium scabrum, Lathyrus Aphaca, Rosa systyla, Œnanthe pimpinelloides, Carduus eriophorus, Cyperus longus, Sclerochloa loliacea, Epipactis palustris, Spergularia marginata, and many other rarities.—Julius A. New, Kingston-on-Thames.
The Flora oF Warwickshire—The moss flora of this county, by James E. Bagnall, is in course of publication in the "Midland Naturalist" (London, D. Bogue, monthly, 6d.), the first part of which appeared in the September number last year. Directly this is finished, a complete flora, for the same county, of phanerogamia will be printed in the same magazine, also from the pen of Mr. Bagnall, who has all the materials for the work already collected The flora will subsequently be issued as an independent work by the Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society.
The "Tourist's Flora."—I am very glad to see the article "Tourist's Flora," by T. B. W., as it gives me the opportunity to say a word or two upon the subject. I was afraid to do so before, lest I should be taken as an ignoramus. I have recently, and in time gone past, done a little botanising, having used as my guide Hooker's "British Flora," in which was a clavis analytica of the Linnæan system, by which I have been very much assisted in determining the specimens gathered; but in the more recent edition of the "Student's Flora" no such assistance is given, and although a student may determine class, division, &c, yet I cannot understand how he is to remember the characteristics of orders. The remarks of T. B. W. suggest the publication of genera according to the Linnæan system.—J. A., Coventry.
GEOLOGY.
Prehistoric Cannibalism in Japan—An ancient mound resembling the Aztec mounds of the Mississippi Valley has been discovered in Japan. A scientific examination of the remains that have been dug up from it furnishes reason for believing that cannibalism was practised by the Japanese in prehistoric times. The human bones that were found among the bones of beasts gave evidence that the flesh upon them had been cooked, and the marks still left upon the joints are such as could have been made only by human teeth. It is from just such evidence as is furnished by the Japanese remains that archeologists came to the conclusion that cannibalism had been practised by some of the ancient inhabitants of North America.
Stone Arrow-heads.—A young man in the Smithsonian Institution has just made public the discovery of the method employed in making the stone and volcanic glass arrow-heads, daggers, knives, axes and razors of the prehistoric races. He started to solve the difficulty by putting himself in the identical position of the Aztecs or mound builders—without anything to work with except sticks, various-shaped stones such as he could find on the banks of any stream, and his hands, After making some rude implements by chipping one flint with another, he discovered that no amount of chipping would produce surfaces like the best of these which he was trying to imitate. He therefore came to the conclusion that there was another way of doing it, and, by chance, tried pressure with the point of a stick instead of chipping by blows of a stone, when he found that he could break the stone, flint, or obsidian in any shape he chose. Soon he made spear heads and daggers that would cut like a razor, as good as any he had before him, which had been picked up from all over the world. By a little more observation he found that the "flaking," which he calls his process, on the old arrow-head left grooves that all turned one way. He produced a like result by turning his stick the easiest way, from right to left. He, therefore, concludes that the prehistorics were right-handed people like ourselves. This conclusion is reinforced by the fact that occasionally an arrow-head is found that has flakes running from left to right, showing a left-handed person.
