OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 73

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN

FOR SENIORS AND JUNIORS. (Conducted by Magisteb, to whom all communications must be addressed.) [iIAGiSTEn will be glad to receive Nature notes, marked papers containing educational articles, diagrams, details oi experiments, etc., ot scholastic interest to teachers and pupils. Correspondents must use ox'LY oxe side ot th 6 paper, and whether using a pen name or not, must send both FAME and addkess.l STEWART ISLAND ENDEMIC PLANTS. A fortnight ago I referred to Mr D. L. Poppelwell’s lecture and said I had asked him for botanical lists of Stewart Island plants. The following was kindly sent in response: Dear ‘‘ Magister,”—As requested I enclose a list of species endemic in Stewart Island, together with a list of genera not hitherto found there. Of course, there are several species whose headquarters are on these islands, but which have been sparingly found on the mainland in Oiearia angustifolia, which is only reported from Bluff and Puysegur Point on the mainland: Genera Stewarta?, only cm Herokopere Island, Snares, Solandcrs, etc. Different botanists may, of course, add to or take from this list slightly according to their views as to the limitation of species. Hoping this may bo of interest,- T am, yours sincerely. ' D. L. PoPPF.LWFxr,. Stewart Island Endemic Plants.—Danthonia pungens; Uncinia compacta, R. Br., var. caxspitifonnis (Kirk) ; Carex longiculmis (Petrie) ; Gaimardia ciliata. Hook f. var. ligulata (Kirk); Bulbineila Gibhsii (Cockayne); Ranunculus Kirki (Petrie); Ranunculus Crosbyi (Cockayne)- Azoreila Cockaynei (Diels): Acipliylla Traiilii (T. Kirk); Anksotome intermedia, Hook f. var. obkmgifolia (Kirk); Anisotome flabcllata. Kirk (Cockayne); Dracophyllum Pearsoni (Kirk); Veronica Laing: (Cockayne); Hrachycome Thomsoni, T. Kirk, var. monima (Kirk); Oclmisia rigida (Kirk. Cockayne); Oiearia divaricata (Cockayne); Abrotanclla muscova (Kirk); Oiearia Traiilii (Kirk); Oiearia niticla, var. Cordntifolia (Kirk): Nothopanax Edorloyi, var. serrata (Kirk); Omisia modesta (Diels); Poa Poppehvelli, new species, Herokopere Island (Petrie). Genera common on mainland but absent from Stewart Island or at least yet undiscovered there:—Nothofagus, six or seven species; Hoheria, three species; Carmichaelia, 20 or 30 species; Sophora, three species; Gaya, two species; Phylocladus, three species; Oxalie, two species. For those wishing to get an insight into the botany of Stewart Island beyond what this short and bare list gives 1 suggest the reading of “ Notes on the Botany of tlie Rnggecly Mountains and the Upper Freshwater Valley, Stewart Island.” by Mr Poppelwcll, in “Transactions of the New Zealand Institute for 1912. The paper was placed before the Otago Institute last December. At the same time there was presented a paper “ Notes on a Botanical Excursion to Northern Portion of the Eyre Mountains,” Lake Wakatipn. Both are fni! of interest to tin? botanical student. CORRESPONDENCE AND NOTES. Will Fred look at the case insect at night f See, too, if it shifts its location. Get a case or two and open them. Notice how tough the envelope is and how beautifully smooth and silky the interior is, and what a patent the larva has for closing up the end. Some day I’ll write a few notes on these case insects. I have “Panax ” to “Ornithologist” and “ Makdiini,” if they have time, to drop a note. I think it most unusual for kingfishers to he so close in. It is quite evident that it is not generally known that native birds are protected. 1 do know that on Hie Milford track wckas are killed for the fa( to grease boots with, and anyone ‘‘in the know” can always get live birds for export, and at certain fixed prices. 1 was told this confidentially some weeks ago, c o could not use the information, but 1 have since obtained it in another way. though I cannot make more exact use of the information thus obtained. “ Schoolboy of the Sixties ” raises questions 1 cannot well answer. The intense heat of summer is dm- mainly to two cause: the sun is shining more vertically, and it is longer above the horizon. The earth is in aphelion in June —summer in tlie northern hemisphere; and in perihelion in December —our summer, when we are nearer to the sun by alwut 3.000,000 miles than in our winter. But though wo are nearer the sun in our summer than in our winter, yet our hemisphere its colder. The following are the reasons given in “.Sullivan's Geography Generalised":“'Hi roe causes have been assigned for the difference in temperature between the northern and .southern hemispheres. First, the great difference in the distribution of land and water in the two hemispheres. Secondly, as the sun is nearly eight days in the year longer on the northern side of the equator than he is on the soul hern, a greater quantity ‘of heat is distributed in the northern hemisphere than in the ! southern. And thirdly, as almost all the I ice that is formed about the south pole j escapes, and is curried by the currents towards the equator, the cold which it gives out as it: gradually approaches wanner latitudes. cools the atmosphere and lessens the temperature in proportion. The ice from the north pole, of course, has a similar effect upon the northern hemisphere, but much of the ice that is formed there is hemmed in by the land, and prevented from escaping. “ That portion of the earth’s orbit which lies above the sun, or noith of the equator, contains about 184 degrees; that under the sun, or south of the equator, about 176 degrees; and hence the- sun. in the course of a year, is nearly eight days longer in the northern than in the southern horni- j sphere. Or, in other words, the time between the vernal and autumnal equinoxes is j about seven days IT hours longer than the period between the latter ami the former. This arises from the elliptical form of the earth’s orbit, and from the earth’s beingin aphelion in summer. “Sir John Herscln I has shown that owing to the greater proximity of the earth to the sun during the southern summer, both hemispheres receive an equal amount of heat. “ In 1854, an iceberg was met with in the southern ocean which was estimated to be 50 miles long, four miles broad, and 150 feet high.” Notice how the third reason bears out what Captain Amundson says about the great influence water temperature has upon atmospheric temperature. I/ook up “ Oceanography ” last weelu '

Supposing Bert. Lee, and Frank—l named “ F ” Frank, you remembers—were to search the shrubs or trees —macrooarpa, eta., some fine night and capture some stick insectd and keep them in a box. Perhaps they would mate, and eggs, result. These would hatch out. Keep well supplied with fresh leases in plenty, and placo in a situation neither too dry nor too exposed. You will want patience though. “Avrohom” sends us a note on the weasel. In this connection my epolog-ie* are due to “ J.” (Rimu), who has sent m* “ With Nature and Camera, being the Adj ventures and Observations of a Field Naturalist and an Animal Photographer. It is written and illustrated (ISO picture's} by the Kearton brothers (Richard ana Cherry)—the one handling the pen and the other manipulating the camera. As the book has gone through nine editions, It* picric is undoubted. In it frequent mention is made of vermin in unmeasured terms, but curiously a copious index makes no reeither to the stoat or the weasel, If J. docs not mind. I’ll keep the book a little longer. Some time ago I made extracts from % letter received from Ken. Barnett, who, after serving an apprenticeship under Mr I anr.ock, on his recommendation was ad» mitied as a student worker in the Kcw Cardens at Home. Recent news informs u< that he had gained 100 per cent, for hl4 paper on geographical botany, and that h« had won the Hooker prize for the most valuable contribution to the discussions of the society, a prize awarded by the votes of the members of the society. What won the prize was a paper on the New Zealand tiora, with the remarks he made when referring to a paper on forestry. May his man a increase. ‘Roxburgh : I hanks for specimens. I have now had several specimens of the peripatus. I shall he glad of another trapdoor snider or two. I hero is a good example of the spider’s burrow or tunnel in the M nseum. Richmond, with his botanical and zoological knowledge, puts me to shame. 110 mentions a curious fact about the habitat of the strawberry plant. Further on he mentions tho hina Inna. i his is found only in New Zealand and Norfolk Island-isn’t that so.' Is 11 t it also spelt hine lime? And isn t it the sanuv as niahoe (in the North Island) and ini ini (in the South)? - How many of my young readers know that shellfish have feet? Some day before midsummer 1 II give a note or two upon their mode of moving. Where is the mouth of u cockle, etc ? It must have one. mustn’t it? It is interesting-io got some ink and ojrct. ii into the water near the little animal and see it being sucked in through one aperture ami ejected through another. Soa Dog ” (Invercargill) sends a not* on the 11 memo 1. 1 was on hoard of her recently, and by one of the office re--or wa* it the chic! steward?--was shown some of the structural changes made whet: she was converted fiom the Sunbeam yacht into th« Ilinomoa Oovertunem sli p. According to “ hea Dog ’ my informant is wrong, or was spinning a yarn to a landsman. The story was volunteered, and our conversation did not. suggest anything in the way of romajvoing. I have cut out a little of “J.V letter, because 1 think that ids rcfeienee to tha giraftc and the tortoise does not ap| i!y. Ko out would ever imagine Unit either could ever throw back to the other, or. that either or both could throw bade to miv other form now recognisable. 1 wish, though, that I could get a few score of hoys and girls to take such a close interest in Nature as “.J.” docs. Il‘> lias a.n infinite fund of ‘knowh clge gathered by observation. In a covering note “.I. D.” (Crookston) says; “ Although it is a long time since I left school. 1 take a good deal of interest in your J l . S. column. And 1 don't expect yors to publish my notes, but if the facts X have noted dow 11 are of any value you cm use whatever von think fit.” AH observaa tiolial notes 01 intelligent deductions or suppositions are at all times welcome Readers will notice that tins week I ant giving no the whole of my space tea correspondents amt to notes on their contributions. I have still some arrears to wipe off, line! some promises to fulfil. Please excuse delay. Dear ” Magisier.” On Saturday. May 24, 1 was down at the Indus at Pelichet Hay, and perched <»n the handrail ewer the footbridge I wa.s surprised to see a kingfisher, lie looked finite brave with his mottle-green shiny back and his waistcoat of clean fawn, The footbridge is over the Opoho Creelf that Howe into Lake Logan. 1 have nrvoJ noticed a kinglk-her so near town before, T he bird was not seared. 1 ‘‘sliood ” him oil the rail, and lie leisurely Ii- vv io the telegraph wire. 1 have seen kingfisher* round the coasts and em creeks elsewhere, hut never in town before. One can recognise these lurdo the flint time one secs them; liny very much resemble those wo see in pictures from Home. Now that the “red kakn ” is safe In ifie Museum, I think [ will venture a few questions about protected birds. We were down south rec idly. and “ tucker'' ran short the tinned fish had been lost in a swag on the railway.