Science, Art, And The Drama.

Science , Art , and the Drama .

LEAF-MINERS . While the glory of autumn colours gratifies our sense of the beautiful , another aspect of the leaves appeals to our interest and curiosity . The great army of leaf-miners , which produce the effects alluded to , may be looked upon as a connecting link between the numerous insects which feed outside the leaves and those which require the plant to provide them with a special food and shelter , like the gall flies . For while they do not , like these

latter , cause any abnormal growth on the plant , they yet feed and lodge within the leaf . The adult insect is a fly which pierces the skin—botanically the epidermis—of the leaf , and lays an egg beneath . When the grub is hatched it does not , like that of the gall fly , cause a special growth round itself ; it merely eats away the green substance of the leaf lying between the epidermis and the veins . It thus forms a little dwelling for itself , sheltered

from the weather with a roof formed by the leaf skin . This eating away of the leaf shows itself externally as brown , greenish white , or white patches , and markings of various shapes . As the grubs are hatched and at work during the summer , the markings on the leaves begin to make themselves conspicuous in the autumn , Looking round the garden , we note rather large brown patches on many of the leaves of the lilac tree . These are not

merely touches of the general autumnal decay , as might be supposed at first , but the result of the work of a species of leaf-miner . Lift up carefully the brown shrivelled skin and you see—ah , no , there is nothing there Try another . In this there is a small caterpillar , with its head towards the outside of the eaten-out patch . It is busy eating—the one"object of its life . The little tomtit knows all about these inhabitants of the lilac leaves ,

and one of the interesting sights of autumn is to see him hunting for them . There he is , clinging by his . feet to the very end of a leaf engaged in eager search . If there is a caterpillar in that leaf its chancesof escape aresmall . Perhaps Mr . Tomtit had been at that one we found empty , or , perhaps , the caterp illar had left the leaf itself , for at times they may be seen hanging by their silken threads from the leaves , evidently descending to the ground .

Hence it is to be supposed these leaf-miners do not , as some others do , pass their chrysalis stage within the leaf . On the leaves of the raspberry the work of the leaf-miners shows as light whitish green patches . Holding them up to the light a light coloured caterpillar with a dark head is seen . Its head is at the circumference of its eaten-out dwelling . On other leaves

the work of the leaf-miner shows itself in a more picturesque fashion . Irregularly winding narrow tunnels , gradually increasing in breadth , show themselves on the surface , something like the mapping of very meandering rivers . These caterpillars have eaten out tunnels of which the increasing widths correspond with their increasing appetites . Sometimes the course of the tunnel turns round and crosses itself—in this unlike a river . Such

tunnels are abundant on the leaf of the snowberry , and may be seen also on those of the primrose , columbine , arid other plants . By the road side they occur frequently on the cow-paronip and honeysuckle . The grub is found at the end of the tunnel on lifting the epidermis , unless it happens to have left the leaf . Certain leaf-miners emerge from the leaves as perfect insects , leaving behind them their chrysalis robes as evidence . On this leaf of

alder , for example , the space between two of the parallel veins on the under side of the leaf is occupied by a brown patch , where the leaf substance has been eaten out . At the end of the old caterpillar dwelling the empty chrysalis case is standing at right angles to the leaf . The white patches which mark the work of the insects on the oak leaves have each a dark body in the centre . On examination they are seen to be empty chrysalis cases .

When we remember the various abnormal growths produced on the oak by gall flies laying their eggs on it , the fact that the eggs and young of the leaf-miners produce no such effect is not a little strange , for on the very same leaf as the white patch of the leaf-miner , with the black chrysalis robe in the centre , are several little round galls . Some leaf-miners , in their tracings on the leaf , form a

transition between the tunnel and patch producers . A narrow tunnel winds about for a short distance and then spreads out into a patch . They may be compared to short rivers expanding into lakes ; and as a lake may have several streams feeding it , so many of these patches have more than one tunnel leading to them . Here are some good examples on the leaves gathered from a young laburnum tree in the garden . The beginning of each little river is marked by a brown spot . Sometimes the lake has

expanded so as to obliterate its river . The brown spots mark where the eggs were laid , and where the caterpillars began to eat themselves dwelling places in the leaf . When we see more than one tunnel leading to a patch we infer there , has been more than one caterpillar at work forming it ; and on removing the epidermis , we find two or more caterpillars sharing a common dwelling . Sometimes so many caterpillars have been at work that little of the leaf remains intact . This is the case one of our laburnum with

leaves . The tunnels are all obliterated , though the brown spots where each caterpillar commenced work arc still discernible . Such are the means by which the leaf-miner obtains board and lodging in one . A strikingly convenient and economical arrangement . With man , the possession of a noble appetite is not exactly conducive to the enlargement of his dwelling ; but the more the leaf-miner eats , the more spacious becomes his abode . He cannot " eat himself out of house and home , " but rather cats out a house

for himself . His diet is , perhaps , monotonous , and he is perforce always confined to the house ; yet these are but trifling drawbacks to a happy state , where eating , instead of tending to poverty , only serves to enlarge his borders . The number of leaf-miners is legion ; and it is a branch of entomology much less completely worked out than are butterflies and beetles . Hence , there is so much the more scope for winning the glories of original discovery .

Domestic Architecture Under Henry Vii. And Viii.

DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE UNDER HENRY VII . AND VIII .

( Continued . ) A very principal innovation in the early Tudor style was the introduction of gate houses , bay windows , and quadrangular areas , of which castles constructed for defence could not admit . Of these component parts of the

palaces and mansions of this age some account may be allowed . As to their materials , freestone or brick , they seem to have depended entirely upon the greater facility with which they might be acquired , and they were not unfrequently mixed . Gerolamo da Trevigo and Holbein introduced hoth terra cotta , or moulded brickwork , for rich ornaments , and medallions ,

Domestic Architecture Under Henry Vii. And Viii.

or bas-reliefs , fixed against the walls ; plaster work laid over the brick walls , and sometimes painted , as at Nonsuch , and square bricks of two colours , highly glazed , and placed in diagonal lines , as at Layer Marney . The chimneys were clustered , and composed of columns twisted or wrought in patterns , with heads or capitals , embossed with the cognizance of the founder , as at Thornbury Castle and Woolverton Manor-house . Gateways

were considered as a great feature in all these edifices , and constructed with most expensive ornaments . That at Whitehall , before mentioned as having been designed by Holbein , was composed of square glazed bricks of different colours , over which were appended four large circular medallions of busts , now preserved at Hatfield Peverel , Herts . It contained several apartments , but the most remarkable was the " little study , called the new

library , " in which Holbein was accustomed to employ himself in his art , and the courtiers to sit for their portraits . It was probably in this chamber that the adventure between Holbein and the nobleman took place , which we have previously related . The gateways at Hampton Court and Woolverton afford such specimens . Of bay-windows , and the capricious variety in their first formation , some observations occur . A bay-window , in common

acceptation , means simply a projecting window betweon two buttresses ( a space anciently termed a bay building ) , and frequently placed at the end of the mansion . They were invented a century , at least , before the Tudor age . In John of Gaunt ' s Palace at Lincoln , built in 1390 , there still remains a most beautiful oriel window , the corbel which supports it having most elaborate sculpture in distinct panels . These bay-windows were usually

composed of divisions , made at right angles , and semi-circles placed alternately , as may be seen in the buildings of Henry VIII . at Windsor and at Thornbury Castle . Those at the upper end of the great halls were brought from the ceiling to the floor , and were of a more simple and regular form . The use to which they were applied appears from a MS . in the Herald's College relating to a feast given by Henry VII . in the hall at Richmond

Palace — " Agaynst that his Grace had supped , the hall was dressed and goodlie to be seen , and a rich cupboord sett thereup , in a bay window of 9 or 10 stages and hauncesof hight , furnissed and fulfilled with plate of gold , sylver , and regilte . " As an interior decoration , carved wainscotings , generally of oak in panels , were introduced into halls , and with greater nicety , both of design and execution , into parlours and presence chambers .

there was an abundance of cyphers , cognizances , chimeras , and mottoes . These ornaments prevailed in the splendid castles built in France about the age of Francis I ., and were called " Boisseries . " The hall and other chambers of the dilapidated mansion of the Lords De la Warre , at Halnacre , Sussex , still retain some singularly curious specimens . The area , or

court , was quadrangular , and besides the great staircase near the hall , there were several hexangular towers containing others . These usually occurred in each angle of the great court , and , exceeding the roof in height , gave a very picturesque effect to the whole pile of building , and grouped with the masses of the lofty and richly-ornamented chimneys .

Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA , COVENT GARDEN .

. Fraulein Ternina , who created so splendid an impression in the " Ring " performances last season , has made her appearance this year as Elizabeth in " Tannhauser . " Her interpretation was full of womanly sympathy for the erring knight and of maidenly charm . Vocally , her rendering was brilliant , and the admirable discretion of her acting was in all respects delightful . There was a new Tannhauser in Herr Carlen , an experienced artist , who

did everything with intelligence , if he made no great impression . Of Herr Bertram , who was a fresh Wolfram , we may say he was equal to all demands ; and the Hermann was Herr Bluss , who proved himself the possessor of a fine bass voice . Miss Susan Strong repeated her success as Venus , and Herr Motl was the conductor of a performance which , although unequal , was on the whole a satisfying one . But for all-round excellence ,

the production of Verdi ' s " Aida " was especially commendable . There had been a notable improvement in the stage management of Wagner ' s opera of which we have spoken . But in the production of Verdi ' s opera , the staging was little short of a triumph . The great Pagan procession at the gates of Thebes , was as imposing a piece of theatrical spectacle as one could hope to see , and the beautiful atmospheric effect in the Shores of the

Nile scene , thanks to the magnificent lighting arrangements now obtainable at Covent Garden , gave a perfect suggestion of truth to the picture . Miss Macintyre , who rerurns to Covent Garden after too long an absence , was Aida . In the interval the Scottish prima donna had made wonderful strides in her art . Her portrayal of the character of the Ethiopian princess was , in all respects , convincing . She was well supported by a new Radames ,

M . Imbart dela Tour , who , at first was disappointing , but who later in the more passionate moments of the story , proved himself a highly capable artist , possessed of a fine , but curiously unequal voice . An even greater impression was made by Miss Huyth Walker , as Amneris . She is an Americ in with a high Continental reputation , in no way belied by her performance . Signor Scolti secured quite a triumph as Amonaslo .

General Notes.

GENERAL NOTES .

Except in one important particular , the Handel Festival of 1900 , will be conducted on the same lines as its precursors , the first of which dates back as far as 1784 . The Crystal Palace directors have , however , changed the days of the performances Irom Monday , Wednesday , and Friday , to Tuesday , Thursday and Saturday , being confident that the alteration will prove more convenient , both to performers and audiences . In these days of late trains and greater speed , little difficulty will be found in enabling the provincial section of the immense choir to return to the various cathedrals

in time for the services at which many of them are engaged ; but in old times it was necessary to conclude the festival on Fridays to ensure choristers from the country being in their places on Sunday . The programme of the Selection Day , 21 st June , will be of unusual interest as the first part of the concert will be devoted to a performance of the second and third partsofHandel ' sgreat sacred and military oratorio , "Judas Maccabeus , " incelebration of British successes in South Africa . Some of the finest choruses

ever written by the famous master are contained in this work , notably " Fallen is the foe , " " We never will bow down , " and "See the conquering Hero comes , " all of which should stir English hearts to their depths at the present time . This year ' s Handel Festival will extend from Tuesday , 191 I 1 June , with " The Messiah , " and conclude on Saturday , 23 rd June , with " Israel in Egypt . "