274 
§ 275. Nature on the rampage.—We have received a charm- 
ing letter from a valued correspondent of the BULLETIN, who has 
removed to South-western Michigan. We trust she will pardon the 
publication of the following extract : “The spring flowers here are 
abundant and beautiful, but, though everything grows enormously, 
there is no such place for surprises as at the East. We found Epi- 
gaea last spring, greatly to our content, and a thicket of wild crab, 
which, like Thoreau, we much delighted in. As we have a boat 
on the river, we study the water plants somewhat, but everything 
becomes a jungle soon. I have seen acres of tall annuals and ferns 
woven into a compact mass with Cuscuta chlorocarpa, which had 
finally given them, at a distance, an orange bloom from its own 
color. * * * * Think of Erechthites hieracifolia twenty feet 
high, and Phleum pratense seven feet and two inches in height when 
it grew wild, as I have seen them both. The birds are plentiful and 
very tame—too tame, I sometimes think. The mocking thrush will 
come to a tree where I am, sit within five feet of me, and sing as if 
it wtré mad with joy. Carolina doves roll and sun themselves 
almost at my feet, and I really don’t know sometimes but the little 
scolds will combine and drive me out of my strawberry-bed alto- 
gether, they are so fearless, and angry if I disturb them. Hares run 
about everywhere. I have seen seven or eight at once playing in my 
pear orchard. They keep a bed of Verbenas eaten down and take 
the most of my pansies.” 
§ 276. Publications.—1. American Naturalist. In the August 
No., Prof. W. J. Beal explains the fertilization of Utricularia and 
Pyxidanthera., and in the October No., “ How Thistles spin.” Dr. 
Edward Palmer in Sept. and Oct. Nos. has a very valuable paper on 
the Plants used by the Indians of the United States. In the Novem- 
ber No. Mr. Davenport distinguishes between Aspidinm spinulosum 
and variety iztermedium, which he is inclined to regard as a dis- 
tinct species and toname A. Americanum. The most decided differ- 
ences are that in A. spinudosum the under surface is smooth, indus- 
ium naked, sori terminal on the veins; in var. ¢ntermedium, the 
under surface is finely glandular, indusium covered with stalked 
glands, sori medial or subterminal on veins. It is necessary to col- 
lect specimens early, das the glands are fugacious, quickly disappearing 
after the indusium begins to contract. He is likewise inclined to 
consider Var. Boottit also as distinct, at all events as more nearly 
allied to A. cristatum. In the same No. Mr. Ward discusses the 
Natural succession of the Dicotyledons. ‘I'wo recent works of great 
‘interest bearing on this point, are :—2. Blithendiagramme, by Dr. 
A. W. Eichler, 2nd Part, Leipzig, Engelmann, 1878, and—3. Ver- 
gleichende Untersuchungen aber Entwicklung dikotyledoner Keime, by 
Dr. F. Hegelmaier, Stuttgart, Koch, 1878.—4. American Journal of 
Science and Arts. In the August and September Nos. is published 
Dr. Gray’s Lecture on Forest Geography and Archeology, in which 
his well-known views, confirmed by Arctic discoveries, as to the 
effects of the glacial period on plant distribution are applied to the 
four forest regions of the opposite shores of, the Northern Atlantic and © 
