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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Flowers pale purple, terminal. Altogether of looser 

 growth than last species, well marked by obtuse- 

 shaped opposite leaves (another less distinct variety 

 is known as G. uliginosd). 



12. G. campestris, L. (field gentian). Differs from 

 G. amarella, in having corolla 4-cleft, flowers more 

 blue. 



13. G. glacialis (small alpine gentian). Corolla 

 4-cleft, intensely blue, terminal flower on each 

 branchlet, several times larger than G. nana ; long 

 stem with few pairs of elliptical leaves ; 4 or 5 root 

 leaves. \ 



7- 



14. G. ciliata, L. (hairy gentian). Well marked by 

 fringed corolla ; deep purple-blue flowers single, or 

 several upright branchlets ; leaves lanceolate, lower 

 ones broader, 



15. G. cruciata, L. (cross-leaved gentian). Corolla 

 4-cleft ; anthers free ; flowers sessile, in whorls and 

 terminal clusters ; leaves connate, deep blue flowers. 



16. G. asclcpiadca^ L. (swallow-wort gentian). A 

 handsome plant with upright stem, 12-18 inches 

 high ; corolla 5-cleft, with minute points between 

 each division, blue with white stripes ; sometimes 

 lilac leaves ovate, lanceolate, pale in colour, not 

 connate ; grows in moist situations. 



17. G. pneunionarithe, L. (marsh gentian). Up- 

 right plant, with deep coloured flowers, green or 

 yellow outside, stalked ; leaves linear-lanceolate. 



18. G. acaulis, L. (gentianella or stemless gentian). 

 The beautiful deep coloured plant, with bell-shaped 

 corolla, so well known to all frequenters of Alpine 

 meadows ; also cultivated extensively in English 

 gardens. G. angustifolia is a narrow-leaved variety. 



19. G. Froehlichii (Froehlich's gentian). A small 

 single-flowered plant ; corolla ^6-cleft, blue ; radical 

 leaves extremely narrow and numerous, leaves on 

 stem resembling the segments of the calyx ; upper 

 part of the root somewhat imbricated ; extremely 

 rare (figured in Weber). 



20. G. frigida, Weber (frigid gentian). Flower 

 white, spotted with blue, upright ; corolla 5-6-cleft, 

 having small points between segments as in G. 

 asclcpiadea ; leaves lanceolate, partly clasping stem. 

 Very rare, found chiefly in Styria (figured in Weber). 



21. G. excisa, Presl (notched gentian). Differs 

 from G. acaulis in having a decided stem, and the 

 root-leaves broadly ovate. 



22. G. verna, L. (spring gentian). Corolla 5-cleft, 

 deep blue, or occasionally white ; calyx somewhat 

 swollen ; leaves ovate, lanceolate, root-leaves form- 

 ing a rosette. The earliest of Swiss spring flowers, 

 carpeting the green mountain-sides with brilliant 

 blue ; plant about 2 inches high, single flowers, or 

 growing in tufts. 



23. G. pumila, Vill. (small gentian). Deep blue 

 corolla S-cleft ; calyx smaller than G. ivrwa; leaves 

 very narrow, pairs on stem ; small rosette at the 

 base. 



24. G. imbricata, Schl. (imbricated gentian). Dif- 

 fers from the preceding species in having small blunt 

 leaves thickly imbricated. 



25. G. brachyphylla, Vill. (short-leaved gentian). 

 Segments of corolla almost dissevered, root leaves 

 only ovate ; small pair leaflets below calyx, stem 

 very short. 



26. G. Bavarica, L, (Bavarian gentian). Longer 

 stem than last species, leaves in pairs on the stem, 

 obovate, inferior leaves serrated, and partly im- 

 bricated ; purple-blue or light deep blue. 



27. G. niriculosa, L. (inflated gentian). A well- 

 marked species -yith stellate, intensely blue, denti- 

 culated corolla ; calyx inflated in a remarkable 

 mannner ; leaves ovate, obtuse ; single flower on 

 each plant. 



28. G. nivalis, L, (snowy gentian). Calyx not 

 inflated but slightly angular ; leaves small, egg-shaped ; 

 flowers very small, blue, resembling G. nana, but 

 larger, having several flowers and large leaves. 



29. G.prostrata, Weber (prostrate gentian). Plant 

 branched, adhering to the ground ; stem covered with 

 numerous pairs of leaflets ; exterior of blue corolla 

 of a curiously pale colour, grayish blue. 



G.prostrata, nivalis, Bavarica, brachyphylla, im- 

 bricata and pumila, are all well figured in Weber's 

 " Alpen Planten," vol. iii. 



Attention may also be called to excellent plates 

 given in " Wild Flowers in Switzerland," by 

 H. C. W. , published last year by Sampson Low & Co., 

 the page devoted to species of gentiana being especi- 

 ally good. It is to be hoped the writer will continue 

 her labours, and give us a second volume of the 

 Alpine plants. 



C. Parkinson, F.G.S. 



THE PEDIGREE OF THE ELEPHANT. 

 By R. Lydekker, M.A., F.G.S. 



A TIME like the present, when the public mind 

 has been strongly directed to the subject of 

 elephants, by the all-absorbing question whether 

 Mr. Barnum's elephant be white or black, or even 

 whether there be such creatures as white elephants, 

 is one when we are all likely to be anxious to 

 know as much as possible of the history of these in- 

 teresting and sagacious animals ; and is, therefore, 

 peculiarly well suited for the consideration of the 

 subject of the present sketch. In such a subject it is 

 of course absolutely necessary to introduce a certain 

 amount of anatomical details, which are apt to be 

 somewhat wearisome to the non-zoological reader ; 

 these details have, however, been made as simple as 

 possible, while the use of dry technical terms has 

 been as far as possible avoided. 



The reader must, in imagination, transport himself 

 to the far north of India, to the foot of the mighty 



