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HARD WICKE ' S S CIE NCE- G SSI P. 



■each salicis. I may also here mention that, on August 

 ioth, I caught (near Deal, Kent) a red admiral 

 {Pyrantels Atalanta, Hubn.) at about 7.30 quite 

 dusk, but before it was regularly dark. A similar 

 occurrence is mentioned by the Rev. J. G. Wood, 

 but at midnight at sugar. — G. IV. Kirkaldy. 



Unusual Germination. — In October of 1887 

 my servants found several lemon pips germinating in 

 the lemon. My cook put one young plant into some 

 earth in a flower-pot and kept it in the kitchen 

 window, where it was warm. In three days I found 

 it had doubled its growth, but afterwards it died. 

 The weather had set in very cold. On comparing 

 notes with a friend, I found that at about the same 

 date, she had observed the same abnormal germina- 

 tion in lemons. A gardener tells me that he has 

 often found peas and beans germinating in the pods 

 in wet seasons. — Clara A'iugs/ord, Canterbury. 



Notes from Wales. — Many travellers through 

 Wales are acquainted with the view at the head of 

 the Nant Francon Pass, where Llyn Idwal lies at the 

 foot of a precipice formed by the Glyders and Y 

 Gam, and probably they have observed a strange 

 chasm in the rocks known as Twll du, or the Devil's 

 Kitchen, through which a little stream falls into the 

 hollow at the head of Llyn Idwal. It is a weird 

 spot, and well worth a visit ; but few of those who 

 see it from the shores of the lake ever see it from 

 above, though, perhaps, that view is the more 

 striking of the two. Not only is it interesting as a 

 view, but from a botanist's point of view also, for the 

 rocks forming the chasm are the habitat of many 

 interesting plants. It may be reached by a stiff 

 clamber up the rocks from the lake, or approached 

 from behind from the Llanberis valley. It was by 

 this latter route that we explored it. Leaving the 

 main road a few yards beyond old Llanberis church, 

 a path winds up the hillside past a few cottages, 

 getting gradually less distinct until a wall has to be 

 climbed, which brings one to the open mountain. 

 So far there was nothing much to notice, except 

 some unusually fine specimens of A. Fi/ix-fivmiua 

 growing by the side of a stream. Following a rill, 

 by which Saxifraga stellaris was plentiful, and 

 bearing to the right, a very boggy plateau is reached, 

 lying between Y Gam and the Glyders. Narthecium 

 ossifragum was very plentiful, though nearly over. 

 Steering towards the highest part of the latter 

 mountain, a little town — Llyn-y-Cum — is reached, 

 and here the interest begins. The little lake was 

 carpeted with Lobelia Dortmanna, the flower spikes 

 being out of the water, but not yet in flower ; and at 

 the edges were dense masses of Menyantlies trifoliata, 

 which must have formed a beautiful sight earlier in 

 the year. Following the stream from the lake, a few 

 minutes' walk brought us to the chasm, and a few 

 more minutes put us in possession of several plants 

 which we had not seen anywhere elsewhere in the 

 neighbourhood. The walls of the cleft were clothed 

 with Alcliemilla vulgaris, and Oxyria reniformis, 

 though these are fairly commonly distributed, yet 

 here they attained a wonderful luxuriance. The 

 finds were Geum rivale, Thalictrum alpinuiu, Plantago 

 maritima, Rubus saxatilis, Arenaria verna, Si leu c 

 acaulis (in fruit), Asplenium viride, and Asplenium 

 Trichomanes. The latter, though abundant in the 

 Nant Francon valley, was hardly to be found on the 

 Llanberis side. Wandering amongst the rocks, we 

 found also Galium boreale, Solidago Cambrica, and 

 Sedum rhodiola. A Hieracium, which may have 

 been alpinum, grew tantalisingly just out of reach. 

 Besides these, the ordinary plants of the district were 



there ; but these were enough to compensate for 

 what had been otherwise a rather unproductive 

 expedition. A somewhat similar flora was seen on 

 another day at Clogwyn Dda'r Ardda, a precipice on 

 the right of the Llanberis path to Snowdon, where 

 Selago selaginoides and Cerastium latifolium were 

 added to the list. Asplenium viride was much more 

 plentiful there than at Twll Du, and the parsley fern, 

 Allosorus crispus, was in wonderful profusion among 

 the rocks at the foot of the precipice. The stern 

 demands of time prevented a more thorough search 

 in what seemed to be a most promising locality. 



Vanessa Antropa. — A very fine fresh specimen 

 of this butterfly was captured, on August 24th, in a 

 chemist's window in this town, and is now in my 

 possession. The border is paler than a continental 

 specimen I have, and it is also slightly larger. From 

 the state of the wings, I should imagine it had but 

 recently emerged. — P. Stanley. 



A Pilgrimage to Down. — The members of the 

 South Place Institute met at Cannon Street Station 

 on Sunday, the 19th of August, for the purpose of 

 paying a visit to the late Charles Darwin's residence 

 at Down. They proceeded to Orpington, the five 

 miles lying between Orpington and Down being 

 accomplished on foot, the route chosen being that 

 across the fields by " Sunningside " to Farnborough, 

 and from there on to "High Elms," the residence 

 of Sir John Lubbock, who had kindly issued an 

 invitation to the members to visit his grounds. The 

 walk through the shrubberies and woods at " High 

 Elms " was greatly enjoyed, the profusion of wild 

 flowers delighting all the botanists present. The 

 journey was then proceeded with until Down church- 

 yard was reached, and here the family grave of the 

 Darwins was visited. A short meadow walk now 

 brought the company to Down House, where they 

 were most hospitably received by Mrs. Darwin, Miss 

 Darwin, and Mr. and Mrs. Litchfield (the late Mr. 

 Charles Darwin's daughter and son-in-law). The 

 large party was then divided into two portions, and 

 these were severally conducted by Mr. Litchfield 

 through the apartments which Mr. Darwin used at 

 different times as his studies, and had shown to them 

 some of the simple forms of apparatus with which he 

 had conducted his important biological investigations. 

 It was with reverent feelings that the company 

 lingered a few minutes where the great master had 

 spent so many days and years, and all felt it a 

 privilege to be allowed the opportunity of paying a 

 debt of affection to the memory of the great man. 

 Mr. Litchfield conducted the company through the 

 conservatories, and pointed out the Dark Room 

 which Mr. Darwin had constructed so as to 

 observe the effect of perpetual darkness upon plant 

 development. On reassembling at " the House," the 

 company was invited to "four o'clock tea," and at 

 half-past five it set off, accompanied by Mr. Litchfield 

 as far as Farnborough, on the return journey. It 

 might be worthy of note, that the above institute — 

 which has lately appointed Dr. Stanton Coit as 

 its minister — has changed its title from South 

 Place Religious Society to South Place Ethical 

 Society, and a very pleasing service is heard of a 

 Sunday morning, and where may be heard a very 

 able scientific discourse. There are also science 

 lectures, delivered by David Houston, Esq., on 

 "Elementary Animal Physiology"; Miss M. E. 

 Knightly, on "Elementary Biology"; A. Vaughan- 

 Jennings, Esq., on "Advanced Botany," during the 

 week. There is also a very good lending library 

 connected with the institute ; and classes are held of 



