Nov. 1, 1867.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



143 



with the mere names of ; but I may be allowed to 

 specify a few, whose intrinsic beauty and their 

 rarity, except in favoured mountain districts, must 

 attract the interest of observant ramblers. The 

 feathery tufts of the Parsley-fern (Allosorus crispus) 

 seem to delight in sporting themselves on the 

 highest and driest stones, as if they disdained to 

 seek their nourishment from aught but the atmo- 

 sphere ; yet round the lower edges of the stones on 

 which they grow, and below the barren Parsley-cut 

 fronds that surround the more upright fertile ones, 

 there may frequently be found beautiful mosses, 

 sometimes even the glowing golden Apple-moss 

 (Bartramia Halleriaua), and other of the Bartra- 

 mias, with their conspicuous globular fruits, whose 

 presence sufficiently indicate the presence of mois- 

 ture. Lower down, and in damp soil, are rosettes 

 of thick unctuous leaves, curled round their edges, 

 and sending up three or four slender stalks, each 

 bearing a nodding-flower something like a violet ; 

 this is the Pinguicula or Butterwort, so called from 

 the greasy feel of its leaves— and hence its Erench 

 name of Grassette. On somewhat drier ground 

 grows the little Eairy Auricula, with its lilac flowers 

 and powdered leaves and stem (Primula farinosa), 

 and little Polygalas, both blue and white and pink ; 

 and the twining fumitory (Eumeria capreolata) 

 throws its elegant garlands round two or three 

 pieces of loose rock, as if it would bind them 

 together with its fragile links. Sparkling in a bed 

 of moist moss, we see a cluster of gem-like leaves, 

 each set round with a number of brilliant rubies, 

 and each ruby set on a slender trembling hair : this 

 is the exquisite Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia, or 

 longifolia). Their small upright spikes of white 

 flowers are not very conspicuous — but see, growing 

 near, a kindred plant with large shining white 

 flowers, each on its slender stalk raised some inches 

 above the crown of dark, heart-shaped, green leaves 

 round the root: this is the Grass of Parnassus 

 (Parnassia palustris), and it is difficult to convey in 

 words an idea of its beauty, the milky opal of its 

 petals being daintily traversed by veins of the most 

 delicate chrysophrase green ; and at the bottom of 

 each petal is a fleshy scale, fringed at the edge into 

 fine rays, and each ray tipped at the point with a 

 pellucid greenish gland. The rubies of the Drosera 

 are similarly constituted glands, which are confined 

 to her trembling leaves, and disappear in hex- 

 flowers, whereas in Parnassia they are placed only 

 in the flowers, the leaves and stalks being devoid of 

 glands. Dr. Lindley placed both Parnassia and 

 Drosera in the Saxifrage tribe ; and if we pluck any 

 of the numerous Saxifrages which grow scattered 

 among the rocks, and examine the flower, we may 

 see a great similarity in their formation. The con- 

 stant dripping from the wet mossy bed of these two 

 sister beauties has formed a little pool, almost a 

 miniature Tarn, in the bank ; and growing in it is a 



small green weed, looking at first sight like some 

 Alga or Nitella, with its finely-cut verticillated 

 leaves ; but among them arc curious little bottles, 

 which give the name to the plant (Utricularia). 

 These bottles or bladders are filled with air ; and, 

 during the growth of the long slender stalks whicli 

 bear the upper leaves and the flowers, they buoy 

 these up on the surface of the water, so as to keep 

 them dry, until the pollen has been scattered on the 

 ovary and the seeds formed in the Pericarp ; then 

 the bladders burst, the plant sinks to the bottom, 

 there to perfect and preserve the seed-vessels till 

 the next season calls forth the new young embryo 

 plants into growth. 



Schleiden speaks of the affinity of structure of 

 these little bladders to the magnificent pitchers of 

 the Nepenthes ; but our good little bottles remain 

 closed while they are wanted as floats, thus seeming 

 to fulfil the same office as the tender spiral foot- 

 stalks which uncoil to raise the female flowers of 

 Valisneria above water: the economy of both is 

 identical. The male flowers of Yalisneria become 

 detached from their stalks, and rise spontaneously 

 to the surface, thus reminding one of the pretty 

 fable of the powerful Water-Nixei Prince, who 

 floated about so merrily in the sunshine while 

 wooing the fair nymph Valisneria ; but the moment 

 she consented to be his bride, he carried her off into 

 the darkness of his oozy palace at the bottom of the 

 lake. 



However, we must not diverge so far from the 

 " stones on Helvellyn " as to add to our bouquet the 

 very numerous and curious aquatic and half-aquatic 

 treasures of bogs, marshes, and tarns ; but if any 

 readers of this slight sketch should feel sufficient 

 interest in the subject, I would say to them, go and 

 search, not heeding wet feet, torn dresses, or a few 

 scratches and tumbles ; for the botany, as well as 

 the geology, of the lake district, is a subject of in- 

 exhaustible interest, and the locality teems with 

 pleasant memories, in association with first-rate 

 characters, though so many of them are now, alas, 

 passed away. I am thankful to have enjoyed the 

 great privilege and advantage of acquaintance with 

 some of them. 



"It was," says Professor Sedgwick, "near the 

 summit of Helvellyn that I first met Dalton, a 

 truth-loving man of a rare simplicity of manners, who, 

 with humble instruments and very humble means, 

 ministered without flinching in the service of high 

 philosophy, and won for himself a name greatly 

 honoured among all the civilized nations of the- 

 earth." The Athenmim remarks, in recording the 

 recent honour paid to his memory in Carlisle, 

 "Cumberland may well be proud of the poor 

 weaver's son, who sent his name forth to the ends 

 of the world as the propounder of the 'Atomic 

 Theory " 



It was also during the late geologist's rambles 



ii 2 



