46 



HA RDU'ICKE'S S CIE NCE - G O SSI P. 



Island, i. Qrnithogalum umbellatum, from the 

 hedgerow of a country lane, far away from any 

 habitation. The specimen had all the characteristics 

 of the French or Italian plant. 2. Epipactis 

 ensifolia, sent to me from the woods of the Under- 

 cliff. Although not so uncommon in Hampshire, I 

 have not before seen the species from the Isle of 

 Wight. 3. Polemonium cceruleum, from the very 

 heart of the island, growing by a running stream, 

 but possibly escaped from cultivated ground. My 

 correspondent, who forwarded the specimens, is the 

 most indefatigable and accurate observer. — C. 

 Parkinson, F.G S. 



Vegetable Symbiosis.- — Mr. A. W. Bennett, in 

 " Nature," has called attention to cases of symbiosis 

 between fungi and the roots of flowering plants. It 

 is only three years since the doctrine of symbiosis 

 was propounded, and then it was concerning the 

 animal kingdom, or, at any rate, the animal and 

 vegetable kingdoms together. It seemed a novel idea 

 that certain animals actually had lowly organised 

 forms of vegetation living within their tissues, so 

 that reciprocal benefits ensued. Also that lowly 

 organised animals associated with more highly or- 

 ganised ones, for mutual benefits. Such co-operation 

 was fitly termed symbiosis — "living together." Mr. 

 Bennett considers the fact to be now sufficiently 

 established, that a considerable number of our forest 

 trees do not draw their nourishment directly from 

 the soil, but through the medium of an investing 

 layer of fungus-mycelium. Dr. Frank has proved 

 this by discovering that the roots of oaks, besides 

 chestnuts, hazels, &c, are covered with a fungous 

 growth, now called Mychoriza. Through it alone 

 such trees get their nourishment from the soil. Dr. 

 Frank thinks, that the well-known partiality of the 

 natural order Cupuliferse for soils rich in humus 

 is now explained. The fungous growth first makes 

 its appearance at the lateral roots of young seedlings, 

 and is constantly replaced by fresh formation on 

 older roots. 



GEOLOGY, &c. 



The Fossils recently discovered at Com- 

 mentry. — Mr. Charles Brongniart writes me, under 

 date of the 20th of December : " Commentry is a 

 town in the department of Allier, situated between 

 Clermont and Montlucon ; or, since our English 

 maps perhaps are more commonly divided into pro- 

 vinces, in the Bourbonnais, and near the last-named 

 town. They have there upper and lower coal- 

 measures ; the fossils are from the primary rocks. 

 The mines of Commentry are rich in plants, insects, 

 and fish. We are engaged in the preparation of an 

 important monograph on the discoveries at Com- 

 mentry ; the insects alone will occupy twenty plates, 



as is probable in folio. As for the fish, Mr. Sauvage 

 will undertake the ganoids ; and Messrs. Renault 

 and Zeiller will be occupied with the vegetation. 

 Mr. Stanislas will undertake the description of 

 the rocks, and Mr. Fayol writes the introduction, 

 the geology, and the description of the mines. The 

 figures of fossil insects already heliographed in the 

 Bull, de la Soc. des Amis des Sciences naturelles 

 de Rouen are quite sensational from their startling 

 perfection, and confer a new quiet delight, such as 

 our ancestors looked for in the Romance of the 

 Rose." — A. II. Swinton. 



Society of Amateur Geologists. — This society 

 has successfully completed its first year of existence. 

 A considerable amount of work has been done by its 

 members, as the following record will show. Papers 

 have been read at the meetings, on "The History of 

 Geology," by Professor Boulger, F.L.S., F.G.S. ; 

 " The Geology of Belgium," by G. F. Harris ; " The 

 Foraminifera of the English Chalk," by H. W. 

 Burrows ; " The Origin and Varieties of Granite," by 

 H. Fleck ; "Notes on Palaeolithic Man in relation 

 to the Valley Deposits of North-West Middlesex," 

 by J. Allen-Brown, F.R.G.S. ; "Organic Acids and 

 their Geological Effects," by Professor Boulger ; 

 "Volcanic Rocks," by Chas. Lane: "Chemical 

 Action as a Factor in Geology," by Dr. Maybury ; 

 "The Deposition of Sediment, and Formation of 

 Shingle Beaches," by G. F. Harris; "Underground 

 Heat," by J. Starkie Gardner, F.L.S., F.G.S. ; 

 " The Modes of Occurrence of the Diamond," by 

 W. J. Abbott; " How to Distinguish the Genera of 

 Bivalve Shells," by A. Loydell. Excursions also 

 have been made, under able directors, to Finchley, 

 Caterham, Loampit Hill, Westcombe Park and 

 Charlton, Croydon and Caterham, Erith and Cray- 

 ford. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



Sunflowers. — Among interesting facts respecting 

 sunflowers recorded in recent articles, it does noc 

 appear that any reference has been made to their 

 occasional habitat on the face of a brick-wall. In this 

 neighbourhood, one of old-fashioned gardens, the 

 walls carry a wide range of flora, which appear year 

 after year, being well established. Among other 

 plants, the sunflower has been observed by me in 

 such a situation, and no satisfactory explanation has 

 yet presented itself. Two instances of this occur at 

 present (October) in my garden, and I will proceed 

 to describe them. One sunflower grows from mid- 

 way up the wall, the plant dwarfed to nine inches, 

 without flower ; the other from a foot above the 

 surface of the ground, a strong plant of three and a 

 half feet stature, with a flower of three inches dia- 

 meter producing seeds. I noticed small plants 

 similarly placed last year also, but am not able to 

 give earlier experience, being a new resident. Are 

 such occurrences rare, and what is the method by 

 which such heavy seeds reach so peculiar a situation ? 

 — Hahnemann Epps, Tulsc Hill. 



