HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



5 



expect one or more of my friends coming to visit 

 me, and to hear something more about the "big 

 ceety." In the daytime I enjoyed my rambles 

 exceedingly, and I came across many specimens 

 here that I had not seen for some time. The 

 lovely Alpine Lady's Mantle repaid a climb up one 

 of the hills, and in the boglands below I found the 

 Drosera rotundifolia, and its usual companion the 

 longifolia. Another carnivorous little plant which 

 is often a near neighbour, one of the Butterworts, 



Fig. 3. Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum Salkaria). 



I also found in 

 part of the bog 



the same neighbourhood. One 

 I found quite covered with the 

 Cotton Grass, and close by a great deal of the 

 Marsh Cinquefoil, which, although it has done 

 flowering, I am able to make out by its strawberry- 

 looking seeds. Another part of the bog I find 

 covered for a great distance by the Horsetail 

 (Equisetitm), and in the running stream by the side, 

 its representative the Hippunis. The Bog Bean is 



also present with its tripartite leaf, but it is now 

 destitute of flowers, and in close proximity is the 

 Marsh Valerian. Before leaving the moist ground 

 I feel called upon t o admire the beauty of a large patch 

 of the Purple Loosestrife, which has a grand effect. 



It was after one of my excursions, and whilst I was 

 holding my usual evening " confab " with my friends, 

 that one of them confided to me that ' ' a wee drap 

 o' Luckie Findlay's whusky wad be a guid thing 

 to carry wi' ane oot on tha hills." I told him that 

 it might or it might not, but as I did not want it 

 for the purpose of quenching thirst it would be a 

 useless encumbrance. I saw that Donald looked 

 quite astonished at my te merity to venture to speak 

 slightingly of what was to him, no doubt, a sove- 

 reign remedy for everything whatever. 



It was only a day or two after this that I took 

 my farewell ramble in Arran. It was not the best 

 of days, and the weather seemed to be breaking up. 

 As my holidays were now drawing to a close, I was 

 not so much concerned on the subject. In this, 

 my last excursion, I came upon the Osmunda regalis 

 in a boggy piece of ground. It was growing up in 

 several clumps, and looked very well indeed. After 

 this I also came across the Sweet Gale, or Bog 

 Myrtle. It was about here in great profusion, and 

 smelt very strongly of the myrtle-scent belonging 

 to it. A little farther on amongst the Sheep's-bit 

 Scations and the heather, both purple and white, 

 I found for the first time the pretty Bog, or Lan- 

 cashire, Asphodel. Another plant which I found 

 for the first time was the pretty White Sedum, 

 down on the rocks by the beach. Though I have 

 often gathered these two plants since, this was my 

 first introduction to them, and I shall always re- 

 member them in connection with the " Misty Isle of 

 Arran." J. Mills Higgins. 



TAME BEARS IN SWEDEN. 

 By John Wager. 



IT is well known that the Bear, by a course ot 

 severe discipline, can be taught to carry a long 

 pole in his paws or a pert monkey upon his back, to 

 dance to the music of pipe and drum, and to perform 

 tricks which the solemn gravity of his demeanour, 

 his clumsy motions, and shaggy hide, render the more 

 amusingly grotesque. He may also be seen, in the 

 den of a 'menagerie, to leap through a comparatively 

 small ring encircled with flame, associated, during 

 the performance only, with leopards and a hyaena ; 

 though the uncouthness and reluctance with which he 

 accomplishes the feat, contrasted with the graceful 

 and ready spring of the leopards, is enough to make 

 the hyaena laugh ; while, of all the performers, he has 

 evidently the most intractable temper, and is least 

 trusted by the spangled damsel who presides with 

 the whip. 



