136 Transactions of the [Sess. 



blow. It became clear tbat the Eabbit must eventually kill tbe Stoat 

 if the latter did not find some haven of refuge, which it fortunately 

 did in a thick clump of briers. Then the victorious Eabbit went 

 back to its young. Oddly enough, I was much amused during the 

 same month (last July) by an encounter conducted on the same 

 principles, by a brooding Grouse and a large Irish Setter. I was 

 taking a stroll, the dog being with me, when suddenly a Grouse (the 

 mother Grouse of course) started up in the heather, and, with wonder- 

 ful fury, and every feather of her body on end, rushed at the dog. 

 The big Setter stood for a moment pointing, and then, all training, all 

 discipline at an end, he gave me one look, and, with his tail between 

 his legs, turned and fled. I think it did honour to both sexes. It 

 was glorious in the female Grouse to attack a huge animal in defence 

 of her nursery ; and it was manly and proper on such an occasion 

 that the big masculine dog should run away. Truly does Lord 

 Byron say — 



"There's nothing whets the beak, and arms the claw, 

 Like an invasion of our ducks and ducklings." 



v.— CONCERNING LYCOPODS AND SELAGINELLAS: PAST 



AND PRESENT. 



By Mr JOHN LINDSAY. 



{Bead Jan. 24, 1884.) 



In the class of plants known as Vascular Cryptogams there are two 

 divisions with which all are less or more familiar : these comprise the 

 Equisetaceae and the Filices — Horse-tails and Ferns. There is a third 

 division, however (now termed by Sachs "Dichotomesi," from the 

 bifurcating nature of the roots and branches of the plants comprising 

 it), which may not be so generally well known, and it is here pro- 

 posed to make a few remarks on two of the genera found in this 

 class, and which are the most highly developed and most prominent 

 members of it — viz., Lycopods and Selaginellas. It is true that these 

 are but sparsely represented by native species, for in the British flora 

 we find only five Lycopods and one Selaginella ; yet the exotic forms 

 of each are numerous, and often beautiful. Many species and varieties 

 of SelaginellEe are to be found luxuriating in greenhouses ; but the 

 exotic Lycopods are so difficult to cultivate that they are, with rare 

 exceptions, only known to us by herbarium specimens. Our indigenous 

 Club-mosses, likewise, though found flourishing in their native habitats, 

 on heath, moor, or bog, do not take kindly to their new quarters when 



