154 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



and examined the original specimen, and have been presented with 

 an electrotype of it. It is a great curiosity. The resemblance to a 

 snake is wonderfully close, although u the scales and cephalic 

 plates, 1 ' which M. Olivier identifies with those of a particular Bra- 

 zilian snake, exist only in a lively imagination. The snake-like 

 surface is covered by delicate meshes of woody fibers; and here and 

 there particular fibers or woody threads can be traced from the 

 body to the woody surface. 



The adopted explanation requires us to suppose that a snake 

 had forced his way between the bark and wood of a living tree in a 

 position exactly under a grub or larva; had perished there when 

 within half an inch of its prey; was somehow preserved from decay, 

 even to the eye-sockets and markings of the skin, until a woody 

 growth had formed, the elements of which replaced the whole 

 superficial structure of the animal, — until the animal was lignified! 

 Two other and more probable explanations have suggested them- 

 selves. One is, that the snake-like body is of the nature of a root, 

 an aerial root, like those of a Clusia or a Ficus, which was making 

 its way between bark and wood; and that the supposed larva is an 

 incipient root of the same kind. The other supposes that the 

 sinuous course is the track of a wood-eating larva or some kind of 

 insect, the burrowing of which had not destroyed the overlying 

 liber: consequently the new growth filling the space (except at 

 certain points) had naturally assumed the likeness of a snake. 

 This explanation was suggested by Professor Wadsworth of Cam- 

 bridge, examining the specimen along with the writer; and it is to 

 be preferred. Still, that head and neck should be so well outlined, 

 and the former so well represent a pair of orbits, were surely most 

 wonderful. But a close inspection of the electrotype showed that 

 there had been some'cutting away at the right side of the neck, 

 and that the narrowing there was in part factitious; and less deci- 

 sive indications suggested that other outlines had been touched up. 

 The subsequent inspection of the original confirmed this; and like- 

 wise enlightened us about the eyes. For the left orbit was found 

 to occur, not in a woody structure, like that of the right side, but in 

 a dark material having the appearance of pitch or cement of some 

 sort. 



We may rest assured that whatever there may be which is 

 factitous in this most curious lusus natures, originated before it 

 came into the hands of His Excellency the Brazilian Minister at 

 Washington." 



Epiphegus Virginiana. 



(plate I.) 



This little plant being somewhat remarkable in its peculiar 



way of living, we thought it might not be amiss to follow it in its 



career from infancy, on through its struggle for existence, to the 



maturity of its fruit, after which, when thousands of little seeds 



