274 J'KOCKKDIXG.S OF THi; ACADKMY OF [1890. 



a line with tiio [);ui' of styles go through the same process. It is 

 custoniaiy to describe the stamens and petals of Hamamelis as in 

 fours. These observations show them to be really in pairs. 



The Hamamelis flowers in autumn when the leaves are falling. 

 These observations were made between the 15th of October and 1st 

 of November. The insect world has not wholly gone to its winter 

 rest, but it is a very dull and inactive world. I see no insects at 

 work on the flowers, — but I may be told this is an observation easy 

 to be made on any plant. Such a remark has been made on one of 

 my former recorded observations. One who has growing 2:)lants 

 within a few score feet of his library, who has watched them many 

 times a day, and many days during a couple of weeks, might almost 

 venture to say no insects visited them, but accurate statement could 

 only record that no insects were noted visiting the flowers. In the 

 same spirit it is but fiiir to say that the author has not actually seen 

 the valve of the anther fly up suddenly as described above. He 

 has watched witli a lens in hand assiduously for the pleasure of see- 

 ing one, without success. He has, however, seen them erect, where 

 but a few seconds before they were closed, warranting him, as he 

 believes, in assuming the fact as recorded. 



On the Male and HEPvMAPiiRODrrK Flowers of tEsculus 



PARVIFLORA. 



The enormous number of flowers in proportion to fruit produced 

 in jEschIus parvijiora Walt, may have attracted attention. It is 

 recorded as being '• polygamous." The flowers seem to be either 

 perfect or male. 



It seemed of some interest to carefully note the behavior of one 

 I had the opportunity to examine several times daily. The plant is 

 of some age, and forms a l)ush thirty-six feet in circumference. 

 Counting over a few square teet and multiplying by the whole area, 

 I estimated one thousand spikes of flowers. An average spike gave 

 four hundred flowers, so that the total would be 400,000 on the 

 plant. About one half of these had not a single perfect flower, — and 

 the greatest number counted on any spike was forty-six. This would 

 give an average of twenty-three to five hundred spikes or 12,500 

 hermaphrodite or perfect flowers as against 387,500 male flowers. 



In the animal kingdom the number of males born to female is 

 about equal. In the monoecious or dioecious plants it must have been 

 noted that great disproportion exists, but one so great was un- 

 expected. 



