58 THE VICTOKIAN NATURALIST. 



usually reduced to a few hairs, which often play a valuable part 

 in aiding seed-dispersal, as we shall see, by growing as the fruit 

 ripens into a feathery plume or pappus, which acts as a parachute. 

 The marginal or ray flowers of our Daisy have no stamens — are 

 female ; and their corolla is white, and greatly expanded in an 

 outward direction — the only direction in which there is room for 

 expansion. These ray flowers, in fact, are largely useful in 

 advertising the otherwise inconspicuous flower-head. Similar 

 devices we have already noted in the wild Guelder-rose ; and we 

 may compare with these such flower-heads as those of the little 

 Cornel, Cornus suecica, and the Astrantias, in which the flowers 

 are surrounded by a ring of coloured leaves, which serve the same 

 purpose. Finally, our Daisy head is surrounded by a close- 

 fitting double ring of small leaves, the involucre, which encloses 

 the whole in bud, and plays the part that a calyx usually plays 

 in a single flower. . . . It is perhaps among some of the 

 larger members of the Daisy group that the composite inflores- 

 cence attains its greatest beauty and perfection. Examine such 

 a flower-form as the Ox-eye Daisy. First we have the close- 

 lapping scales of the involucre, securely enclosing the whole, and 

 protecting it when in bud. Then the splendid ring of ray-flowers, 

 whose object is to render the inflorescence more conspicuous. 

 Thus we find these enormously expanded corollas often assuming 

 a tint other than that of the main mass of flowers — white when 

 the disk is yellow, as in the Ox-eye ; in other species blue, or 

 purple, or yellow, accompanying a yellow or greyish disk. These 

 ray-florets have sacrificed their perfection as flowers for the 

 purposes of advertisement, and are usually devoid of stamens, or 

 sometimes devoid of both stamens and pistil. Finally we have 

 the dense mass of disk-florets, all perfect, producing a quantity of 

 minute fruits. As for the fruit of the Corymbiferse, a large 

 number rely on wind carriage, and the calyx-segments take the 

 form of hairs, which grow into a more or less perfect parachute 

 to aid in transporting the comparatively large fruit to pastures 

 new." 



Boys' Field Club, South Australia. — We have received a 

 48-page pamphlet recording the doings of the above club during 

 the years 1893 to April, 1902. This society, which owes its 

 foundation to the enthusiasm of Mr. W. C. Grasby, its present 

 president, was founded in August, 1887, has for its motto — "The 

 naturalist loves life," and its objects — (ist) to encourage nature 

 study, and (2nd) to provide healthful recreation. The members 

 are principally boys of 10 to 18 years of age. Regular meetings 

 and excursions are held for purposes of study, but the great 

 feature of the club has been the Easter encampments, of which 

 thirteen have now been held, lasting from seven to nine days 

 each. These camps are usually attended by some thirty to fifty 



