p. BUNGEANA AND GERARD I AN A 23 



the Flexilis, but is distinguished from it by a minute 

 display of pubescence. 



As far as an opportunity of seeing it elsewhere or 

 coming across it in our peregrinations, there seems 

 to be as remote a chance as that of stumbling upon 

 a roc's or great auk's egg. 



Specimens of cones of this tree we know from 

 experience are hard to obtain : they must be a hard 

 nut, too, to crack (even from the rodent squirrel's 

 point of view), since they (we read) never open out 

 at all except under compulsory powers. The chip- 

 munk (an American squirrel), on the principle, we 

 opine, that forbidden fruits are sweetest, shows such 

 a determined spirit of greed for the possession of 

 their contents, that no one except the most persistent 

 of men and the most undefeated among sportsmen 

 would stand a chance of winning them for a trophy 

 remembrance in competition against such well- 

 equipped and advantageously situated opponents. 



GERARDIANA GROUP OF PLANE BARK PINES 



P. BuNGEANA AND P. GeRARDIANA 



These trees shall be my books. 



And in their barks my thoughts I'll character. 



Shakespeare. 



There are no trees that carry their characters more 

 conclusively in their bark system than the tw^o 

 above-mentioned members of this very reduced little 

 party of Pines. At a certain stage of their existence, 

 their bark peels off after the manner of a Plane tree — 

 and shall we add of an Arbutus or a Birch tree that 

 " lays aside its w^iite skin wrapper " — and leaves as 

 a result of this shedding process a very unusual 

 and picturesque effect. 



This seems to be quite an original proceeding, on 

 the part of the main stem, of any middle-aged Pines. 



