8o ABIES, OR SILVER FIRS 



find than the Yankee's memorable search for a black 

 hat, on a dark night, when it was not there. 



We may add that the photographs in Clinton-Baker's 

 clarifying Illustrations of Conifers coincide with the 

 shape of those referred to here, and tell their own 

 story more faithfully than words express. 



A. Brachyphylla and Homolepis. — Many mis- 

 givings upon two or three questions in connection 

 with these so-named trees seem to have arisen, and 

 pierced the very soul of the super-conscientious 

 botanical exponent. That is, at least, how it appears 

 to those who, with primitive instinct, have tried to 

 learn by reading the lines, and between the lines, 

 of what experts have written on this vexed question. 



By those who maintain their dual existence as two 

 distinct trees, we are told that so far no Homolepis 

 cone specimen has ever been plucked by human 

 hands, or ever set eyes on by human being. This 

 seems rather to indicate — if it points to anything — 

 that when this missing link in the shape of a cone 

 turns up, no true alibi will be found to have been set 

 up, and affords argument more in favour of the 

 conclusion that it is the same individual, in spite of 

 the assumption of two names, perhaps slightly 

 changed, but not anything in the shape even of a 

 masquerading double, of a different nature and 

 composition, that has obtruded its presence upon us 

 farther afield, and tried to take us in by methods of 

 duplicity. We can only say that if this fruitless 

 peculiarity of dispensing with a cone-system exists, 

 or is going to weary us by its continuance, the tree 

 will be occupying among Conifers as unique and 

 forlorn a position in its place upon our earth as the 

 man compelled — in fantastic legend — to walk through 

 life without the companionship of a shadow. 



To those who wish to puzzle out in entirety the 



