328 APPENDIX BY THE 



into, which soon fills it to the level of the ground. ... To 

 theso sinks, the waters lying on the surface of the prairies 

 are continually draining and lodging in them their vege- 

 table deposits, which, after a lapse of years, fill them up 

 to the surface with a rich soil, which throws up an unusual 

 growth of grass and herbage, forming conspicuous circles 

 which arrest the eye of the traveler." Mr. C. farther 

 adds that " these strange circles often occur in groups, and 

 of different sizes." Catlins N. A. Indians, Vol. I. p. 249. 



NOTE JJ. 



, page 255. 



.jEcidium is a genus of minute parasitic plants, belong- 

 ing to the order of Fungi. They are found upon the 

 leaves, the bark, and even upon the flowers of living plants, 

 but are altogether distinct from the cuticle of the vege- 

 table on which they have their growth. They are always 

 tubular in their form. On the weeds and trees of north- 

 ern countries they are very common, and a great many 

 species have attracted the attention of botanists, while to 

 the careless eye, they often appear like the nests of some 

 small insect. The common fancy among farmers that the 

 barberry-bush is injurious to wheat, producing rust in the 

 grain, is owing to an secidium growing on the barberry, 

 which covers its leaves with a bright, orange powder. Tho 

 only resemblance, however, between the rust of wheat and 

 the barberry blight lies in the color. The rust in wheat, 

 is in fact another, and a wholly different species of this 

 same genus secidium ; it is called by botanists, Puccinia 

 graminis. Another common secidium is that of the pear- 

 tree, which has received the name of Peridia. 



