

iS5i.J 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



581 



Brazii- 



It has short slender stems ; the sepals 

 *TlJJals^are brownish green, with deeji brown bars 

 ^riTL™ The lio is lieht purple. Its 



grows well on 



__them. ineiip 



ylek of wood, with some moss ; it requires a good 

 i2hr of neat aurin o tae growing season, but not much 



as 



Lyi WaUceriana, from Brazil, produces large 



flpgflffij at different times of the year. It succeeds 



J on a block with moss, and requires plenty of heat 



^ moisture during the growing season. The blooms 



yiloog in beauty, and are very fragrant. 



jZjniimm kierocarpum blossoms in December and 

 wary. The flowers are pale yellow, very fragrant, 

 •ci remain tt >ur or live weeks in perfection. This plant 

 best on a block with sphagnum, and it likes a good 



aooir of heat and moisture during the growing season ; 

 Shards it may be kept cool and rather dry. 



Crfogyne ockracea is a beautiful Orchid ; it flowers in 

 Firoary and March. The blooms are white, and very 

 bmnt,and they will continue in beauty for four weeks. 

 It should be grown on a block where it can have a good 

 uppjv of heat and moisture while making shoots. 



Ik urn ciliatum comes from Brazil, and flowers in 



The blooms are yellow, and 



It succeeds best on a block, 



October and November. 



papain long in perfection. 



with sphagnum, suspended from the roof, where there 



s pltmv of heat and moisture during the growing season. 



OtcidiMm conculor, a yellow flowered kind, from the 

 Onan mountains. Does well on a block with moss, 

 iidihould have a good sypply of water at the roots. 



Epidtn am aloxfolium is a fine species ; it flowers in 

 April ind May, and succeeds best on a block, with 

 sphagnum. It comes from India. 



Schmburghia crispa, from G uiana, flowers at different 

 times of the year, and its blossoms last long in beauty. 

 It will thrive on a block, with sphagnum, suspended 

 from the roof. It likes a good supply of heat and mois- 

 ture during the growing season. 



Schomburglua tibicinis, from Honduras, flowers in May 

 ind Juoe. It does well on a block, and requires the 

 mme treatment as crispa. 



Schomburghia undulata is a Brazilian species, which 

 blooms in February and March, and its blossoms remain 

 ftree or four weeks in perfection. This will succeed on 

 i block, with sphagnum, hung up from the roof. It 

 Dkes a good supply of heat and moisture during the 

 pawing season, afterwards it may be kept rather dry. 



Cirrkopetalum Thouarsii, from Mauritius, flowers in 

 October. It requires the same treatment as the last- 

 named plant. 



another fortnight, we shall most probablv, so far 

 they are concerned, "be left alone in oar glory." 



To compensate for this great drawback to our plea- 

 sures — for we must ever avow our "undying" pre- 

 dilection for the vocal melody of these foreign choristers 

 — many of our native birds come into full song imme- 

 diately on the departure of the others. Nor is it :it all 

 difficult to get through the seasons of autumn and 

 winter, while blessed with the harmony of such sweet 

 voices. The robin, wren, and hedge sparrow are now 

 distinguishing themselves toadmiration. The young black- 

 birds and thrushes, too, are tuning up ; and the chaffinch 

 may be heard " pink "-ing merrily in our orchards, and 

 in the fields. As for the tit-mouse — he is chanting his 

 merry rigmarole from early morn, throughout the day. 

 The sky- lark, linnet, goldfinch, and many others, are 

 preparing to join the merry throng at no distant period. 



We will now discourse of the Babillard (Ourruca 

 garrula), a little bird of passage, yet with us for a few 

 days longer. Many persons who have not gone closely 

 into the study of natural history, have been in the habit 

 of christening this little chorister, the LemrWhitet h roat. 

 It is, however, altogether a distinct species, and takes its 

 name from its garrulous propensities— Babillard being a 

 French word, and its signification a " chatterer." 



The babillard is- in appearance very like the Pi y 

 whitethroat (Curruca cinerea), which it resembles both 

 iir colour and in figure. 



and more compactly-formed bird. The bill, too, is 

 shorter ; the legs are darker ; and from the breast 

 downwards it is of a much whiter plumage. It is also 

 free from the rusty colour on the wings, which is so 

 observable in the whitethroat. Nor does the babil- 



>n love you most tenderly, liiey will take their 

 food from your hand most affectionately, at all timet ; 

 and lavish on you those numerous unmistakeable en- 

 dearments in which we all so greatly delight William 

 Kidd. 



BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCE- 

 MENT OF SCIENCE. 

 Section C. Tuesday, July 8 (continued from p. 564.) 

 — On a Monstrosity of Lathyrus odorqtu* ; by Dr. 

 Lank ester. — This specimen was presented to the sec- 

 tion by John King, Esq., of Ipswich, in whose garden it 

 had grown. The Papilionaceous petals were reduced to 

 mere scales, and the calyx assumed a less developed 

 and perfectly regular form. The stamens were no 

 longer diadelphous, but regular, 10 in number, and 

 arranged in two rows. The carpels were reduced to 

 the condition of a single leaf, on which were seated 

 rudimentary ovules. The leaves and branches were not 



so large, or expanded, as is usual with healthy specimens 

 of this plant. 



Abstract of a fiewrt on the Reproduction of th Hightt 

 Cryptogams ; by Arthur Hl.nprey, F.L.S., «Vc — The 

 greater part of the report was taken up by a nummary 

 of the facts at present on record respecting the occur 

 rence of the organs termed antheridia and pistillidia in 

 all the higher families of Crvptogamous plants, that 



18 



It is, however, a much smaller to say, in all those possessing "distinct stems and leave*, 



nu-_ i ii A _ _•_ v - z , t j ie M <>we g f Liverworts, Ferns, EquisetaeesB, Lyco- 



podiacece, Isoetaceoe and Rhizocarpese. The general con- 

 clusions at which the reporter had arrived are as follow : 



In the facts of which the report gives abrief resumi, th 

 are two important points to consider. In the first place, 

 we have to determine how far they suffice to warrant a 

 belief in the existence of a distinction of sexes in these 



BRITISH SONG BIRDS. 



(Cage Birds, No. 29.) 



No. XLV. — This is just the very season for a lover 

 of Nature to revel in delight. Every week, nay, every 

 <Uy brings with it something new— something marvel- 

 low to behold ; and whilst gazing on the works of Pro- 

 vidence as manifested in the Creation, in their daily 

 progress, we are pleasingly constrained to say with the 

 p>od, the amiable James Hervey — " Even inanimate 

 Nature is all but vocal with the Creator's praise." 



The glorious days of harvest are now nearly over. 

 The heavy— thanks be to Providence, the universally 

 heavy— sheaves of corn are carried to the barn, and 

 jwely housed; and all is joy and rejoicing with the 

 armers and their dependants : 



11 There't merry laughter in the field, 

 And harmless jeat and frolic rout; 

 And the ia*t harvest- wain goes by, 

 With its rustling load so pleasantly, 

 To the glad and clamorous harvest shout." 



A right pleasant sight is this ; and right welcome are 



•ch jocund sounds as they are borne upon the breeze 1 

 And see— 



" There are the busy gleaners in the field,— 

 The old, whose work is never done, 

 And eager, laughing childish bands, 

 Kubbing the ears in their little hands, 

 And siuging 'neath the autumn sun." 



Jad what is better still, our little friends, the birds, are 

 Jjn abroad in their usual haunts ; singing, and making 

 ■««Wy m their hearts, while these operations of the 

 ■«a are thus cheerfully going on. 

 us now that the blooming « merrie maidens," and 

 r constant swains, hie forth to the woods and 



WghT' t0 pthep nuts from off the heavily-1 



lard assimilate much in its habits with the whitethroat 

 The latter delights in green shady lanes, hedges, and 

 copses, from which it seldom wanders. The former, 

 like the garden warbler, rejoices in our orchards and 

 gardens, where it gives unrestrained license to its 

 appetite. I seldom pass my gooseberry and currant 

 bushes, without finding several of these little visitors 

 u helping the gardener" to clear the branches of their 

 fruit. Some of my neighbours resent these familiarities 

 by the introduction of a loaded gun. Such, therefore, 

 of the poor little innocents as escape assassination from 

 these churls, billet themselves upon me ; so that I get 

 double benefit. In the fruit season, my grounds are 

 regarded by our summer visitors as " the refuge for the 

 destitute." I may lose something thereby, it is true, 



but I gain more. 



The babillard arrives among us about the third week 

 in April. He is rather a shy bird in the early part of 

 the season, but he grows more familiar as the trees 

 become covered with foliage. He is a cheerful, merry 



—never at rest, but incessantly flying from bush 





rogue 



ly-laden 



Th?S« ¥ ^ come ! For T0U the * r late8t * on & 



Th* w 2 n ^ 8 raise : the during nuts for you 

 i ae W find9 amid fh h d 



And 



With - reth * y burni »b on thi topmost bough, 

 Or!? a . ctlve vigour crushes down the tree, 

 r Pna Res them ripe from the resigning husk." 



^mbran eaSUreS are there S reB,ter than this - The re " 

 &e w li h* G ^ SUe ^ swee * pastime carries us back to 



Now t ° ther days ; *~ but we pass on " 

 Tutors' ??' we observe with sorrow that our summer 



**m*1v L " birds of passage," are beginning to get 



ftuth t* g y * They Beera ' one and al,J to know 



pnatig i ,me for tn eir departure is at hand ; and a well- 

 tery rer e f e can see > in their every movement, that 

 commitT f thcy have " resolved themselves into a 

 l| kfoj* 1 €e ** le Wn °l e House ; reporting progress, and 

 to decid e t0 Sit a 8 ain " This final « sitting " will be 

 ou r aho Up ° n the "g rea * question" of a departure from 

 Y ^ces nftf ^ n atten *ive ear ca n recognise, in the 

 !*>m a w mi 8 nitor y birds > a note altogether different 

 k^n • , tnex ] t0 uttered ; nor is it unreasonable to 

 *WeiJL au tlllS " lan guage " of theirs is universally 

 l^jJJJ^ »y every member of their tribe. This rest- 



families. In the second place, we have to endeavour to 

 trace the analogies which exist between the different con- 

 ditions presented by the supposed sexual organs in the 

 different families. These considerations, if we adopt the 

 hypothec* of sexuality, lead to some very interesting 

 questions in reference to the process of reproduction 

 generally. In regard to the first question, that of the 

 existence of two sexes and the necesf ity of a process of 

 fertilisation, we have several kinds of evidence. I, The 

 inferences to be deduced from the universality of the 

 existence of two kinds of organs in connection with the 

 reproductive process. In the report it is shown that 

 these exist in all the families at some period or other 

 of the life of the representative of the species. In the 

 Mosses and Hepaticoe they occur on the fully developed 

 plant. In the Ferns and Equisetacere they occur upon 

 the cellular structures of frondose character developed 

 fromall the spores, wtiich frondose bodies orpro-embryos 

 have an existence of some permanence, especially in 

 to bush, singing the whole time. His song is I the Equisetaceee. In the Lycopodiaceie, the Isoetacese, 

 hurriedly given, nor can you enter into its merits unless | and the Rhizocarpese, the pistillidia occur upon very 

 you are close to the performer. It then falls sweetly tronai'Mrv npllnlar structures produced bv one kind of 



and melodiously on the ear. 



The affection of this bird for its young is very great, 

 and if disturbed, it will very quickly entice its children to 

 quit their nest. Sometimes they disappear long before 

 they are fledged. It is really distressing to listen to the 

 outcries of the parent birds, when they consider their 

 family to be in danger of destruction. Their nest is built 

 not far from the ground. It is slightly constructed, 

 and consists externally of wool and blades of goose grass, 

 — being lined internally with the fibres of roots. It is 

 mostly found in low bushes or young Fir trees. Their 

 eggs vary in number, from four to six. They are of a 

 bluish white colour, with ashy and brown spots at the 



larger end. 



In confinement, the babillard must be treated just 

 like the black-cap, and will speedily become as tame. 

 His food may, for the most part, consist of German 

 paste, hard boiled egg, and sponge cake ; but being 

 insectivorous, he must have his usual diet varied with a 

 mealworm, some ants' eg^s, a woodlouse, spider, and the 

 like. Boiled milk poured over his sponge cake, and 

 some grocers' currants, soaked, are amongst his choicest 

 luxuries. He is also fond of the bath, which, in summer, 

 he should have administered daily. In winter, it must 

 be altogether dispensed with,— lest the cramp should 



make its appearance. 



The proper cage adapted for this bird is that already 

 recommended for the canary ; but it might be an inch 

 larger every way. He must be kept in a warm, snug 

 room, and allowed in winter to catch a glimpse of the 

 fire. He will sing day and night, and come into song 

 I in October. He moults freely when kept warm ; and 

 during this season he should be treated to Elderberries 



and Currants. 



The babillard is one of those " warblers' whose 

 powers of song can be fully appreciated in a room only. 

 Here he gives "proofs" of his excellence, and he will 

 vie with any song bird of twice his size. With crest 

 erect, you will observe him bid defiance even to a 

 nightingale. He soon ceases to regret the loss of his 

 liberty, when he has a kind master or mistress ; and 

 you will find him quite " one of the family * in his 

 expectations. He courts homage ; and woe be to 

 you, if you fall short in paying him due respect. He 

 will resent it by " silent" contempt. 



In purchasing your birds, select young " branchers, ' 

 clean moulted, in preference to old birds. The latter 

 are apt to be sulky, wild, and fractious. At this season 

 you will procure them readily ; but you must not delay 

 one moment The sooner they are caged, and domesti- 

 cated, the better on every account. 



I will only add, that if you woo these charming little 



w iU continue to increase ; and in less than rogues in the way they ought to be wooed, they will | tion of the phenomena 



transitory cellular structures produced by 

 spore, the larger, while the smaller spores at once 

 develope in their interior cellules containing moving 

 spiral filaments, such as occur in the antheridia of the 



other families. 



2. The inferences to be deduced from observations on 



the development of those spores in which the two kinds 

 of organs occur in distant places, and can be separated. 

 Strong evidence has been brought forward that the 

 dioecious Mosses, as they are called, do not produce 

 sporangia when the pistillidia are kept apart from the 

 antheridia, by natural accident. The majority of ob- 

 servers state that the larger spores do not germinate, if 

 the small spores are all removed from contact with them ; 

 a few counter statements do, however, exist. Again, 

 the majority of authors, and all the recent ones, state, 

 that only the large spores of the Lycopodiacese and 

 Isoetacea? produce new plants ; while some older writers 

 believed that they had seen the small spores germinate. ■ 



3. The direct observation of a process of fertilisation, 

 of which we have testimony only from two authors, 

 Suminski and De Merklin, in reference to the Ferns 

 alone, since the assertions of Schleiden in regard to the 

 Rhizocarpese have been demonstrated by Nageli, Hoff- 

 meister, and Mettencies to have been based upon very 

 imperfect observations. 



The circumstancial evidence furnished under the first 

 head seems to the reporter very strong, so much so that 

 he is inclined to adopt the idea of sexuality on this 

 ground, as the legitimate provisional hypothesis arising 

 out of our present knowledge, especially when sup- 

 ported so strongly as it is by the negative evidence 

 indicated under the second head. The positive evidence 

 under the third head is certainly very insufficient as 

 vet, considering the extreme delicacy of the investiga- 

 tion. Suminskrs other observations on detail points 

 have been contested in many particulars, and 

 De Merklin, the only other observer who asserts 

 that he has seen the spiral •filaments within the so- 

 called ovules of the Ferns, describes the conditions 

 differently, and states that he has only been able 

 to observe this positively three times. However, the 

 difficulty of the investigation should make us hesi- 

 tate in attaching too much weight to the failure of the 

 other observers in tracing a process of fertilisation ; 

 moreover it is quite possible that actual entry of the 

 spiral filaments into the canal of the two ovules or pis- 

 tillidia, is not alwavs, if ever, necessary. 



The facts before us, then, appear to the reporter 

 strong enough to warrant the adoption of the views 

 propounded by the latest authors on this subject, and 

 the acceptation of the hypothesis of sexuality in the 

 vascular Cryptogams, as the most satisfactory explana- 



yet observed. The question 



• 



