2 3 8 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



The large branches gradually, as in many other 

 trees, become bare of living growth in their lower 

 portion by reason of the gradual dying of the first 

 formed lateral branches ; but, as has been shown, 

 they bear in their upper portion a bushy mass of 

 small flowering shoots, which lengthen, but very 

 slightly indeed, by their annual growth. These 

 bushy masses of spray have generally in the maple 

 a more flattened contour than in the sycamore, and 

 they do not exhibit the same bold broad masses of 

 light with deep shadowy hollows as in that, 

 partly, perhaps, by reason of the much smaller 



UNUSUAL NESTING OF 

 PARTRIDGES. 



T HAVE a garden containing about a rood of 

 ground, enclosed by a wall five feet high. 

 One half of my garden, and the part farthest 

 removed from the house, was this year in grass, 

 and here a brace of partridges, selecting a slight 

 hollow, chose to have their nest. The nest, con- 

 taining eighteen eggs, was discovered at the time 

 the grass was mown, yet, notwithstanding the 

 bare appearance of the plot and the frequent 



Sycamore, in Early Winter State. 

 {See page 236.) 



size of the leaves, which do not overlap each other 

 so much. 



Gilpin, in his " Forest Scenery," says of the 

 maple : "In the few instances I have met with 

 of this tree in a state of maturity its form has 

 appeared picturesque. It is not unlike the oak, 

 but is more bushy, and its branches are closer and 

 more compact. One of the largest maples I have 

 seen stands in the churchyard of Boldre, in 

 New Forest." This tree, adds Gilpin's editor, 

 Mr. F. G. Heath, " was destined to be invested 

 with a peculiar interest, for under its shadow is the 

 grave of this true lover of nature." The frontis- 

 piece to Mr. Heath's edition of the " Forest 

 Scenery," gives a representation of this tree in 

 Boldre churchyard, and illustrates the peculiarities 

 of growth and feature which I have endeavoured 

 to describe. 



(To be continued.) 



entries made into the garden for vegetables, the 

 birds continued to sit. On June 24th, the eggs 

 hatched fourteen living birds. On the 25th, our 

 cat discovered the covey, and the female partridge, 

 while protecting its young, was killed by it. We 

 put away the cat, and to our surprise and delight 

 the male partridge acted as a mother and kept its 

 brood under its wing at night. On the 28th, the 

 male got frightened by a dog, and as the evening 

 advanced we heard the plaintive cries of the young, 

 and thought they must die. We secured two of 

 them, but though put into a warm ventilated box 

 they expired next morning. Nevertheless, we had 

 the satisfaction that the remaining birds all escaped 

 from the garden that night by flying over the wall, 

 where it was rather lower ; only one was found, 

 dead in the highway, showing where they had 

 escaped. James Shaw. 



Tynron, Dumfriesshire ; October, 1895. 



