298 NOTES ON THE BOTANY OF MANITOBA. 
gg nk ct triquetrum Hoff. In Bier Pecaas Swamp, sparingly. 
Agrostis laxiflora Richards. (=A. scabra Willd.). Abundant. 
It often grows in large pa: , and generally it is the first species 
hes 
to spring up on old disused cart-trails. Dur uring August the heads 
Oat, Spear Grass, Oat Grass, Go-Devil-Oat, Buffalo Grass, &c. 
In former times it probably depended largely upon she buffalo for 
the distribution of its seeds. Rou ghly speaking, the ranges of the 
two in North America were bigenfical. The leaves of ‘plans t form 
tussocks, and are second to none growing on the prairie in their 
value as forage. All ani mnie are especially fond of-them. During 
eer € aring six or seven “ spears,’ 
Which ripen during July. The length of these oat-shaped spears is 
about zin. At one end they have an oxpeantvaly hard and sharp, 
So eg Tie d point, surrounded by fine barb-like hairs, 
ur a (Trans. Linn. , . 
When dry the shaft is spl twisted, fae made eight or nine 
ag utions ; the two knee s are bent, and consequently the arm 
S a right angle or thereabouts with the shaft. But when 
untwis The power of telat and untwis 
pay for an indefinite number of ti ee made many observations 
___ 88 to the rate at which the awns twisted when drying, or untwiste 
a sania ing wetted. On an average each awn in untwisting made 
_ Sout eight revolutions, occupying altogether gaat seventy-four 
tes; the anielenk being the second or third, and the slowest 
l ny . * = ; ‘¢ 
ii mee: dean in detail the result of my 
different a; 
