i6 



FIELD AND FOREST. 



Phytoptus Galls. — The protuberances on various kinds of leaves 

 especially Beech, known to the fungologist by the names Erineuw, 

 Phllyerium, Taphrini, were some years ago shown not to be of fun- 

 goid origin at all. Recent investigations seem likely to prove they 

 are the result of injuries by small insects of the mite family, for which 

 the name of Phytoptus was proposed by Dujardin in 1851. Prof. G. 

 Briosi of Palermo, has investigated the Phytoptus of the vine, a trans- 

 lation of whose article was published in the Monthly Microscopic 

 Journal for May. 



MISCELLANY. 



PENCILLINGS. 



With the June number, the second 

 volume of our journal closed, and though 

 it has not proved wholly successful in a 

 money point of view — a common fate of 

 scientific journals — its increase in circula- 

 tion and popularity, and the kindly 

 words, spoken and written, by its many 

 friends, encourage us to push on, trusting 

 that the next twelve numbers will place it 

 in a self-supporting position. 



We have cheerfully done what we could, 

 both as editor and publisher to present our 

 readers with a neatly printed and readable 

 journal, and we hope we have been suc- 

 cessful. We cannot help feeling, how- 

 ever, that at the same time, our efforts 

 would have been poor indeed without the 

 valuable assistance of the many contribu- 

 tors to its pages during the year. Taking 

 it for granted that a certain measure of 

 success has" attended our efforts, we take 

 pleasure in presenting the initial number 

 of our THIRD volume trusting that the 

 new improvements in its appearance will 



be appreciated and that our friends will 

 continue to help us, not only to keep up 

 its standing, but to make it still better by 

 more frequent contributions or correspond- 

 ence. 



Of course, the life of any journal 

 depends largely upon that vital force 

 whose symbol is $, and as many of our 

 subscriptions have expired, it may not be 

 out of place to state that early renewals 

 are needed to better enable us to furnish 

 the power for converting thought and fact 

 into imperishable record. At the same 

 time will not each old subscriber try to 

 induce some friend, interested in the 

 natural sciences, to send his or her name, 

 and thus swell the list. 



FIELD RECORD. 



The Water Chinquapin. — This plant, 

 Nelumbium luteum, a native of the 

 western United States; is now in full 

 bloom in the pond on the grounds of the 

 Department of Agriculture in this city, 

 and the sight is well worth a visit by any 



