plant is very carious. " The female flowers are borne on long 

 spiral foot-stalks, which, by means of a coil, rise to and float 

 on the snrface. The male flowers, on the contrary, are on 

 straight and short flower-stalks, and when arrived at maturity 

 detach themselves from the parent stalk, and, ascending to the 

 surface, float among the female flowers, imparting to them the 

 pollen with which they are laden ; as soon as this process is 

 completed, the female plant sinks to the bottom, there to 

 perfect the intention of nature, and lay the foundation of 

 another progeny." The Vallisneria, however, is found in run- 

 ning water, and not in ponds. 



The water-crowfoot, that may be seen decorating the surface 

 of pools in the month of May or April, should be sought after. 

 It may be known by its white flowers, which bear yellow petals. 

 The plant may be set in the sandy soil, or it may be simply 

 placed in the water and left to its own resoiirces ; never fear 

 but that it will flourish. 



The soldier-plant is admirably 

 adapted for the aquarium, as 

 by nature it afiects water of the 

 stillest kind. It has broad saw- 

 edged leaves, which spring from 

 the top of its centre, and fall 

 over gracefully. It is commonly 

 found in the ponds of Surrey 

 and Kent. Not only does the 

 "water-soldier" form a variety 

 to the other plants, but its broad 

 arched leaves form capital lurk- soldieb-plant. 



ing-places for the smaller sorts 

 of fish. 



There is a new water- weed, known to scientific folk as 

 Anacharis alsmastrvm, and to commonplace folk as " water- 

 thyme," well fitted for the aquarium. There is no dearth 

 of this plant — indeed, although it has been intruduced. into, 

 this country but a few years, the rapidity of its growth has 

 created some little uneasiness in the minds of water-bailiffs. 

 That it originally came from Canada is well known : how it 

 got here is not so clear. The most prevalent legend, however, 

 is, that one of the Cambridge professors having received a 

 plant'from a friend in Canada, kept it for some time in a glass. 

 jar; but not seeing any particular use in retaining it, threw 

 it away down a drain that emptied itself into the river Cam. 



