P. BUNGEANA AND GERARDIANA 23 
the Flexilis, but is distinguished from it by a minute 
display of pubescence. 
As far as an opportunity of seeing it elsewhere or 
coming across it in our peregrinations, there seems 
to be as remote a chance as that of stumbling upon 
a roc’s or great auk’s egg. 
Specimens of cones of this tree we know from 
experience are hard to obtain: they must be a hard 
nut, too, to crack (even from the rodent squirrel’s 
point of view), since they (we read) never open out 
at all except under compulsory powers. The chip- 
munk (an American squirrel), on the principle, we 
opine, that forbidden fruits are sweetest, shows such 
a determined spirit of greed for the possession of 
their contents, that no one except the most persistent 
of men and the most undefeated among sportsmen 
would stand a chance of winning them for a trophy 
remembrance in competition against such well- 
equipped and advantageously situated opponents. 
GERARDIANA GROUP OF PLANE BARK PINES 
P. BuNGEANA AND P. GERARDIANA 
These trees shall be my books, 
And in their barks my thoughts I'll character. 
SHAKESPEARE. 
There are no trees that carry their characters more 
conclusively in their bark system than the two 
above-mentioned members of this very reduced little 
party of Pines. At a certain stage of their existence, 
their bark peels off after the manner of a Plane tree— 
and shall we add of an Arbutus or a Birch tree that 
“lays aside its white skin wrapper ’’—and leaves as 
a result of this shedding process a very unusual 
and picturesque effect. 
This seems to be quite an original proceeding, on 
the part of the main stem, of any middle-aged Pines. 
