CONE SCALES, SEEDS, ETC. 7 
the expectation of it formed from American descrip- 
tions and experiences. of specimens brought from 
their endemic home in California. With all these, and 
perhaps with others, the early-bird habit stands in 
good stead to the collector. ‘ 
When the collector has satiated his curiosity upon 
the outward and visible signs, if he is possessed of 
the true spirit, and vital spark of the inquiring mind, 
he will not rest content until he has pulled his 
specimen to pieces, looked at it by bits, and examined 
every detail of its external and internal economy. 
He can then make minute observations and mental 
notes—if his enthusiasm still carries him onward— 
of the shape and size of each scale, the situation and 
number of seeds and wings, the length of stalk, of 
cone; the configuration of the margin of these scales, 
whether they have entire, unbroken margins, or 
whether these same margins have a frayed, jagged 
or erose appearance—all three meaning much the 
same thing; or again, whether the scales are pointed, 
double pointed, or rounded. In the case of the 
Common Spruce, all three variations are said to 
occur. 
A knowledge of the shape of these scales adds 
cubits to the intellectual stature of the student of 
these subjects, and moreover without calling upon 
any profound botanical knowledge. This solid fact 
remains, not perhaps a very worthy one, and only 
adduced as a labour-saving apparatus, that the sight 
of a familiar cone at foot has saved many a question- 
ing glance upward, and brought forth a needy answer 
to the less-equipped inquirer. ; 
