80 ABIES, OR SILVER FIRS 
find than the Yankee’s memorable search for a black 
hat, on a dark night, when it was not there. 
We may add that the photographs in Clinton-Baker’s 
clarifying Illustrations of Conifers coincide with the 
shape of those referred to here, and tell their own 
story more faithfully than words express. 
A. BRACHYPHYLLA AND Homo.epis.—Many mis- 
givings upon two or three questions in connection 
with these so-named trees seem to have arisen, and 
pierced the very soul of the super-conscientious 
botanical exponent. That is, at least, how it appears 
to those who, with primitive instinct, have tried to 
learn by reading the lines, and between the lines, 
of what experts have written on this vexed question. 
By those who maintain their dual existence as two 
distinct trees, we are told that so far no Homolepis 
cone specimen has ever been plucked by human 
hands, or ever set eyes on by human being. This 
seems rather to indicate—if it points to anything— 
that when this missing link in the shape of a cone 
turns up, no true alibi will be found to have been set 
up, and affords argument more in favour of the 
conclusion that it is the same individual, in spite of 
the assumption of two names, perhaps slightly 
changed, but not anything in the shape even of a 
masquerading double, of a different nature and 
composition, that has obtruded its presence upon us 
farther afield, and tried to take us in by methods of 
duplicity. We can only say that if this fruitless 
peculiarity of dispensing with a cone-system exists, 
or is going to weary us by its continuance, the tree 
will be occupying among Conifers as unique and 
forlorn a position in its place upon our earth as the 
man compelled—in fantastic legend—to walk through. 
life without the companionship of a shadow. . 
To those who wish to puzzle out in entirety the 
