SEQUOIA GIGANTEA 201 
s 
the Gigantea. If this little metamorphic habit turns 
out to be an established truth, we can only' remark 
that a touching tribute to the lasting strength of 
family ties, reminiscent of the mythological story 
of the two old Phrygians, Philemon and Baucis, may 
be derived from the incident. It reveals the home 
truth that any little differences that may occur 
between the members of the Sequoia family in early 
days, are made up as between them, in the after-times 
of advancing life. 
One word more on the pretensions and record of 
these two Sequoias: the wood of the Sempervirens 
is vastly superior to that of the Gigantea. 
SEQuoIA GIGANTEA OR WELLINGTONIA,— 
Cleave with their dark-green cones the silent skies, 
SHELLEY, 
Shelley must have been dead some twenty years 
before European eyes, in the person of J. Bidwell, in 
the year of our Lord 1841, first beheld the big trees 
of the Calaveras Grove, and it was not until ten years 
later than that that authentic accounts and seeds 
were brought back to England by W. Lobb; but no 
tree then or since could better, more deservedly, have 
drawn from poet’s pen a tribute to the glory of 
stature. 
By the familiar name Wellingtonia this tree is 
commonly and colloquially known. In the more 
orthodox circles it rejoices in the name of Sequoia 
Gigantea, and as a giant, so far among us, has con- 
tinued to run its course. 
As the Duke of Wellington was often spoken of as 
“The Great Duke,” so did the newly discovered tree 
become the holder of the same honorary title, and 
became known as the Wellingtonia Gigantea. In 
course of time for some reason, perhaps because the 
