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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



formation of the tests of the Rhizopods. What 

 a variety of elements are utilised in their formation ! 

 Mud, minute, rounded sand-grains ; comparatively 

 large, angular blocks of sand ; linear, fusiform, and 

 oval Diatom frustules ; round, oval, and rod-like 

 plates of silica ; chitine, either as a simple and 

 homogeneous, variously-formed box ; plain, hexagon- 

 ally pitted, spinous or hairy ; or in the form of square, 

 oval, hexagonal or vermiform plates. These elements 

 are used singly or variously combined, frequently 

 exhibiting a charming arrangement, which much 

 increases the interest with which we view these 

 humble Protozoa. What a number of problems 

 crowd upon the mind and demand solution, as we 

 contemplate the intricate structure of the Rhizopodian 

 test ! How are the extraneous matters collected and. 

 built up ? How are the intrinsic elements secreted 

 and placed in position ? Do these " shells," increase 

 in size ? Are they formed only during the hours of 

 darkness ? I cannot answer these questions, nor many 

 others which will readily suggest themselves to the 

 thoughtful mind ; nor am I aware that any answer 

 has been given, but they are surely not unanswer- 

 able. If this is the case, then here is work await- 

 ing those who burn to distinguish themselves, to 

 help on the march of Science, and to have their 

 names inscribed in its annals. I hope some of our 

 younger men may be induced to take up the study 

 of this lowly, but interesting class of the animal 

 kingdom. My next article, which will be the last of 

 the series, will deal with " The collection and 

 examination of the Rhizopods." 



J. E. Lord. 

 Ratotenstall. 



A BOTANIST'S HOLIDAY IN THE 

 PYRENEES. 



HAVING made up my mind to take my holidays 

 among the Pyrenees, in July 1 8SS I took passage 

 by the good steamship Cotopaxi, bound from Liverpool 

 to Bordeaux on her way to South America. Leaving 

 Liverpool on a cold, drizzling afternoon, we steamed 

 away for the sunny south. Next morning we passed 

 Land's End, and bid farewell to the shores of Old 

 England, which probably many of those on board 

 would look upon no more. The same evening we 

 passed by the rocky coast of Brittany, and entered 

 the celebrated Bay of Biscay. The Fates being on 

 this occasion propitious, we were not troubled with 

 the horrors of sea-sickness, in fact this proved the 

 smoothest part of the passage, and at 3 p.m. on 

 the afternoon of the third day we were steaming 

 slowly up the noble river Garonne, past vineyards, 

 (strange sight to English eyes) and quaint villages 

 among tall poplars, till at last we came to a halt at 

 the small village of Pauillac, where the passengers for 

 Bordeaux are transferred to the tender, which takes 

 them up to the great French seaport. About 9 p.m. 



we came in sight of the lights of the city extending 

 far along the river-bank, and shortly afterwards 

 landed amidst a host of land-sharks, and after being 

 half torn to pieces, we gathered our remains, and 

 made for our several quarters. 



Next morning I set out to view the city, a very 

 interesting one, with its old cathedral (built by the 

 English during their possession of the place, and 

 where our Richard II. was christened), with its fine 

 old churches, and Roman amphitheatre called the 

 Palais Gallien. 



In the evening I strolled away across the magni- 

 ficent stone bridge over the Garonne, to the suburb 

 of La Bastide, and continuing along the Avenue 

 Thiers, till a bit of country was reached, I had a 

 foretaste of good things to come. Samhccus ebulus, 

 and Eryngium campestre were common along the 

 road-sides, and in a ditch I found Azolla Caroliniania 

 in abundance ; farther on was Centaurea calcilrapct 

 with its pink spiny heads, and Myagrum perfoliatum 

 with its curious top-shaped pods. As the evening 

 closed in it became too dark to see more, and so I 

 returned to Bordeaux, and took the midnight train 

 from the St. Jean station for the happy hunting- 

 grounds of the Pyrenees. It is 169 miles from 

 Bordeaux to Laruns, a terminus in the department of 

 the Basses-Pyrenees, and to accomplish this distance 

 we took ten hours by direct train to Pau, and thence, 

 after an hour's waiting, the remaining twenty-four 

 miles to Laruns. 



After breakfast at the comfortable and good hotel 

 near the station (Hotel de l'Europe, I think), I set 

 out for a day's hunting in a valley running up from 

 the main valley, and leading to the Col d'Aubisque 

 (5610 feet). The first finds were Sedums (or Seda per- 

 haps more correctly), Sedum micranthum (Bast.), S. 

 dasyphyllum (L.), and S. rubens (L.), Campanula 

 patula was common by the road-sides and in fact all 

 through the Pyrenees ; [Campanula rapunculoides, and 

 C.glomerata also were not uncommon. Lamium macu- 

 latum, var. hirsutum, a hispid Variety with green 

 leaves was observed in the hedge bottoms. The rusty- 

 back fern ( Ceterach qfficinarum) occurred here and there 

 on walls. Farther up the valley, the lower parts of. 

 which are densely clothed with oak and beech, I came 

 on Stachys recta (L.), a yellow-flowered species j 

 Carduus medius (Gouan), like a small C. nutans ; 

 Hypericum Burseri (Sp.), a very glandular, large- 

 flowered species, in habit like our H. montanutn ; 

 Prunella gi-andiflora (Monch), : a fine large-flowered 

 species; and Dianthus monspcssulanus (L.), var. 

 Walstcinii (Sternb.). The underwood consists almost 

 entirely of box (Buxus sempervirens), and the heath 

 of this part is Erica vagans (L.). Crossing the valley, 

 I came across Trifolium ochroleucum (L.) ; Teucrium 

 pyrenaicum (L.), a beautifuhlittle creeping plant, with 

 yellow and purple flowers in dense heads, and 

 roundish leaves, very common in this valley, though 

 I never happened to meet with it again ; and 



