igS 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



habitation receives no injury from the alternate heat 

 and wet. 



In about fourteen days the egg turns into the 

 larva, that at once commences to devour the 

 comatose caterpillars. By the time these are eaten 

 the grub has become matured, and it passes excre- 

 ment for the first time, then spinning a close web 

 round itself, inside the cell, with the excrement left 

 between the web and the cell-wall, so that the former 

 does not come in contact to corrupt the living larva 

 of the wasp. The latter now gradually changes to 

 the pupa state, the body moulding into three 

 divisions, the wings and the other appendages 

 becoming apparent, and growth goes on until the 

 matured insect works its way from darkness 

 through its earthen casement, into the bright light of 

 day. The mind of the insect perfected, ready for 

 immediate action, at once performs the functions of 

 which its development is capable, the judgment of 

 distance, of form, colour, and scent. These and 

 other exciting agents act on the creature's mind 

 formed for instant function, and it wings its way from 

 the place of its birth through sunbeam and shadow, a 

 pleased and a perfect life. 



Henry W. King. 

 Muswell Hill. 



SPECIES, VARIETIES, ETC., DESCRIBED 

 OR OBSERVED IN GREAT BRITAIN AND 

 IRELAND SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF 

 BABINGTON'S MANUAL, ED. 8(i8Si), AND 

 HOOKER'S STUDENT'S FLORA, ED. 3(1884). 



By Arthur Bennett, F.L.S. 



London Catalogue, Ed. 8. 



No. 1. 



Thalictrum majus, Crantz, var. capillare, N. E. 

 Brown, Eng. Botany, ed. 3, Supp. p. 4, 1892. 



Ca/t/iapalustris, \..,\3z.procumbens, Beck in Huth's 

 Monog. Gatt. Caltha, 1891. Surrey. Creeping; 

 leaves small as in minor. Reported as minor. 



Caltha palustris, L., var. zetlandica, Beeby in Scot. 

 Nat., iSSS, p. 210, 1887, p. 21. Creeping and 

 rooting ; closely allied to C. radicans, Forst., to 

 which Mr. Beeby is inclined now (1SS8) to refer it. 



Ranunculus flammula, L., var. petiolaris, Lange, 

 ex Marshall, Journal of Botany, 1889, p. 230. 

 Argyle ! Isle of Skye ! A marked variety, the 

 leaves somewhat like littorella, stems zigzag, leaves 

 linear. 



Ranunculus flammula, L., var. ovatus, DC. 

 Druce in Journal of Botany, 1890, p. 227, and var. 

 latiftlius, Wall, Druce, I.e. Oxford. States rather 

 than varieties, the latter the normal form according 

 to Walroth. 



Ranunculus acris, L., var. multijidus, DC. Druce, 

 Journal of Botany, 1S90, p. 227. Oxford. 



Ranunculus acris, L., var. pumilus, Wahlenberg, 



Fl. Lapp, pp. 159, 160, 1812. North side of Cairn- 

 gorm, at 2800-3500 ft. Druce, Journal of Botany, 

 p. 204, 1SS9. Leaves nearly smooth, glossy ; usually 

 I -flowered ; habit different to type. 



Ranunculus aquatilis, var. cambricus, A. Bennett. 

 Growth and habit of R. fluitans, but leaves much 

 shorter segments, peduncle shorter, flowers very 

 small, rarely fertile ; allied to Batraclium hirsutis- 

 simum, Prahl, Kritische Flora, Sch. Holstein, 1890, 

 p. 4, and R. phellandifolius, Flora Danica, t. 2357. 

 Wales. J. E. Griffith. 



Cakile maritima, Scop., var. sinuatifolia, DC. In 

 the north. Leaves sinuate-dentate. 



Nasturtium amphibium, R. Br., var. variufolium, 

 DC, and var. indivisum, DC. Druce, Journal of 

 Botany, 1890, p. 228. Oxford. Names explain 

 differences. 



Nasturtium palustre, DC, var. pinnatifidum, 

 Tausch., B. White in Scot. Nat., 1885-S6, p. 320. 

 Perth. Leaves deeply pinnatified. 



Nasturtium officinale, R. Br., var. microphyllum, 

 Reich. S. Hants. Linton Ex. Club Report, 1890, 

 p. 2S3. Leaflets smaller, terminal large, wedge- 

 shaped. 



Arabis alpina, L. Isle of Skye ! H. C. Hart in 

 Journal of Botany, 1SS7, p. 247. A. Bennett, Scot. 

 Nat., 1SS7-88, p. 180. Eng. Botany, 3 ed. Supp. 

 t. 117a. p. 24, 1892. Nearest in habit to A. hirsuta. 

 Occurred very rarely on the Cuchullin Mts. 

 Differs, leaves more coarsely toothed, more stem 

 clasping, flowers larger, sepals bulged at base, etc. 



Cardaminc amara, L., var. lilacina, F. B. White 

 in Scot. Nat., 1890, p. 299. Flower lilac. Perth. 



Cardaminc flexuosa, with umbrosa, G. et G. (under 

 sylvatica, Link), p. 109, 1848. F. B. White, Scot. 

 Nat., 1885-86, p. 230. Perth. 



Cochlearia gramlandica, L., Sp. PI. ed. I, p. 647, 

 1753. Shetland. Beeby, Scot. Nat. 1887-88, p. 22. 

 Marshall, Journal of Botany, 1889, p. 231 ; 1890, 

 p. 180, " Ben Lawers." Dwarf, compact, pouches 

 larger than in alpina, etc. 



Sisymbrium officinale, Scop., var. leiocarpum, DC. 

 Perth ! F. B. White, Scot. Nat., 1885-S6, p. 321. 

 Pods nearly or quite without hairs. 



Viola canina, L., var. lucorum, Reich. Beeby, 

 Journal of Botany, 1889, p. 227. " Cambridgeshire, 

 A. Fryer." Var. crassifolia, Gronvall. Beeby, I.e. 

 Cambridgeshire, A. Fryer. Stouter, leaves thick, 

 etc. 



Viola riviniana, Reich., var. villosa, N. W. and M., 

 var. nemorosa, N. W. and M. Surrey. Beeby, I.e. 

 Large-flowered ; narrow petals, corolla spur colored. 



Viola hirta, L., var. glabrata, Beeby, Journal of 

 Botany, p. 68, 1892. V. scraphita, Bab., not of 

 Reich. Pod glabrous. 



Viola tricolor, L., var. confinis, Lloyd. Fl. de 

 l'Ouest, p. 43. N. Stafford. W. H. Purchas, Ex. 

 Club Report, 1S85, p. 124. Much like V. lutea, but 

 no underground stem. 



