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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



of spring. But this is not to be taken as the general 

 rule. Daphnia with Cyclops I have frequently taken 

 plentifully in the depth of winter, when the cold has 

 been so intense that the ice of the pool has had to be 

 broken to obtain a dip. The latter I have taken at 

 such times with the external ovaries extended with 

 eggs. 



There is another kind of ova, called Ephippial or 

 winter ova. This is found in winter, embedded in a 

 thick, opaque substance of a minutely cellular 

 disposition. It occupies the same place as true ova, 

 and its thick covering serves as a defence from the 

 excessive cold. These eggs seem to correspond with 

 the resting-spores of many Alga, Infusoria, etc., and 

 according to Lubbock are the true ova. 



N.B. — In my last communication an over- 

 obliging compositor rendered Jurine, Jarine through- 

 out. Readers please correct. Tell this compositor, 

 please, Mr. Editor, that I keep a shot-gun on the 

 premises, and that if I have occasion to come down 

 his way, I shall have sport. I use No. 9 shot. 



NOTES ON SPRING PLANTS IN THE 

 GORGE DE CHAUDERON, MONTREUX. 



THIS fine cleft in the Lias and Jurassic rock 

 forms a lateral valley from the lake basin of 

 Geneva, through which a succession of cascades 

 descend from a source high up, in the very ribs of the 

 Dent de Jaman ; the zone of vegetation from the 

 level of the lake to the head of the ravine is 1300- 

 2500 ft., in the shady part of which the rays of 

 sunshine rarely penetrate. 



Early in March the vernal snow-flake appears. 

 It is named Leucoium vernum (L.), and somewhat 

 differs from the English summer snow-flake. The 

 flowers are usually each on a separate stem, and the 

 stalk is not winged. Toe graceful coral-roots quickly 

 follow the snow-flakes, several species here finding 

 a congenial habitat. Of these, Dentaria pitinata 

 (Lam.) has leaves with five to nine segments, and 

 D. digitata (Lam.) has palmate leaves. The flowers 

 are handsome specimens of Cruciferje, with white, 

 lilac, or pink petals. The root-scales are an inter- 

 esting study, each coral-like, angular tooth being 

 proliferous ; a modification, in fact, of the bulbous 

 leaf-buds which appear in the axils of the leaves of 

 another species {D. bulbifera, L.). I believe Bentham 

 gives this plant as synonymous with Cardamine 

 bulbifera of Smith and other botanists, to which 

 reference has been made in the pages of Science- 

 Gossip. Another fine cruciferous plant is freely 

 distributed in the Chauderon, Lunaria rediviva 

 (L.), Honesty, standing two to three feet high, 

 with broad, nettle-shaped leaves and terminal lilac 

 flowers. Ornithogalum nutans (L.), drooping Star 

 of Bethlehem, is in the moist meadows at the 

 entrance to the gorge in some quantity. Acltza. 



spicata (L.), herb Christopher, I here found lor the 

 first time, but hardly in flower before the end of 

 May. This is accompanied by the Martagon lily in 

 profusion. Orobus vermis (L.) is the first of the vetch 

 tribe to appear, with cluster of flowers crimson, 

 quickly fading to blue. Chrysosplenium oppositifolium 

 (L.), the opposite-leaved golden saxifrage, coats the 

 damp rocks with early foliage of delicate green and 

 small yellow flowers. Sax. cuneifolia (L.) is readily 

 distinguished through the leaves of the rosette being 

 red at the back, and Sax. aizoon (Jacq.) having 

 coriaceous, linear leaves, whitish green and strongly 

 serrated. The round-leaved saxifrage, Sax. rotundi- 

 folia (L.), is also common. The leaves are soft and 

 downy, the radical ones on a long pedicel ; the 

 flowers are white, beautifully spotted with red. Sax. 

 controversa (Steenb.), aptly called in French .S. dis- 

 puted, I have also noticed, almost identical with S. 

 tridactylites (L.), but stronger and!more pronounced in 

 all its similar characters. Where water impercept- 

 ably trickles down the moss-clothed rock, Pinguicula 

 vulgaris (L.), butterwort, and P. alpina (L.), grow 

 together, violet and yellow respectively. Viola hirta 

 (L.), the hairy violet, is common on the more sunny 

 slopes, of fine growth and colour varying from grey 

 to blue. Of the scented white violets there are two 

 well-marked varieties, V. alba (Besser), V. virescens 

 (Jord.), with calyx, spur, and leaves uniform pale 

 green, and V. seotophylla (Jord.), with those parts 

 tinged with purple. There is the same difference in 

 the capsules. I think the typical dog-violet also occurs, 

 V. canina (L.), with large pale blue corolla and white 

 spur. The study of the endless species of the genus 

 Viola is well calculated to turn one's hair grey ; their 

 name is legion. Polygonatium verticillatum (All.) is, 

 again, a new plant to me ; the verticillate leaves and 

 flowers are sessile, and in narrow whorls of four. 

 Paris quadrifolia (L.) is abundant. The meadows at 

 the upper end of the gorge are, in May, white with 

 thousands of only too strongly scented Narcissus 

 poeticus (L.). From the lake below the fields have the 

 appearance of being still snow-clad. Among the 

 Euphorbiacea: perhaps E. dulcis (L.), is the most strik- 

 ing, distinguished readily by the angular appearance 

 of the bracts of the umbel and its divisions. There 

 is a primrose common to the higher pastures which 

 is not always clearly identified. It is something 

 between the oxlip and ordinary primrose, and 

 described as P. officinalis (Jacq.), the mountain 

 primrose. The flowers are pale yellow, and hang 

 in a one-sided, compact umbel. The oxlip flowers 

 are larger, deeper in colour, and have the most 

 irregular umbel straggling all ways. Trollius 

 Europams (L.), the globe-flower, also grows in several 

 of these higher meadows. Thalictriwn aquilegifolium 

 (L.) occurs here and there in the woods of the ravine. 

 Arabis turrita (L.) occupies rocky crevices, with 

 creamy-white flowers, and ample foliage for its kind. 

 Thlaspi perfoliatum (L.), and T. virgatum (Gren.), 



