256 General Notes. [ April, 
some inherent tendency in the plant itself Consecutive observa- 
tions in the same locality can best determine this. But this is 
immaterial to a correct statement in our text-books and works of 
reference. Assuming that all the authorities cited above are 
right, which may be shown to be true for some localities, as my 
experience in four localities proves, still there is need of a cor- 
rection that shall include the experience of all. Eichler ee 
the fact correctly, a conclusion I had already reached bot 
observation and a consultation of authorities, before receiving ki 
ook. 
While collecting the facts for this paper I had noticed a ten- 
dency in the stamens to be multiples of six. Those found at Ol 
Mission were apparently about 18 in number, those at Bear lake 
and La Porte cs 24 (24-27), those at Pine about 36. This 
goes to confirm an observation of Nuttall (Genera, Vol. 11, p. 24), 
which I had not oe till arranging these facts for publication. 
Having stated that the stem is furnished with two sets of conflu- 
ent central vessels, which, arriving in the leaf, resolve into twelve 
nerves, he continues: “ As the e elliptic form of the leaf originates 
from the eccentricity and duplicature of the central vessels, 
expanding in an ellipse or two intersecting circles, so we may 
justly consider it as a species of double leaf, hence also the 
stamina and the fruit is in the same manner augmented. In its 
coordinate Cabomba, which produces orbicular peltate leaves, we 
find only 6 stamina instead of 18, two or three styles and capsules 
instead of six or more, but containing the same number of seeds 
and of nearly the same form; hence we perceive the same type in 
its simple form. A proof of the small importance of mere num- 
ber in the character of classes or of natural groups.’ 
From this the inference is obvious that the doubling of the 
stamens would be in multiples of six.- A plant with a tendency 
from 24 to 36; those approximating the simple type Cabomba- 
would be intermediate froin 12-18, 18-24, 24-30, 30-36, &c. 
Doubtless it is better to go back of this and say that the 
stamens are multiples of the three or four parts of which the 
calyx and corolla consist. The perianth of Cabomba is on the 
whole trimerous, the parts‘alternating. Eichler sfates: “ Brasenia 
does not essentially differ from Cabomba except in its ae -2 
stamens, and 6-18 pistils.” ‘(Blüthten diagramme, Part 11, p. 177.) 
T ough the stamens are not exact multiples of three ie four 
in all cases, they vary but a little from it—Z. F. Hill, Engle- 
wood, Lil. 
A Fairy Rixnc—Last July my attention was called to a “ Fairy 
Ring” on the lawn in front of a gentleman's residence in this city. 
It was a more perfect circle than could have been made by man 
unaided by instruments. The rim of the circle was about twelve 
inches in width, and the diameter from the inner edge about fifteen 
