NATURAL HISTORY MISCELLANY. 155 
plies for an indefinite period by ayamogendsii (or birth without a pre- 
vious union of the male and fi nts). This me ey 
been propagated throughout Europe, does not seed in Eur 
N THE PERIOD AND RATIO OF THE ANNUAL INCREASE IN THE 
CUMFERENCE OF TREES.—‘‘The Carolina Poplar (Populus monil- 
wa Ait.) was selected on account ofits rapid growth, enabling me 
easily note the increase of circumference each seven days. The re- 
~~ peanulaled, show t = nee 
G n +4 ENT. 
and the middle of A = and that the ratio “of growth is much proier during the month 
between tl i tJ f July, than during the month preceding, and 
—T. MEEHAN, Proceedings of the cde v Natural Sciences, 
eg October, 1866. 
AGENCY OF INSECTS IN FERTILIZING PLANTS. —I have made 
Some observations and experiments on the fertilization of Phænoga- 
mous Plants, showing that in the genus Kalmia, and other genera 
also, insects are necessary to carry pollen from flower to flower in or- 
der to fertilize pistils. 
T have found, also, that of many plants which produce perfect flow- 
these two Ways they act as though they were monecious plants.— W. 
J. Brat. 
Curious FLowrer.—One of the most singular flowers growing in 
this pretty garden (of the Panama Railway Company) was an orchid, 
Called by the natives “Flor del Espiritu Santo,” or the “Flower of 
the Holy Ghost.” The Moso white as Parian marble, somewhat 
resembles the Tulip in form; its perfume is not unlike that of the 
Magnolia, but more intense. A att its beauty nor fragrance begat 
for it the high reverence in which it is held, but the image of a dove 
placed s centre. Gathering the freshly-opened flower, and pulling 
wed in gentle submission, brings the delicate beak, just 
ith carmine, in contact with the snowy breast.—J.K.Lorp’s “* The 
Naturalist in Vancouver Island.” 
ZOOLOGY. 
‘Mimetic Forms AMONG Insects. — Among the living objects mim- 
icked by insects are the predaceonus species, from which it is the inter- 
est of the mimickers to be concealed. Thus, the species o m 
(a genus of Crickets) in South America resemble, in a w 
