82 The West American Scientist. 
cessful in contriving methods for rearing and studying living in- 
sects. 
Mr. T. S. Brandegee and Mrs. Mary K. Curran, both of San 
Francisco, surprised their friends by a quiet wedding on May 
29th. They were married in San Diego by Rev, Dr. Noble. 
THE SCIENTIST offers them its heartiest congratulations. 
Messrs. T. S. Brandegee and Walter Bryant returned in May 
from an extensive trip through Lower California. We failed to 
meet Mr. Bryant and so did not learn the extent of his success, 
but Mr. Brandegee reported the collection of about thirty species 
of cacti; and altogether nearly a thousand species of plants, while 
his field notes will give the most southerly stations for many of 
the Californian plants. 3 
Proietti ae Ward, (Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus.), shows that the 
genus Platanus, of only seven existing species, was at its zenith 
in the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods. 
Chlorogalum parvifolium is abundant on portions of the San 
Diego mesas, where it grows scarcely six inches high. We re- 
cently measured a specimen of this lily which we collected in a 
canyon among our foot hills—the loose, spreading panicle of 
flowers, of which, stood seven feet high! The bulbsare frequently 
as large as onions, and the height above recorded is not excep- 
ional. 
Frederick A. P. Barnard, President of Columbia College, died 
April 27th. He was born May 5th, 1809, at Sheffield. Mass. He 
ranked with the most advanced thinkers of the day, and did much 
to enhance the scientific standing of the United States. In mic- 
roscopy and astronomy he did excellent work, and his labors 
were recognized by the conferring of honorary degrees from 
many universities. 
The seeds of the alfilaria are gathered by the ants in Southern 
California, in considerable quantities, judging from the hulls 
which they pile around the openings to their nests. 
The Century for June contains an interesting and instructive 
illustrated sketch of an “American Amateur Astronomer,’ Mr. 
Burnham, formerly of Chicago, now of the corps at the Lick Ob- 
servatory. 
Among the articles in SA Mcholas, for June that will interest 
young naturalists, is one by Anna Botsford Comstock, on “ Hid- 
den Homes.’ Prof. H. H. Ballard, President of the Agassiz 
Association, also contributes a suggestive paper on “Amateur 
Photography.”’ 

