iSgi.] 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



33 



Botanical Note. 



Oak Tree growing in Water. — In the autumn of 1883 I placed 

 an acorn, which was just showing signs of sprouting, in the neck of a 

 clear glass bottle, filled with water, the water nearly up to, but not 

 touching, the acorn. Throughout the winter the root continued to 

 grow downwards amongst the water, branching out in various di- 

 rections, and when the spring came it produced a stem, and put out a 

 few leaves. From that time up to 1889, or for six years, it continued 

 to grow — but very slowly, and the number of leaves not increasing 

 very much from year to year. In 1889, after putting out a couple of 

 leaves, it died. 



What I would desire to ask is, if you, or any of your readers, can 

 say if, by the addition of any chemical substance dissolved in the 

 water to supply the earthy matters needed to sustain the plant, a more 

 luxuriant grow^th and longer existence might have been obtained. — 

 Henry T. Robson, Stockton-on-Tees. 



Insecta. 



Notes- 



American Notes. — I have been greatlv interested in noticing the 

 differences and resemblances between some of the British species you 

 sent me and those occurring here. Pyvalis faviiialis is identical with 

 ours, with us it is a very common species. Lycana alsiis is very like 

 our L. comyntas, which is also the smallest species we have in New 

 York State ; in California, L. inyrina is smaller. The ^ of our 

 corny ntas is blue, the $ brown. All our Lycasnidae were unusually 

 scarce this season. — Emily L. Morton, New York, U.S.A. 



Aberration of Liparis Chrysorrhoea. — In the collection of my 

 friend, J\Ir Gardner, there is a very peculiar aberration of Liparis 

 cluysorvlum . It is rather small in size but the wings on the right 

 side are much streaked and suffused with dark brown scales. Both 

 the fore and hind wing are margined with dark scales, and the fringes 

 are dark, the medium vein of forewing, and all the ^"eins on the hind 

 wing are also suffused with these dark scales, and the hairs of the 



