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THE YOUNG NATUKALIST. 



Captures at Lochgorlhead, &c. — I was at Lockgorlhead for a few days 

 at the beginning of July, and had very good weather. I took the following 

 insects : L. icarus and C. pamphilus were very common, Velleda, hectus, 

 russula (2), menthastri, plantaginis, ccesiata, L. marginata, albulata, alche- 

 millata, ocellata, propugnafa, pusaria, exanthemaria i margantata f subtristata, 

 tristala, chozrophyllata, satyrata, pectinitaria, montanata, dilineata, silaceata 

 (2), dentina, anea, rurea, and lacertula, along with a great many micros. 



I have now returned from a short stay at Irmellan, but it was so very wet 

 that little collecting was done. B. pinivorana was very common on the 

 heather, plantaginis (1), nanata common, and one specimen of Tceniata (?) 

 I send you a drawing of this last, as I am not sure of its name. — A. Adie 

 Dalglish, Pollokshields, Glasgow, July 1888. 



[I fear the Emmelesia is only ericetata. — J.E.R.] 



Abnormal Flowers. — I enclose two curious specimens of flowers. The 

 primrose I found in a glen at Eoseneath, about the end of May ; it had 

 thirteen petals, ten sepals, and two stamens. The other is a horse-daisy or 

 " Margaret " as it is called here, it has two flowers on one stalk. Your ex- 

 planation might interest other readers than myself. — A. Adie Dalglish, 

 Glasgow. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



A. Adie Dalglish. — Your horse-daisy Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum is an illustration of 

 the abnormal form of development known as " fasciation," which results from the 

 union of two or more stems or branches which are normally separate, and is attributed 

 to luxuriant growth induced by super-abundance of food supplies and possibly to some 

 injury of the primal bud causing the formation of several supernumerary buds which 

 then coalesce together. Such stems or branches have generally a flattened appear- 

 ance, and often produce a number of small twigs or flower buds. It is frequently 

 found in pine trees, when the branches assume the most fantastic contorted appear- 

 ance, resembling elk's horns, stag's antlers, &c. It is common amongst the Composite, 

 such as the daisy, dandelion, &c. 



Your primrose illustrates a different type of malformation known as polyphylly of the 

 flower in general. It is frequently met with in one or other of the floral whorls, pro- 

 during an increased number of, it may be the sepals of the calyx, or the petals of the 

 corolla. But your specimen is a beautiful illustration of a duplication of eVery part 

 of the flower, of the calyx, corolla, stamens, and pistil. This abnormal state has 

 often been noted in Primula but there is diversity of opinion as to its cause. Some 

 hold it is a regular multiplication or repetition of parts, a result of over development. 

 Others that it is due to Chorisis or a splitting up of each individual organ, such as one 

 sepal splitting into two. &c. This illustrates one of the modes of the origination of 

 double flowers, although the most common and best marked is by the transformation 

 of stamens into petals as in our double roses, cherries, ranuculus, &c. — J.P.S. 



