THK YOUtfG NATURALIST. 



807 



both Aglaia and Niobe. The best mark we 

 can see on the upper side is that the marginal 

 line round the hind wing is more clearly 

 double in A.Hpp:. more fulvous being seen 

 between them than in Niobe. On the under- 

 side a good gui le for separating them is 

 equally difficult to obtain. The tip of Niobt 

 is generally paler, the hind wing rather 

 greener, the outer row of silver spots larger, 

 and there is one more red spot (without silver 

 centre) in those between the two silvery rows, 

 the fourth from the centre being wanting in 

 Adippe. We would also n.>te that Niobe is 

 generally smaller than either of the others. 



LIN ARIA CYMEJALARIA 



( Ivy-leaved Toad -flax). 



By J. P. Soutter. Bishop Auckland. 



This graceful and slen.ler pi mt is one of the 

 most popular flowers for inloDr culture, and 

 as it thrives under the most adverse 

 circumstances and with the slightest possible 

 amount of attention, we see its elegant fes- 

 toons decking the dingiest window in the 

 sunless back lanes of our towns and hanging 

 pendant from the roof of the meanest rural 

 cottage where a love of lowers exists. 

 Although its flowers are mall and in- 

 conspicuous, they are produ :ed in such pro- 

 fusion as to make it very ornamental for 

 rockeries and garden walls where it seems 

 quiteat home, and illustrates by its distinctive 

 habitof growth a peculiar provision of Nature 

 for ensuring its permanency. Its natural 

 habitat is the chinks and crannies of old vails, 

 and the crevices of rocks, where without any 

 apparent means of subsistence but the rains 

 and winds of heaven it will fl< irish 

 luxuriantly, and garland the face of th cliff 

 Dr wall with its long extremely sit ider, 

 spreading leafy stem, garnish d with inn mer- 

 ible flowers, ultimately bearing seed-vessels 

 m fine hair-like stalks which as it were cling 

 :o the face of the cliff and peer into every 

 -i It and cleft of the wall for a suitable crevice 



I in which to deposit its seeds, so that when 

 the sterns die down as they do in winter 

 : fresh plants may be "developed in succeeding 

 j years. The leaves, which are somewhat thick 

 ! and succulent, are green above and often a 

 , dull purple hue underneath, and vary from 

 ! cordate or heart-shaped, through renifonn or 

 kidney-shaped, to a perfectly round or or- 

 j bicular outline ; they are indented with five 

 I or seven lobes or angles in the same way as, 

 an ivy leaf hence its common name of " Ivy- 

 leaved Toad-flax" Another common name is 

 "Penny-wort" from the round leaves resem- 

 bling pennies, they have a pleasantly pungent 

 . flavor, and are often eaten a ; sala I in Southern 

 France and Italy. Like almost all edible- 

 leaved plants it is perfectly devoid of hair*, 

 and the leaves have a glaucous bloom on the 

 surface. The flowers are worth examining 

 for although small they are beautiful and 

 curious. The calyx is formed of live green 

 sepals, which are persistent, remaining after 

 the flower has fallen off. The corolla assumes 

 the peculiar form, called labiate, or lip-shaped 

 from its resemblance to a mouth closed by 

 two lips. It is best seen in the Snapdragon or 

 Frog's-mouth ( Anthorhinum majus) of which 

 the flower under consideration seems a 

 minature model. In it the lips are closed, 

 whereas in some labiate plants, as the White 

 dead-nettle, they are open or gaping. The 

 colour is pale purple but the under lips are 

 j embellished with two bright yellow spots 

 which doubtless are useful for guiding insects 

 I to the opening of the Corolla, so that they may 

 j reach the nectary which in this case is in 

 ; the form of a short spur. This peculiar 

 : appendage of certain flowers can be studied 

 at the present time by examining the blfls- 

 : soms of the common Nasturtium or Indian 

 Cress, which is found in almost every garden, 

 j These spurs are of very variou i shape, they 

 are sometimes curiously curved or twi -.ted ; in 

 other cases, as in certain exotic columbines, 

 enormously developed, giving the flower a 

 i most fantastic appearance. Their evident 

 l use is to contain the nectar or honey-yielding 



