54 



THE YOUNG N AT UK A LIST. 



occurs in the northern and western parts of 

 Asia. 



Variation. — Athalia varies much both on 

 its upper and under surface. The upper 

 surface varies by being suffused with black 

 scales to a greater or less extent than in the 

 normal form. In some specimens the wing is 

 nearly all black, in others there is scarcely 

 any black at all. The underside sometimes 

 has the straw-color covering the greater part 

 of the wing, while in others there is more 

 black than usual, and it is impossible in 

 words to convey an idea of the varied mark- 

 ings that occur. All these abnormal forms 

 are very rare. There is quite a host of 

 named varieties, but we doubt whether any 

 of them are such forms as ought to have dis- 

 tinctive names, which, in our opinion should 

 only be given to forms that occur with some 

 regularity, either in special localities, or 

 whenever the species is found. We find the 

 following names in Dr. Staudinger's catalogue, 

 Coryihalij, Hb., Nuvayjm, Selys,, Cau.casica, 

 Stdr. All of which we believe are dark 

 forms. Tarquinius, Curt., and Orienialis, Men., 

 the latter having white spots on the underside, 

 and may be a variety of Aurelia. . Kirby also 

 names Melaniria, H.S., which, judging by the 

 name, must also be a dark variety ; JEtkevia, 

 Eversrn.. and JEthevie. Hubn., of which we 

 know nothing. Besides these there is the 

 var. Eos. of Haworth, which is in Steven's 

 collection, and is said to be unique, but Mr. 

 Bond has one very like it. The upperside 

 has a dark border on the hind margin, and 

 the inside of the wings suffused with the two 

 colors, within the hind margin of the hind 

 wings is a series of fulvous lunules, and a 

 single fulvous lunule in the centre of each 

 hind wing. The underside of the forewing has 

 the black concentrated in the centre, and the 

 hind wing has a broad pale band running 

 across the underside. It was taken at Peck- 

 ham, in j u;ie, 1S03. 



Parasites- — Ichneumon adpator, Schr. is 

 said to have been bred from this species, but 

 not so far as we know, in this country. 



VISC U M A L B U M 



(The Mistletoe). 



By J. P. Soutter, Bishop Auckland. 



" The damsel donned her kirtle sheen, 

 The hall was dressed with holly green, 

 Forth to the woods did merry-men go. 

 To gather in the mistletoe. 

 Then open wide the baron's hall, 

 To vassal, tenant, serf, and all." 



At this festive season there are few plants 

 more frequently met with, or better known by 

 its presence, as a decoration in our houses, or 

 by pictorial representation in onr Christmas 

 Annuals than the singularly curious and inter- 

 esting Mistletoe, and yet perhaps there is no 

 plant about which there is a greater amount 

 of popular misconception. Most people have 

 a vague idea that the mystic plant does not 

 grow in the gronnd, but nine-tenths of our well- 

 informed persons if asked to say where the 

 Mistletoe grows, will promptly reply, on the 

 Oak tree. Whereas so rare is its occurrence 

 on the Oak, that all researches of eager 

 botanists have only discovered 15 oaks in 

 Britain bearing living Mistletoe plants at the 

 present time. It is most frequently found on 

 Apple trees, and more sparingly on Hawthorn, 

 Lime, Poplar, &c. It is very local and eccen- 

 tric in its distribution in England, being 

 most abundant in the apple-producing 

 counties of Gloucester, Worcester, and Here- 

 ford, and although it is not unfrequent in 

 Kent and Sussex, it is almost entirely absent 

 from Devon and Cornwall. It is very rare in 

 Northumberland and Durham, and is not 

 indigenous in Scotland, although it has been 

 introduced, and seems to thrive well as far 

 north as M >rayshire. The Mistletoe is a 

 vegetable p irasite. that is, it grows upon 

 another pla it, and derives its nutriment from 

 the juices of the plant on which it feeds. 

 So fully has this parasitic habit been acquired 

 by the Mistletoe that its seeds if sown in the 

 ground will not germinate at all, hence the 

 Ancients thought it was an excresence from 

 the tree on which it grew, and that although 



