THE NATtJRALIST', 



more striking, by tlie roar of an avalanche pouring over tlie rocky sides of 

 the amphitheatre, or by the hum of a bee exiled to this island in the ice. 



Though late in the season the Garden still had many insect inhabitants. 

 Vanessa urticoe, and an Erehia or two, represented the butterflies ; several 

 moths completed the list of Lepidoptera. Several other orders of insects, 

 and a spider or two were also present. In addition I found the larvEe of a 

 species of Argynnis, (? ) and one or two Dipterous larvae — the birds were 

 limited to one species — a flock of Ptarmigan. 



I collected upwards of fifty Phanerogamiia still in flower, one 

 fern, Allosorus crispus, many mosses and Hepaticse, and one Agaricus (?) 

 After waiting an hour or tv/o we began to retrace our steps and with no 

 mishaps, save once losing our way for a few minutes among the crevasses-, 

 again reached the Montanvert. Under stones on the glacier I found a 

 species of beetle in some abundance, — Insects, chiefly Dipterse are not unfre- 

 quently found in such situations. On the Glacier du Bossons, a few days 

 before, I found many specimens of a species of Hemipteron, walking about 

 the ice. Prom the Montanvert we descended, in the cool of the evening, to 

 Chamounix. 



PERTH PLANTS. 



By JOHN SIM, A. B. S. Ei>. 



This year I am enabled to add a few rare plants to the Flora of Perth. 



Aiiacharis alsinastrum, I have lately discovered growing in the river Tay ; 

 within sixty yards of my residence, there are a good many patches, and I see 

 it is rapidly increasing in size and extending its border. I have recently been 

 informed that this' singular American vagrant is now plentifully spread over 

 Aberdeenshire. 



Petasites fragrans, occurs near Barnhill, at the foot of a hedge, about 

 half a mile south from my house. It may be a garden escape, but its situa- 

 tion indicates the contrary. How it came there I know not, but though 

 hitherto unobserved by me it is apparently a pretty long tenant in its present 

 situation, 



Bilene armeria, was collected by my boy and brought to me by him a 

 few v/eeks ago ; he stated he found it growing by the wayside, about half a 



