THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
51 
even in this ver3^ severe winter, is the dripping of the sap 
from wonnds on maples and birches. It often spots the 
side walk in great wet blotches, which in March attract 
the Vanessa antiopa or mourning-cloak butterfly. When 
the ground is frozen hard, what should set the vital juices 
moving? My physiological friends have never explained 
this to my perfect satisfaction. 
In March note the coloration of certain trees. The 
twigs of willow^s tnm yellow or orange ; the red-maple 
blushes rosy red, the sassafras becomes a livel}^ green. 
Each tree has its characteristic hue. It seems full of 
hardly restrained life. 
Along the brooks and about the springs grasses 
become green. The well itself maA^be clothed with w^ater- 
star-wort {Callitriche verna). By and by a bluebird turns 
up here and there, or, better 3^et, a windy congress " of 
wrangling black-birds, who vote and filibuster like other 
parliamentarians. Are they "pros" or "antis'' we 
wonder, or divided into^ists," " ics " and ^' ans ?" Who 
knows? Their convention, it ma3^ be a church congress 
or revival meeting, is never adjourned sine die. They 
appoint an early day to meet again. 
Brown University, Providence, R. I. 
A SPHAGNUM BOG, 
BY FRANK DOBBIN. 
REGION of limited area which produces a distinct 
group of plants is always of special interest to a 
botanist. The sides and summits of high hills or mount-' 
ains, the margin of lakes or rivers, swamps and particu- 
larly sphagnum bogs, each produce their own peculiar* 
forms of plant life. Even if one fails to find the particular 
plant he ma^^be searching for, the novelty of the situation 
and the interest of the search have a charm of their own' 
which ''bids dull care be gone." 
I have, at different times of the year from March to 
November, examined several sphagnum bogs in my own 
and neighboring towns, and while my list of plants is not 
