RIVER GARDENS; 
fish; but it must be closely watched, as it is subject 
to sudden decay when its treatment is uncongenial; 
in which case it should be removed from the colony 
immediately. 
A group of the Iris pseud-acorus (Plate VIII. ? 
No. 4,) forms a handsome central object to a tank. 
Its bright yellow flowers, in their season, being 
very attractive. Its name, the Iris , or rainbow, 
has been given to this tribe of plants on account of 
the great variety of rich colours with which the 
flowers of the different species are enriched; rang¬ 
ing, as they do, from yellow and red to almost 
every shade of blue and purple. The Progbit, 
the botanical title of which, Hydrocliaris , signifies 
“grace of the waters,” is as elegant and beautiful 
as its name implies. Its flowers, of a delicate 
creamy white (see Plate III., No. 1), are deli¬ 
cately reared just above the surface, from among 
its purplish leaves, while its roots float down¬ 
ward from the plant, like slender threads, moving 
gently with the slightest agitation of the water. 
It is strictly a floating plant. 
The Arrowhead is one of the handsomest of our 
native plants, both leaves and flowers being re¬ 
markable ; the shape of the former has, indeed, 
given to it both its botanical and popular English 
32 
