NUTHATCH WAYS. 149 
the Ferns. In this case the line of advance into the next 
sub-kingdom is not yet easy to trace; but enough is known 
to assure us that the earliest Spermaphytes sprang from 
comparatively simple, non-specialized members of the sub¬ 
kingdom below. Thus, it is thought that the Gymno- 
sperms (pines, palms, etc.) were derived from near relatives 
of Fycopodium, a comparatively insignificant plant at the 
present day, and the Angiosperms from some member or 
members of the more archaic, less specialized Ferns. 
But there is always danger of carrying generalization too 
far and of anticipating the results of study. So I must 
close with the warning that we as yet know little about the 
history of plants in past geological ages. Future discover¬ 
ies and investigations and comparisons may materially al¬ 
ter the present aspect of relationships in the plant world. 
The figures are supplementary to these previously given. 
Fig. i. Botrychium matricarisefolium. 
Fig. 2. ” lanceolatum. 
Fig. 3. ” virginianum. A very small plant. 
For descriptions, see Vol. I, No. 8, pp. 119-121. 
Nuthatch Ways. 
In her natal down the Pinfeather Ornithologist had a 
ridiculous fancy that nuthatches were called by that name 
because their eggs looked like nuts. She never had seen 
their eggs, but this was her interpretation of the name. 
“A bittern,” she said to herself, “is called a stakedriver, 
and he does not drive stakes; why should not the nuthatch 
be called nut -hatch if it does not hatch nuts?” 
This looked as reasonable as any other theory to the or¬ 
nithologist just out of the shell. She learned better as she 
grew older, and yesterday had a near view of the real rea- 
