Apbil 99. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
70 
M 
D 
VV 
I Weather near London in 1855. 
’APRIL 29 MA\ 5, J85G. Barometer. Thermo. Wind. Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
liloon 
It. & 8, 
Mocn’s 
Age. 
Clociv 
bf. bun. 
Day of 
Y ear. 
29 
To 
StaphjHnus laminatus. 30.184—30.054 
51—41 N. — 
37 a 4 
18 a 7 
3 1 
24 
i 2 
49 
120 
30 
\V 
Stapnylinus maculicornis. i 30.224 — 30.200 
53—38 N. I — 
35 
19 
3 17 
25 
; 2 
57 
121 
1 
Th 
Asc. Holy Thuks. Prince 30.063—30.019 
52—32 E. 1 — 
1Y 
VII 
3m30 
26 
! 3 
5 
122 
2 
F 
[Arthur b. 1850. 30.047—29.857 
62—20 N.E. — 
31 
22 
3 43 
27 
3 
12 
123 
3 
S 
Telephorus fulvicollis. 1 27-702—29-638 
64—35 N. — 
29 
24 
3 58 
28 
3 
18 
124 
4 
Sun 
Sunday after Ascension. 29 . 865 — 29.704 
50-24 N.E. — 
28 
26 
sets. 
© 
3 
24 
125 
5 
M 
Malthinus immunis. ' 29 . 508—29 914 
57—30 1 N.E. — ; 
26 1 
27 
9 a 15 
1 
3 
29 
126 
Meteouology of the Week. —At Chiswick, from observations during tbe last twenty-nine years, the average highest and lowest tem¬ 
peratures of these days are 62.4°, and 40.7°, respectively. The greatest heat, 81°, occurred on the 4th, in 1633 ; and the lowest cold, 25°, 
on the 2nd, in 1652. During the period 109 days were fine, and on 87 rain fell. 
CYSTO'PTERIS DICKIEA'NA. 
spear head-shaped, and the leafits, if leafits they are, 
but they are so joined at their base as to be for the most 
part lobes, are crowded and overlapping, broad-egg¬ 
shaped, and finely-scolloped on their edges. The 
fructification is in very distinct masses, never running 
together, situated at the ends of the veins So as to form 
a beading round each leafit, or lobe. The entire height 
of the frond varies from four to six inches; about onc- 
: fourth of its stem, which is stouter than in any other 
species of the genus, is without leaflets, and this un- 
leafleted part is at the base covered with brown scales. 
Since the above was writteu, we are confirmed in a 
satisfactory degree, by finding that Mr. Newman looks 
upon “ Diclcieana as a possible, but by no means 
established, species."—“ It is a perfectly healthy plant, 
not monstrous, nor distorted, and produced freely from 
seed, becoming a perfect weed.” If this be so, no doubt 
is left upon our mind that 0. Diclcieana is a distinct 
species; and that it does reproduce itself from spores 
we have the additional testimony of Mr. Moore, who 
says, “ It is now common in cultivation, having been 
distributed liberally by Dr. Dickie, and is found to 
retain all its peculiarities, and to reproduce itself from 
spores.” 
For its cultivation see page 492 of our last volume. 
This Fern was discovered in a cave upon tbe sea-slioro 
near Aberdeen, and it has been named after its 
discoverer, Dr. Dickie. lie found it during the year 
1846, and we are not aware that it has been found 
elsewhere than in that cavern. Mr. Francis thinks 
that it is only a variety of Cystopteris fragilis; whilst 
Mr. Moore and Mr. Babington make G. ilentata a 
species, and consider that Diclcieana is a variety of this. 
With such authorities against us, we hesitate to express 
our conviction that it is a species. However, as we 
feel that conviction, we are bound to record it. Even 
those who describe it as a variety acknowledge that it 
retains its characteristics under cultivation, and wo 
have been told that it is reproduced from its spores. If 
this be so, there can be small doubt of its title to be 
ranked as a species, and we shall be much obliged by 
the communication of any information on this subject. 
Root tufted, pale brown. Frond dark green, pointed 
egg-shaped in its general outline; leaflets inclining to a 
horizontal position, and so close together that the leafits 
overlap those on the leafit next below. The leaflets are 
The April Meeting of the Entomological Society was 
held on the 7th instant, the President, W. W. Saunders, 
Esq., F.R.S., &c., being in the chair. A long list of 
donations of books and memoirs, received from the 
Royal and Linmcan Societies, the Society of Arts, the 
Entomological Society at Stettin, the Royal Society at 
Yau Diemen’s Land, Messrs. Newman, Stainton, Doug¬ 
las, &c., was read; a small collection of minute insects 
from Ceylon was also presented by Mr. Thwaites, the 
superintendent of the Botanic Gardens at Parradenia. 
The President announced that the Council had selected 
as the subject for the Essay for the prize of Mb for the 
present year, the Small Moth which is so common in 
pasture lands and on commons, known under the 
name of Geleclda terrella, but of which the economy lias 
not hitherto been observed; although it is probable, 
from the great abundanco of the species, that it will be 
found to be injurious to agriculture. 
The Secretary stated that a new part of the Trans¬ 
actions, completing the current volume, was ready for 
distribution, containing three plates. 
No. CCCXCVI. Vol. XVI, 
