July 18. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
285 
inclined to think, seeming than real), take place only between 
the sub groups of the same group, i.e., between variety and 
variety, and sub-variety and sub-variety. These conclusions, 
as well as those laid before you on former occasions, were 
, all confirmed by examinations of, I believe, the two best 
collections of the kind in England, viz., that of Dr. H. All¬ 
chin, in London, and that of G. B. Wollaston, Esq., in Kent. 
Through the kindness of both these gentlemen, I have been 
much indebted, both for information regarding the plants, 
and by the opportunity afforded me of examining forms, 
many of them unique. In Mr. Wollaston’s collection there 
is a form of Hartstongue, raised by him from seed, which 
well illustrates the combination of forms. In it, the lower 
portion of the frond represents the var. laciniatum, while the 
apex represents the var. cristatum. In one frond this was 
shown in a remarkable manner—the stipe was cleft, one 
portion was diminished to a fibrous hook, about a-quarter-of 
an-inch long, the other bore a frond, the base marginate 
serrated and the apex divided into two, the one division 
cristate, the other reduced to a branched lash of bare fibrills. 
The establishment of this fact clears up the only difficulty 
in arranging the varieties I met with, establishing an ad¬ 
ditional class of mixed forms. Thus, the Atliyrium found 
in Joyce Country, by Robert Gunning, and figured by New¬ 
man, as well, I believe, as the form found by Mr. A. Smith, 
near Belfast, are to be referred to a form laciniato-cristum, 
being a combination of laciniatum and cristatum. 
Dr. Kinahan exhibited a beautiful form of Athyrium 
filix fatminu, Newman, obtained in June 1853, near Castle- 
kelly, county Dublin. In it the segments of the pinna} 
were pennatiftd ; the indentations entire, at their edges, and 
hearing the sori in the angle; the spore cases projecting 
beyond the edge of the frond, which, added to the bulging 
forwards of the substance of the pinnule, gave the plant 
much the appearance of a Davullia, or rather of a Loxsoma, 
though, of course, .differing in the shape and position of the 
indasinn from either of these genera. In habit this plant 
resembled Athyrium circutarium, especially in the remark¬ 
able fact of its segments bearing but a single vein and sorus, 
thus corroborating therillustrious R. Brown’s opinion, who 
rejects this as a distinctive character, in opposition to Smith 
and Bernhardi, by whom the genus Darea or Gamopieris has, 
owing to this character, been separated from Athyrium. 
This plant is also a beautiful example of the variety Laci- 
nialum ’(Kin.); the plant was growing in a shady nook 
along with a plant of the ordinary form. It is sparingly 
fruitful. 
Doctor Farran wished to offer a few observations prior to 
the adjournment of the society for the summer recess. Orni¬ 
thological facts, with the exception of Mr. Andrew’s highly 
interesting paper on the membranaceous duck of Australia, 
had occupied the attention of the society very briefly during 
the late meetings; but he trusted a large accumulation of 
such would be in store for the ensuing session. He thought 
the following notes might prove interesting :—Walking on 
the shore of Knockaginn, on the 3rd April, 1854, he (Dr. 
Earran) saw eight or ten male wheatears (Saxicola ffiran- 
tlie), in fine plumage, sitting on a little eminence or sand¬ 
hill. It being a fine sun shining day flies were abundantly 
about, on which the wheatears were feeding in a manner of 
the flycatchers, capturing the insects on the wing, and im¬ 
mediately returning to the spot they left. They appeared 
perfectly devoid of fear, suffering an approach of five yards, 
remaining motionless until attracted by their prey. It would 
appear, from such a number of male birds being together, 
that they preceded the females in their migration. Another 
fact was the almost total disappearance of Brent Goose 
(Anser Brenta), from the Dublin markets. This bird, erro¬ 
neously named Berniele, lias hitherto been abundant, and 
much esteemed for its flavour. The winter was very severe, 
which usually brings them in numbers to our shores. The 
cause of their disappearance should be inquired into. 
POULTRY FACTS AND SCRAPS. 
FrvE-TOED Fowls. —The fifth toe is usually regarded as 
belonging to the Dorking fowl only; its absence in that 
breed being regarded as a mark of probable impurity; and 
its presence in other fowls leading to a suspicion of a cross 
with the Dorking. All breeders of Dorkings know that 
from five-toed parents, not unfrequently, four-toed chicken 
are produced, not inferior in size and shape to them with 
the supplementary member. And on the other hand, I am 
quite confident that five-toed chicken are at times produced 
in other breeds which have never been crossed with Dor¬ 
kings. I had in my possession, some time since, a Silver- 
pencilled Hamburgh, very small in size, and as fine in shape, 
colour, Ac., as she could possibly be, that had an extra toe 
on each foot, without any other evidence whatever of Dor¬ 
king blood. 
Many Cochins were formerly thus distinguished, and it 
was always said that they had been crossed with the Dor¬ 
king. In many cases, I have no doubt but that this was 
true; at the same time, I do not think it was in all, for I 
know that many imported birds were five-toed. One of our 
most renowned breeders informed me, that on the opening 
of the Chinese ports after the war, one of his vessels was 
the first that went to Shanghae, and that the Captain brought 
home a number of fowls from thence, many of which were 
five-toed, This, of course, settles the question. At the 
same time, I should, in most cases, suspect an infusion of 
Dorking blood in five-toed fowls. 
The Hatching Months. —Some old doggrel rhymes re¬ 
specting the Cuckoo have been running in my head for a 
day or two; and half a-dozen times have I involuntarily 
repeated, or commenced repeating,— 
“In April 
Come he will. 
In May 
He sing£ all day. 
In June 
He alters his tune. 
In July 
Prepares to fly. 
And in August 
Go he must.’* 
Without a thought, I parodied the above as respects the 
hatching of chicken. 
Should any of my readers feel surprised at my designedly 
writing rubbish, I would merely state, that since the time 
one of our most scientific naturalists did me the honour of 
stating, in “ Fraser" that my writings on Poultry were cha¬ 
racterised by good sense and sound practical information, I 
feel that I may venture upon nonsense and play the fool 
occasionally. 
If any captious critic should say that the following is not 
poetry, I w'ould reply, “ No, but it is true; and that is more 
than can be said of all rhyme.” 
CHICKEN. 
In January 
Are tender, very. 
In February 
Are less like to die. 
In March so rough 
They’re strong enough. 
In wet April 
They all do well. 
In merry May 
They thrive all day. 
In leafy June 
They’re none too soon. 
In hot July 
Some surely die. 
After August 
’Tis vain to trust. 
Breeding from Fowls with accidental variations.— 
When a fowl -from a good stock possesses some accidental 
variation from the type of the breed, but is in all other re¬ 
spects a superior or first-rate bird, I would never hesitate to 
breed from it, if circumstances rendered it desirable to do 
so, as I am certain, that in the larger number of cases the 
chicken will not inherit the defect; and those that do, can 
be consigned to the flesh-pot. For example, if a Dorking 
is produced with four toes, I would use it, if a very good 
bird, and the greater number of the chicken will be iound 
five-toed. I have a very superior Cochin hen, remarkably 
short on the legs, and of compact square-built form ; she is, 
however, decidedly and unmistakeably green-legged ; never¬ 
theless, I mated her with my best cock, and saved every 
egg, and in all instances yellow-legged chicken have been 
produced from them. Had any green-legged birds been 
hatched, I should certainly have devoted them to the spit, 
as I think there would have been a greater chance, in 
