THE MUSEUM. 
which the male bird manifested, and also by 
the angry vociferations to which he gave ex¬ 
pression. We had, however, too much sense 
to venture too close. The female was a very 
assiduous parent, and so engrossed with the 
cares of maternity, that she could be ap¬ 
proached with the least difficulty. 
The young, even when able to fly, were 
still the objects of parental solicitude. It 
was interesting to watch with what eagerness 
the passing insect was seized for their bene¬ 
fit, and how tenderly it was transferred from 
the parent’s bill to that of the offspring. 
Thomas G. Gentry. 
During the latter part of May of this season, 
I found a swamp sparrow’s nest in a hole in 
a tree about three inches deep, and four feet 
from the ground, and as it is the first I have 
found or seen in like situation, I thought I 
would notify you.—C. M. R., Staten Island , 
N. K 
Botany.—Many species of Sphagnum , or 
“peat moss,” fruit during the month of July. 
They are found in bogs and marshes, being 
particularly abundant in New Jersey. At 
Tuckerton is a beautiful lake, fed by several 
streams which flow through pine swamps. 
Along the banks of these tributaries several 
rare Sphagna may be found growing in abun¬ 
dance, including the giant .S', cuspidatum , var. 
plumosum. 
The Hart’s Tongue Fern. —The United 
States have very few known stations for this 
curious fern, and some of these happen to be 
within easy reach of my own home. It loves 
limestone, and at the Green Lakes I have 
gathered many beautiful specimens, having 
due regard to its perpetuation. The Green 
Lakes are curious in themselves. They are 
small, deep ponds, with limestone cliffs on 
three sides, 2Oo feet high. The shores are 
marly and the waters sulphurous at the bot¬ 
tom. The cliffs are broken into the many 
fantastic forms which limestone assumes, and 
currents of cold air issue from the lower cavi¬ 
ties. Fallen masses of rock are covered with 
the Walking Fern in great profusion, and on 
63 
the summits are found the stiff fronds of 
Pellcea atropurpurea , with small forms of A. 
marginatum , and many other kinds. Within 
a stone’s throw may be gathered twenty spe¬ 
cies, while others, quite rare, are found not 
far away. 
There grows Scolopendrium vulgare, not so 
common as its specific name implies. And 
yet it is not readily found. On my first visit 
there, nearly twenty years ago, I met an ex¬ 
perienced botanist vainly searching for it, and 
it was years later that I gathered a few im¬ 
perfect specimens. Then I learned the secret. 
From the root-stalk springs a number of 
long, undivided, leathery fronds, not inaptly 
described by the name. Often they are 
broadly auricled at the base, and are gener¬ 
ally widest just before they taper to the apex. 
On the back are the dark lines of the sori, 
edged by the gray indusia. The fronds with 
us are seldom over a foot long; far inferior to 
those of Great Britain. It is curious how few 
and how far apart are the stations of this fern 
in America, but perhaps this may be due to 
its growing in places difficult of access. For¬ 
tunately for its perpetuity, it is not so hand¬ 
some as to be fought for generally. 
W. M. Beauchamp. 
The Scientific American describes a won¬ 
derful plant of Sumatra, belonging to the 
genus Arum. The spadix of this gigantic 
flower exceeds six feet in length, and the 
bell-shaped spathe from which it rises is 
three feet in diameter. The latter is of a 
pale greenish tint upon the inside, and a rich, 
black metallic purple without. Its edges 
are richly crumpled, and toothed in a fantas¬ 
tic manner. 
pinevalogy. 
A light pink stilbite, specimens of byssolite, 
apophyllite and tetrahedrite have recently 
been found at the Falls of French Creek, 
northern Chester County, Pa., a rich mineral 
country. 
