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metrically trimming the top. Notify the department, with full particulars, as soon as a signal is set.

4. Communicate by mail with the Councillor, concerning special work desired in any vicinity, giving information, where able, as well as making inquiries. If unaware of his immediate location among the mountains, address him at 46 Federal street, Boston, Mass. J. Rayner Edmands, Councillor of Topography.

Art.-The department of art invites from members of the Club who are interested in this direction, notices of the finest views observed during the summer, with discussions of the elements of beauty conspicuous in them; also lists of photographs of peculiar excellence, and descriptions of interesting pictures. It is desirable that a record of the ownership of such pictures be kept, for the sake of future exhibitions.

The department also solicits correspondence from the members of the Art Section relative to the work of the Section.

Address, after July 1st, North Conway, N. H. John Worcester, Councillor of Art.

Exploration-While we have a general knowledge of the Appalachian region, and know something of its topography, geology and natural history, there are large areas of which we have no specific knowledge. To make observations and collect facts of scientific interest in any part of the region where no scientific man has ever been comes legitimately within the scope of Exploration. For suggestions in the matter of exploration, the attention of the members of the Club is called especially to Appalachia, No. 1, p. 49; No. 2, p. 117; No. 3, p. 189; No. 4, p. 282. In the last, reference is made to a circular which has been prepared for the purpose of recording observations. Those who expect to visit any mountain during the summer are requested to obtain copies of this circular from the Secretary.

Members of the Club have already signified their intention of making explorations in the Adirondacks, the valley of the East Branch of the Pemigewasset, the region of Mount Katahdin, and other interesting localities.

Any member of the Club who intends making explorations in a region new to them, and wishes information as to what is already known of the region and the points that seem especially desirable to study, will have such questions answered as far as the Councillor of Exploration is able to give the desired information. Address Box 1914, Boston, Mass. J. H. Huntington, Councillor of Exploration.

Improvements.-The following work is proposed:

1. Completion of indications of path by rock signals, one white rock surmounting a triangular base of three rocks of any color, above the timber line on the Mt. Adams path and its branches. 2. Finish cutting the Carter Notch and Carter Dome path.

3. Cut a path up Mt. Willey, along the north bank of the brook about 400 metres (1-4 mile) south of Moore's Brook flag station on the P. & O. R. R.

4. Cut a path around Frankenstein Cliffs, following up Bemis Brook to Arethusa Falls, crossing to the falls above Ripley's on Cow Brook, and descending along the latter brook.

5. Cut a path from the Ponds, near Greeley's, Waterville, through to Sawyer's River R. R., Upper Bartlett, with a branch up Mt. Carrigain.

6. Cut a path to the top of Moosilauke from Woodstock, following up the Moosilauke River.

7. Measure and mark, metrically, the new Moat Mt. path.

8. Construct a camp in King's Ravine, as near the Head Wall, as water may always be found.

9. Construct a camp on the Mt. Carrigain branch path, as far up as water may always be found.

10. Mark meridian lines pointing to true north, in White Mt. region about 13° E. of magnetic north.

It is expected that a party, with headquarters at the Mt. Crawford House, will be at work on Mt. Willey and around Frankenstein Cliffs, between July 4th and 10th, and Appalachians interested are invited to assist.

The Councillor may be addressed at Weymouth, Mass. W. G. Nowell, Councillor of Improvements.

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SCIENTIFIC SERIALS.

BULLETIN OF HAYDEN'S U. S. GEOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES.-No. 3, Vol. IV. July 29th, 1878. Field-notes on Birds observed in Dakota and Montana along the Forty-ninth Parallel, during the seasons of 1873 and 1874, by Dr. Elliott Coues, U. S. A., late Surgeon and Naturalist U. S. Northern Boundary Commission. Notes on a Collection of Fishes from the Rio Grande, at Brownsville, Texas, continued, by D. S. Jordan, M.D. Preliminary Studies on the North American Pyralidæ, 1, by A. R. Grote. Palæontological Papers, No. 6. Descriptions of New Species of Invertebrate Fossils from the Laramie Group, by C. A. White, M.D. Palæontological Papers, No. 7. On the Distribution of Molluscan Species in the Laramie Group, by C. A. White, M.D. On some dark Shale recently discovered below the Devonian Limestones at Independence, Iowa, with a notice of its Fossils and description of new species, by S. Calvin, Professor of Geology, State University of Iowa. On the Mineralogy of Nevada, by W. J. Hoffman, M.D.

THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPICAL SCIENCE.-July. Mr. C. O. Whitman, of Boston, contributes an elaborate and lengthy essay on the embryology of Clepsine, a leech-like worm. The article is one of the most important contributions in this difficult field of research. It treats of the origin and growth of the egg, its impregnation and mode of deposition, of the changes preliminary to and during cleavage, of the gastrula and "neurula" stages, comprising the growth of the germ-layer and the concomitant invagination of the pharyngeal clefts, of the origin of the nerve-chain, segment cells, segmental organs and segments, of the origin and development of the alimentary canal and circulatory apparatus. The author believes that the "neurula" of the chick, or of the fish, belongs to the same type as that of Clepsine, and the concluding remarks on the identity of type, in this phase, of worms and vertebrates, are of a good deal of interest. The researches were made in Prof. Leuckart's laboratory.

BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.-No. 2. 1878. Japan: Geographical and Social, by Rev. W. E. Griffis. The So-called Celtic Monuments of Brittany, France, by W. Wright Hawkes, LL.D. Recent Journey of Exploration across the Continent of Australia; its Deserts, Native Races and Natural History, by Mr. Jess. Young, F.R.G.S., F.R.A.S.

THE GEOGRAPHICAL MAGAZINE.-July. The Vilayet of the Islands of the White Sea (with a map showing the administrative divisions). The Country of the White Horde of Kipchak, by H. H. Howorth. Origin of the Ordnance Trigonometrical Survey, by S. Mossman. The Marine Survey of India, 1876–77.

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ARTS.-August. Forest Geography and Archæology, by A. Gray. Structure and Origin of Mountains, by J. LeConte. Occurrence of a solid hydrocarbon in the eruptive rocks of New Jersey, by I. C. Russell.

POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW.-July. Volvox globator, by A. W. Bennett. The Extinct British Wolf, by J. E. Hasting. On the Radiolaria as an Order of the Protozoa, by G. C. Wallich. How were the Eocenes of England deposited? by J. S. Gardner.

THE GEOLOGICAL MAGAZINE.-July. On the possibility of changes in the latitudes of places on the carth's surface, by O. Fisher.

A

THE

AMERICAN NATURALIST.

VOL. XII. - OCTOBER, 1878. No. 10.

HOW THISTLES SPIN.

BY PROF. W. J. BEAL.

HASTY glance at a plant of Cirsium altissimum, a very tall

thistle, shows that the main stem, its branches, the midrib and prominent veins of the leaf are clothed with soft slender hairs. The entire under surface of the leaf is white or gray with a dense coat of cotton. The scales of the spiny-tipped involucre appear as if they were tied together by numerous gossamer threads. If the young leaves and buds are pulled apart many fine threads spin out an inch or more until the parts are separated far enough to break the threads.

Under a magnifying power of one hundred diameters, the larger hairs, an eighth of an inch in length, are seen to be composed of a row of about fifteen

[blocks in formation]

FIG. 1
Young hair on

magnified. In the latter case stem of Cirsium alsome of the cells have been used tissimum.

up to form the thread-like lash at the extremity.

[blocks in formation]

FIG. 2 Older hair with part of thread.

In Fig. I the hair appears not to have acquired its growth. Near the base the cells are still very short, and not as they appear at the base of figure two. Some of the upper cells are slightly darker, and are filled with a yellowish-white mucilage. When young, the extreme cells are long, smooth and tapering. At that time they lie flat on each other, and are sticky and adhere to the tips of the hairs which they overlap. As the leaf or stem grows in length, the hair-stalks straighten up, and from the tip of each a thread is drawn out. In this process some of the cells are exhausted and used up in the thread.

When the flower-bud is an eighth of an inch in diameter and one of the surrounding scales the twentieth of an inch in width, some of the hairs on the margin of the scale appear like Fig. 3, where one short cell is tipped with anotherlong and slender. These tips are sticky and may be easily drawn out. As the buds Margin of young scale expand, the tips of these hairs are caught and drawn to the right or left by the scales next to them. When full grown the heads look as though a spider had spun webs round and round the outside. At this time

of involucre.

FIG. 3

the hairs appear like Figs. 4
and 5, where there is a long
lash with one or two or rarely
more cells at the base. Fig.
6 shows the edge of a scale of
the involucre with
one of

FIG. 4

FIG. 5

Hairs on the back of a full-grown leaf.

these hairs, the part of another, and a couple of short prickles. The webby layer of white or gray on the under side of the leaf is composed of cells similar to those last mentioned. They appear to grow in a similar manner. As the young leaf spreads and elongates, each hair draws out a thread which helps to cover the under surface with a dense web. This web adheres quite closely and firmly to the surface of the leaf.

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