count the description which I gave of the longitudinal wing is faulty. Instead of "lanceolate," the term "semi-lanceolate" would have better conveyed the idea I intended-broad above, narrowing to a point below-which is very well expressed in the words "sursum subcuneatim latescente."

I think it probable that the Sarracenia Catesbæei of Elliott is the same with the S. heterophylla of Eaton. I gathered near Newbern, N. C. in the last year, a species which agrees pretty well with the descriptions of both. It had that diversity in the leaves remarked by Eaton, agreed in its appendix with Elliott's plant, and is apparently intermediate between S. purpurea and S. flava.

If my views of these species are correct the divisions of the genus will then stand thus:

Flowers purple.

1. S. pupurea. The most northern species, extending to Canada, and according to Elliott, reaching south to the middle districts of Georgia. Between Mobile and Pascagoula, I saw a large purple flowered Sarracenia which probably belonged to this species, but which circumstances did not allow me to examine.

2. S. rubra. I have gathered this species only, in the middle parts of South Carolina, in swamps between Columbia and Augusta. Leaves from twelve to fifteen inches in length.

3. S. psittacina, Mich. (S. pulchella, nobis.) The leaves of this species, about three to four inches in length, coming out from a common center, recline backwards, touching the ground in half their length, and forming a circle somewhat resembling the nest of a bird. Their white spots, purple veins, and curious appendix, render them quite attractive.

Flowers yellow.

4. S. variolaris, Mich. (S. minor, Walt.) Abundant in the wet pine woods of Florida. 5. S. Catesbai, El. (S. heterophylla, Ea.?) This is probably a rare species.

6. S. flava. I have sometimes gathered the leaves of this species full three feet in length.

IV. Remarks upon the Botany of Middle Florida:

Florida has been celebrated, both by botanical and historical writers, for the beauty and variety of its vegetable productions; and it

appears in this respect, to deserve all the encomiums it has received. In the language of the poet it may be said:

And there is many a summer flower,
Which tasks not one laborious hour,
Nor claims the culture of his hand,
To bloom along the fairy land.

During the spring, the woods are thickly studded with various species of Viola, Phlox, Pinguicula, Lupinus, Sarracenia; the Verbena aubletia, Chaptalia integrifolia, &c. During the summer, the Yuccas, Pancratiums, &c. appear and in fall the Rudbeckia, Silphium, Helianthus, Gerardia, Gentiana, Aster, Chrysopsis, &c.

There are perhaps few scenes in nature more beautiful than some of the Hummocks of Florida. Frequently, after passing through a sandy and sterile tract, covered only with pine, scrub oak and poverty grass, (Pinus palustris, Quercus Catesbæi and Aristida) you arrive, suddenly, on the borders of one of these Floridian oases. Here the scene changes as if by magic. The soil becomes one of great fertility, and a dense forest succeeds, comprising many elegant evergreens, and other trees and shrubs of great beauty. Among these stands pre-eminent the stately Magnolia grandiflora, accompanied by its relative the fragrant Magnolia auriculata. To these we may add the Olea americana, Illicium floridanum, Laurus carolinensis, Ilex opaca, Hopea tinctoria, Pinus heterophylla, Gordonia lasianthus, Magnolia glauca and the elegant Mylocarium. Here too are found the showy Redbud (Cercis canadensis) the lofty Tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) the shady beech (Fagus sylvatica) and the beautiful snow drop (Halesia diptera and H. tetraptera.)

Such a spot generally occupies the declivity of a hill, at the foot of which runs a stream meandering with sudden and innumerable turns, overhung at intervals, by the beautiful Azalea nudiflora, the Hydrangea quercifolia, the Stuartia virginica, and the almost unrivalled Kalmia latifolia :

Fresco e chiaro rivo, che descende
tra fiorite sponde,

E dolce ad ascoltar mormori rende.

This is the very paradise of botanists; a fit place for the romantic and contemplative "to muse o'er flood and fell," and to realize those words of the poet :

How often we forget all time-when lone,

Admiring Nature's universal throne;

Her woods, her wilds, her waters-the intense
Reply of her's to our intelligence'

Mylocarium ligustrinum. (Buck-wheat tree.)

Pursh and Nuttall give the height of this plant from eight to twelve feet. In the rich swamp of the Tologie in Middle Florida, it grows with a slender trunk from twenty to forty feet high!

It is one of the most beautiful productions of the southern forests; its delicate and pure white flowers contrasting elegantly with the deep verdure of its glossy leaves.

In swamps between Mobile and Pascagoula it reaches the height of twenty five feet!

Azalea nudiflora. This elegant shrub, with all its varieties, is very abundant in Middle Florida. In the rich swamps it sometimes reaches the height of twenty feet!

Illicium floridanum. (Aniseed tree.)

Grows in swamps from six to fifteen feet high.

Halesia diptera and H. tetraptera. (Snow-drop tree.)

Both species are frequent. The former is very abundant on the banks of the Chattohochie.

Styrax glabrum. Occurs frequently, from six to twelve feet high. Prunus caroliniana. (Evergreen cherry.)

Occurs frequently-abundant on the banks of the Chattohochie. Prunus virginiana. (Common wild cherry.)

On some of the rich hummocks, grows into a large tree from two to three feet in diameter.

Magnolia. The following species grow in Middle Florida. M. grandiflora, M. auriculata, M. macrophylla; and M. glauca, with its two varieties.

C. histrix on rich humKalmia latifolia, grows Hydrangea quercifolia, on

Chamarops palmetto on the sea coast. mocks. C. serrulata in wet pine woods. on the margins of some of the creeks. the margins of streams, and the declivities of hills from five to twelve feet high. Remarkable for the exfoliation of its bark, and hence called " seven bark" and "nine bark.”

Taxus (baccata? )(Yew tree.) Grows at Aspalaga on calcareous knolls.

Dirca palustris, Ptelea trifoliata, Zanthoxylum tricarpum, Calycanthus floridus, grows at Aspalaga. Arundinaria gigantea, from twenty to forty feet high, in dense masses, on the alluvion of the Appalachicola.

Quercus. (Oak.)

Q. virens, (live-oak,) grows frequently around the lakes and ponds, more abundant on the sea-coast.

Q. laurifolia. Very frequent on sandy soils of little fertility. Its leaves are perennial.

Q. Alba (white oak), Q. obtusiloba (Post-oak) Q. falcata (Black oak) are common.

Pinus Palustris, with Quercus Catesbæi, and Q. nigra cover vast tracts, some of which are very sterile, and others tolerably productive. In the former, the Pinus palustris is accompanied by the Quercus Catesbæi, and in the latter it is accompanied by Quercus nigra.

Pinus tæda var. heterophylla, El. grows in the hummocks to a large tree, called, in the country, "white pine," from its resemblance to the northern white pine.

Pinus variabilis grows on the Spanish old fields near Tallahassee. Yucca aloifolia grows on the sea-shore. Y. recurvifolia and Y. filamentosa in the interior. Of the last species there is a variety possessing a longer and narrower leaf than the common variety.

Heuchera americana grows from five to eight feet high.

Hymenopappus scabiosæus grows plentifully around Tallahassee. Datura Stramonium (Jamestown weed) and Verbascum thapsus (Mullein) are not found except in a few places where they have been lately introduced from the states. This confirms the opinion of botanists that these plants have been introduced on the American conti

nent.

Lake Lafayette, near Tallahassee, March 1, 1834.

ART. VIII.-Investigations respecting the Meteors of Nov. 13th, 1833.-Remarks upon Prof. Olmsted's theory respecting the cause; by ALEXANDER C. TWINING, Civil Engineer and late Tutor in Yale College.

THE writer of this article had the privilege of witnessing the meteoric display, on the morning of Nov. 13th, 1833, from a few minutes past 5, by the watch, till day. Since that time, he has had opportunity to collect well authenticated facts from observers in different places, and, by reflection upon the facts which he himself witnessed and those which he has learned from other observers, has arrived at conclusions satisfactory, in some measure, to his own mind, respecting both the facts and their cause. So far as these conclusions have coincided with those embodied in the extensive and valuable discussion of the same subject which has been given to the public from the pen of Prof. Olmsted, it will not be necessary to dwell

upon them at large. Although such coincidences have existed-as that gentleman has, in a very friendly manner, remarked at the close of his memoir-and although they have related to the most material questions which are the subject of discussion, yet (as might be expected from the fact that the writer's ideas were formed and, in fact, communicated to Prof. Olmsted when he could not possibly know that similar ideas existed in Mr. Olmsted's mind) the grounds of argument are, in some respects, widely different and lead to additional, and sometimes to different results. The writer has himself taken up the pen with a threefold purpose,-to discuss and settle, if possible, the question, what are the facts ascertained by observation—to notice generally the principal results which may be derived from the ascertained facts and more particularly those results which have not yet been made known in any article which has issued from the press ;-and finally to review the real strength of the hypothesis which assigns to the meteors a celestial, to the exclusion of a terrestial origin. Although this hypothesis is one among the coincidences to which Prof. Olmsted has alluded, it will be treated of here as a hypothesis which is due to that gentleman solely; for the several reasons, that it depends mainly for its evidence upon facts collected by him-that it has appeared already under his name,and that the writer is willing to hold it only as a highly probable hypothesis the best which our present knowledge admits of our entertaining.

FIRST. The observed facts.

It is established upon the witness of Prof. Thompson and other authority specified in Mr. Olmsted's memoir, and upon a statement to be given at large in a succeeding paragraph, that the first meteors showed themselves as early as nine o'clock in the evening of Nov. 12th, in parts of the United States the most distant from each other-for example in the state of Mississippi, at Augusta in Georgia, at Charleston, S. C. and on the Hudson river above the city of New York. Probably they might have been seen, faintly and in small numbers, at the same early hour, in any part of the United States, if attention had chanced to be directed to the heavens. At fort Jesup, on the Red River, Lon. 934° at the hour of half past nine or ten, not later than ten," the meteors were seen in considerable numbers. Other authorities at different places date the earliest hour of the meteoric appearances at ten o'clock; and at eleven they were sufficiently remarkable to attract notice very extensively. The