ME. SWIKBUBJiTE WAED OX THE COCO DE MEB. 259 



7. Arthonia conspicua, Nyl. Novo-Granat. p. 67, ed. 2. p. 101 ; 



Myriangium incoxspicuum. Sab, New Zeal p. 46, t. 128 b. 

 Ad cortices arborum, Dunedin. 



Trib. XIV. PyREiSOCABPEi. 



1. Verrucaria PALLIDA (Jc7i.), iVyZ. P^re?ioc. p. 20; Lich, Scandin. 

 p. 268. Sporse 2use, fuscoc^ murali-divisse, longit. O'055-O'IOO millim., 

 crassit. 0-024-0-034 millim. 



Supra terram in fissm-is rupium micaceo-schistosarum, Dunedin. 



2. Verrccaria nitida, Schrad., Ach., NyL Pyrenoc. p. 49 ; Lich. 

 Scandin, p. 279, et quoque var. nitidella, Flk. Sporae longit, 

 0-014~0-022 millim., crassit. 0-007-0010 millim. 



Ad cortices arborum, Dunedin. 



3. Verrucaria glabbata, Ach,, Nyl, Pyrenoc, p. 47. Sporse longit. 

 0-0I6-0-023 millim., crassit. O-007-O'Oll millim. 



Ad cortices arborum, Dunedin. 



4. Verrucaria epidermidis, var. vv^ctiforuis (AcTi,), Nyl. Lich, 

 Scandin, p. 281. Omnino similis formse europaeai. Sporse iucolores, 

 ovoideo-oblongac, l-septatai, longit. 0"016-0021 millim., crassit. 

 0-0045-00050 millim.; paraphyses nuUse, 



Ad corticem fruticum, Dunedin. 



Letter from Swijstjtjrxe Ward, Esq., to Sir "William 



Hooker, F.E.S. 



My dear Sir Willia:m:. — I am afraid that you will think that 

 I have rather neglected "the interests of science" of late, and 

 forgotten your commissions with respect to the Coco de Mer. 



I have just returned from a rather protracted visit to Praslin 

 Island, and have done a portion of what you required, — a portion 

 only, I regret to say, in consequence of local difficulties. By the 

 first opportunity from here I shall despatch to Mauritius, for con- 

 veyance round the Cape to Kew, a stem and socket of a full-grown 

 Coco de Mer. I have not had it sawn vertically as you suggested, 

 as its transport can be easily accomplished in one piece, and the 

 operation can be equally well performed at home. I hope it will 

 afford you some further information. I have left about two or 

 three feet of the stem of the Palm ; a larger quantity woidd have 

 been cumbersome ; and what remains will, I think, be sufficient 

 for the "interests of science." I had to choose a small tree, a 



female, about 30 feet in height, but in full vigour. It was si- 

 tuated on thft nrnnprtv of th^. individual dftscribftd in mv desnatcll 



