EIGHT-HAND AND LEFT-HAND CONTOBTION. 473 



reverse the direction of rotation and also reverse the direction in 

 which you look along the axis, the direction of twist is not 

 altered. 



I suppose myself to have shown : — 



(1) That Linnaeus' s original definition of right-hand twist is 

 exceedingly good, and contains no surplusage. 



(2) That in observing contortion it makes no difference whether 

 you imagine yourself within or without the spire, so long as you 

 do not turn yourself round or stand upon your head. 



(3) That all botanists are agreed which is a right-hand twist, 

 viz. the clock-hand way. 



(4) That the differences in describing the contortion of a 

 corolla-bud arise from some botanists regarding it from the base, 

 others from the tip. 



(5) That it is a pure matter of convention whether we reckon 

 the axis of growth of the flower as positive or negative ; but that 

 this is the only point of convention remaining to be settled. 



(6) That it does not much matter which way it is settled ; but 

 that it is of the greatest importance to all botanic describers that 

 it should be settled, definitely and finally, one way or the 

 other. 



On the Conifers of Japan. 

 By Maxwell T. MastWes, M.D., F.B.S. & L.S. 



[Bead December 2, 1880.] 



(Plates XIX. & XX.) 



The object of the following paper is to give a complete list of 

 the Conifers of Japan known up to the present time, together 

 with incidental remarks on their structure, affinities, synonymy, 

 and geographical distribution. The list was originally drawn up 

 as a guide to the identification of the numerous and-well-preserved 

 specimens of Conifers brought from Tesso and various parts of 

 Japan by Mr. Maries, and which were kindly placed in my hands 

 for determination by Messrs. Veitch. The study of these speci- 

 mens necessitated reference to other Japanese collections, to the 

 Coniferous plants of North-east Asiagenerally, and, to some extent, 

 to those of the coast of North-west America. In carrying on these 

 investigations, I have had the advantage of studying the collections 

 at Kew (both living and dried), those at the British Museum, 

 those in the museum of Messrs. Veitch (including the original 



LINN. JOUEN. — BOTANY, VOL. XVIII. 2 N 



