BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 93 
nation of the botanical professorship of that city, and of the direction 
of the Botanic Garden there; both, we believe, created purposely for 
his distinguished father. It is, however, on the other hand, some 
consolation to know that this retirement gives him leisure, which 
enables him to promise a visit to his friends in England during the 
present year. 
Dr. Asa Gray. 
The botanical world will be glad to learn that the herbarium formed 
during the extensive voyage of the “ United States Exploring Expe- 
dition, under Commander Wilkes,” is confided to Dr. Asa Gray for 
publication (the Californian and Oregon plants excepted, which were long 
ago transmitted to Dr. Torrey, to be incorporated into the ‘ Flora of 
North America.’) Already Dr. Gray has studied the Composite, his fa- 
vourite family, and he is at this time engaged with the Sandwich Island 
collection, the fullest and most complete of the whole, and he will 
probably publish a little Prodromus or Precursor Flore of these islands 
in the first instance. This can only be done by a careful comparison 
of the specimens with the collections from the same regions in London 
and Paris; and our friend will, we are sure, receive a hearty welcome 
from the naturalists in England and upon the continent, on his coming 
among us again. 
Plants of SPAIN. 
The indefatigable M. Bourgeau (not Borgeau, as the name was by us 
inaccurately written) has no sooner distributed his beautiful collections 
made last year in the south-west of Spain, than, under the auspices of —— 
“ L'Association Botanique Francaise d'Exploration," he is prepared for = 
another Spanish excursion during the present year (1850). The 
special object of this mission is the southern portion of the East of 
Spain. It has been arranged for him to leave Paris on the 20th of 
February, for Carthagena. The journey be of seven months’ 
duration, and be divided into three di portions .—1. He will 
visit the environs of Carthagena he shores between 
Carthagena and Cape Gaeta. | i 
Tobara, Chinchilla, &c., a 
