128 NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



J 



Turrit, at Ochtertyre, Perthshire, from whence I am promised speci- 

 mens." As we have not heard since from our valued correspondent, 

 it is presumed that no specimens have been communicated. This lo- 

 cality is of the more importance, for if correct it would be a strong 

 confirmation of other northern ones, in Yorkshire, Northumberland, 

 and especially Aberdeenshire, being so. The Aspleninm refradum, a 

 nurserj^man's phnit, here recorded as a new species,* to whicli the 

 " Hah. ? Scotland" is surely too hastily given, had better have been 

 omitted. The British Fern Catalogue has been too much attempted 

 to be increased of late on equally dubious authorities. 



3. Asplenium lanceolatum . — Mr. Moore does well in figuring the 

 Asplenium lanceolatum. Tab. XXXV. 5., on the same plate with A. 

 fontanum; for distinct as they assuredly are, they are more nearly con- 

 nected than others. 



Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum, Tab. XXXVI. and XXXVIT., is a spe- 

 cies about which there has happily been little or no controversy, save 

 in regard to the var. acutiim (Aspl. acutum, Bory, A. productum, 

 Lotce) ; and this we are happy to find united with Asph Adiantim- 

 nigrum. Including the acutum, nine varieties are here recorded. 



* One of the evil consequences of this is shown by the appearance in the ' Gar- 

 deners' Ckronicle' of this day, March 15th, 1856, of the foUovvin^ advertisement:— 

 '* New British Fem,—Jsplemum re/ractum, Moore. For description and plate'' 

 (unless our eyes grossly deceive us, there is no plate or figure whatever), " see March 

 part of ' Nature-Printing,' R, Parker begs to offer the above new and distinct' spe- 

 cies, of which he possesses the entire stock. Plants forwarded, post free, on appli- 

 cation, at 10^. M. each (!).— Paradise Nursery, Homsey Road, Holloway." Thus 

 here is a new British plant palmed upon us, which Mr. Moore notices (but certainly 

 does not figure) under Aspl , fontanum , as a supposed variety of that, of dubious ori- 

 gin, under the name of proliferum, of Mr. Wollaston, " and which Mr. Moore con- 

 siders so remarkably distinct, that were it not for the obscurity of its historj", he 

 would, without any hesitation, claim for it specific rank." Yet on the same page 

 Mr. Moore goes on to say, " We are so satisfied with its distinctness, that not- 

 withstanding its dubious history, we shall add the accompanying definition ;" and 

 here follow the name, character, and " Hab. ? Scotland." Mr. Wollaston remarks 

 of it, in the same page, " Its having been associated with Jsplenium viride" (for 

 some gardener's friend had found it in Scotland), ''and partaking so much of the 

 aspect of that species as to have deceived some of our best pteridologists, is at least 

 circumstantial evidence of its British origin," It is said to be bulbiferous, and we 



least 



synonym 



