146 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Nov. 



specialist in that particular family, and he called the same 

 thing by quite a different name last year. In fact, Mr. Robinson, 

 who was here only last week, gave the species yet a third name, 

 claiming, from information based on careful notes and personal 

 inspection of the type of that species, that the form was perfectly 

 typical. By-the-way, that same Mr. Robinson wrote a day or 

 two later cancelling his self-chosen name, and saying that he 

 had this time found the real thing in another collection! The 

 truth is that, like Prof. Brown, neither Dr. Jones or Mr. Robin- 

 son, however wide experience, good eye, or knowledge of types 

 they may possess, are not, nay cannot be, familiar with that 

 particular species, or at any rate in that particular locality, 

 and, assuming that they have taken the trouble to examine the 

 thing closely, have been misled by general resemblances, or 

 have entirely different conceptions of the probable range of 

 variation in that district. You, the collector on the spot, have 

 the best chance of associating or separating allied forms occurring 

 in your own district, and if Messrs. Brown, Jones or Robinson 

 have given you the same name to what you feel convinced are 

 different species, or vice versa, it lies with you, if. you will, to 

 assist them, by a few notes or otherwise, into seeing the error 

 of their ways. Recollect, however, that until things have 1 een 

 bred and carefulty studied in different stages in different districts 

 and probably even then, differences of opinion are sure to occur 

 in some cases, particularly as, of many species, it is impossible 

 to exactly match in every particular, two specimens in several 

 hundred. 



CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE HERBARIUM OF THE 

 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



By James M. Macoun. 



Calochortus Lyallii, Baker. 



This beautiful little species was found growing in abundance 

 on an open hilltop at an altitude of 3,500 ft. near the Similkameen 

 River, B.C., June 14th, 1905. No. 70,212. (/. M. Macoun). 

 New to Canada. 



Sph^ralcea munroana, (Dougl.) Spach. ' 't: 



Malvastrum Munroanum, Macoun, Cat. Can. PI. I: 87. 



Prof. Macoun wrote 27 years ago: "To be looked for along 

 the southern boundary of British Columbia." This beautiful .^ 

 plant may have been found by other collectors, but it has not ;;- 

 been reported to us from Canada. It grows in immense clumps > 





