CURRENT LITERATURE 245 



rapid, as we learn from the newly-issued " Irish Topographical 

 Botany." First observed in Dublin in 1894, it already extends into 

 sixteen out of the forty divisions of Ireland, across the country from 

 east to west, frequently in immense profusion, on roadsides and 

 railways. JAMES W. H. TRAIL. 



Orchis maeulata, Z., subsp. erieetorum, E. F. Linton. In the 

 " Flora of Bournemouth," published last year, is the description (pp. 

 208-209) of this form as a new subspecies, which, Mr. Linton states, 

 " Has been noted from Caithness and Sutherland to the south coast." 

 In the "Journal of Botany," August 1901, p. 272, the Rev. E. S. 

 Marshall says of it : " Evidently very common throughout North 

 Scotland," and records it from East and West Sutherland, Caithness, 

 and Orkney. As the " Flora of Bournemouth " is a work not ac- 

 cessible to all Scottish botanists the description of the form may 

 be usefully extracted from it : " More slender than the type ; stem 

 usually somewhat purplish above, leaves narrower, more or less 

 recurved, even the lower cauline more or less acuminate, carinate, 

 and folded ; spike, i to 2 in., broadly pyramidal, at length oblong ; 

 bracts purplish ; flowers pale, scentless, with rose-purple markings, 

 ground commonly white or tinged with pink, but sometimes of 

 deeper colour ; outer line of markings nearly or quite complete ; 

 nectary slender, slightly enlarged or not at all upwards, throat 

 narrow ; lower lip suborbicular, rounded in outline, rather spreading; 

 mid-lobe much smaller than the broad obliquely truncate or crenate 

 lateral lobes, not exceeding them in length and usually shorter and 

 somewhat recurved." 



CURRENT LITERATURE. 



The Titles and Purport of Papers and Notes relating to Scottish Natural 

 History which have appeared during the Quarter July-September 1901. 



[The Editors desire assistance to enable them to make this Section as complete as 

 possible. Contributions on the lines indicated will be most acceptable and 

 will bear the initials of the Contributor. The Editors will have access to the 

 sources of information undermentioned.] 



ZOOLOGY. 



THE RARER BIRDS OF THE SOLWAY FIRTH. By the Rev. H. A. 

 Macpherson, M.A. Zoologist (4), vol. v. pp. 281-285 (August 1901). 

 After a brief introduction the subject is treated under the follow- 

 ing headings (i) The absence, or exceptional presence, of North 

 American Birds, (2) Birds from Eastern Europe, (3) Birds from 

 Scandinavia, (4) Icelandic Forms, (5) North European Forms, and 

 (6) Pelagic Birds. 



JACK SNIPE IN AUGUST. By Chas. Young, The Field, ;th Sept. 

 1901, p. 432. Specimen shot at Braelangwell, Invergordon, on 

 26th August. 



