HARDWICK&S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



109 



interesting. I shall never forget my delight when, in 

 1877, I first saw this beautiful shy and coy little 

 creature. Its delicate texture, its playful habits, its 

 exceeding beauty, make it a possession to be proud of. 

 I also found it early in March, 1878, when the hyber- 

 naculum was developing its young. Dr. Allman 

 states, that the hybernacula have not been seen 

 in this country. 



"Van Beneden thus describes the occurrence of 

 Hybernacula or Gemmae, which under the influence 



Fig. 48. — Fredericella sultana, enlarged, showing polypes. 



of a favourite temperature would have grown into the 

 ordinary lateral branches of the polyzoan, but which 

 towards the commencement of winter acquire a 

 conical form, and then become for a while arrested in 

 their development. In this state they remain until the 

 following spring, when the investing membrane splits 

 to allow the elongation of the branch." 



The specimens taken from the canal near Chester 

 have, on several occasions in the early spring, shown 

 the process of development described by Van Beneden. 



No statoblasts having been seen in this species, it 



seems pretty certain that this hybernaculum, or club- 

 shaped branch, is the only method of promoting the 

 life of this lovely little creature. 



I have lately found (Dec.) these winter buds sealed up 

 ready for next spring, and in two of them I could see, 

 within the tubes, a semi-transparent oval nucleus or 

 sac, which evidently contained the germ for further 

 development. 



If Mr. Lord or any readers of Science-Gossip 



should wish to work out the development and 



thoroughly study this beautiful class of animal life, I 



shall be pleased to assist in any way I can, during the 



little leisure I possess. 



Thos. Shepheard. 



Kingsley Lodge, Chester, Jan. 1888. 



NOTES ON THE EIGHTH EDITION OF THE 

 LONDON CATALOGUE OF BRITISH 

 PLANTS. 



By Arthur Bennett, F.L.S. 



1059 is V. fruticans, Jacq. 



1065 b is a pubescent variety, formerly quoted in 

 some of the earlier editions of the London Catalogue. 



1069 b, alter authority to " Berl." 



1076 b is a large broad-leaved form from Oxford- 

 shire, described by Dr. Boswell in " English Botany." 



1079 b and c are varieties hard to distinguish from 

 one another or the type. 



1 08 1 becomes O. purpurea, Jacq. 



10893 is a Channel Isles' plant, small, and of a 

 beautiful yellow colour all over. 



1096 is an added species, supposed to have occurred 

 in the Loch of Spynie, Elginshire, and probably else- 

 where, but unless in flower exceedingly difficult to 

 separate or name. 



1 102, authority, "Hudson." 



1 104, alter to longifolia, Hudson. 



1 106, authority, "Linn." 



1108, authority, "Hudson." 



1 122 becomes C. parviflora, Lam. 



1 130, hybrid. Gathered by Mr. G. Nicholson, in 

 Surrey, since named S. Nicholsonii, Taubert, in " Ver. 

 Bot. Ver. Pr. Brandenburg," 28. 



1 131, authority, " Huds." 

 1 144 is 986, 7th ed. 



1 150 is 991, 7th ed. 



1165, authority, " Chaix." 



1 166, authority, "Reich." 



1 169, authority, " Waldst. and Kit." 



1 1 70, alter to L.juncea, Berg. 



1 181 a should be incanum, Moq., and C. viridescens, 

 St. Amans. 



1 1 86 b should be rhombifolmm, Muehl. 



1 194, authority, " Huds." 



1 196 b is a green var. found by Mr. Grant, in 

 Caithness, and Mr. Beeby, in Shetland. 



1200 should read a. acetaria, Moq., b. prostrata, 

 Moq. 



