494 Retrospective Criticism. 



individual female insect cannot have two broods of young 

 ones in the sense in which an individual duck or hen is said 

 to have two broods ; and that in the use of the terms " single- 

 brooded," and double-brooded," above, single-brooded means 

 that there is one new generation in a year ; and double- 

 brooded, that there are two new generations in a year.] 



The Kind of Narcissus noticed in VIII. 118., as being the 

 Narcissus (^)«x Ha worth) moschatus, and found wild, is not 

 this Kind. — In a letter formerly addressed to you, an extract 

 from which you have inserted in VIII. 118., I somewhat too 

 hastily announced that Narcissus (A v ja«r Haworth) moschatus 

 had occurred wild at Meriden, the adjoining parish to this. 

 I was led to make this communication from inspection of a 

 living plant kindly sent to me by the lady who discovered it ; 

 the flower of which was, at the time, far advanced, and in a 

 withered condition. I have since cultivated the plant in the 

 garden, and it bloomed beautifully with me last spring. I 

 now feel bound to correct the error which I committed, and 

 to state that the plant in question is not Narcissus moschatus, 

 but what I conceive to be a white variety of N. Pseudo-Nar- 

 cissus. When I say a " white variety," the expression 

 requires some qualification : on first expanding, the petals are 

 white, or nearly so, and the cup bright pale yellow ; but, after 

 a time, the yellow disappears, and, long before the blossom 

 withers, it becomes of a uniform white. By some, perhaps, 

 it might be considered a distinct species (in this genus, a 

 slight difference, we are taught, is enough to constitute a 

 species) ; but, for the present, I prefer calling it a variety only. 

 At all events, the plant is an interesting and highly ornamental 

 one, and well worthy of cultivation. The place where it was 

 found wild is a large moist meadow, which abounds with the 

 common N". Pseudo- Narcissus almost to suffocation. I visited 

 the spot the spring before last, when the daffodils were in 

 flower, but was unable to find any more of the white variety. 

 — W. T. Bree. Allesley Rectory, June 30. 1836. 



[Our Printing Greek Words not in Greek Characters.'] — 

 Allow me to complain of your printing Greek quotations in 

 English characters, as you have done in p. 383. This is a 

 most objectionable practice, unattended with any counter- 

 balancing advantage. It does not render the sense of the 

 Greek quotation at all more intelligible to the unlearned 

 reader, while to the scholar it makes it less so, and has, be- 

 sides, a most awkward, bungling appearance. One would 

 suppose that your Magazine had issued from the printing- 

 office of some obscure country town, in which Greek types 

 were not to be procured. I hope this practice will not be 

 repeated. — W. T. Bree. Allesley Rectory, July 4. 1836. 



