24 Mr. Babington on a new British species of Alchemilla. 



brought up off the Mull of Galloway, was found to be not 

 uncommon in deep water at Oban — on the strand at Red 

 Bay, county of Antrim, I found an example of this shell. Tro- 

 chus papillosus and Eulima polita, dredged by Capt. Beechey, 

 were not procured at the more northern localities, Sana island* 

 and Oban— of the latter species, a single living example was 

 taken in the course of the Ordnance Survey in Belfast bay. 

 The most northern locality on the Irish coast, in which it had 

 hitherto been obtained, was Dublin bay. 



Many observations are suggested by these catalogues, and 

 others of a similar nature in my possession, but to my friend 

 Mr. E. Forbes must be left the treatment of a subject in which 

 he of all men possesses the most ample and important data. 



VII. — On a new British species of Alchemilla. By Charles 

 C. Babington, M.A., F.L.S., F.G.S., &c. 



In looking over the valuable herbarium belonging to W. 

 Borrer, Esq., I was gratified by finding in it an original wild 

 specimen of Alchemilla , gathered by the late Mr. G. Don upon 

 the Clova Mountains, in Scotland, many years since, and con- 

 sidered by him as a species quite distinct from A. alpina. 

 Upon a careful examination of the specimen and also of a 

 living plant in Mr. Borrer's garden, I was soon convinced that 

 the plant was indeed a distinct species, although it may be 

 found in almost all the British botanical and other curious 

 gardens under the name of alpina, the true alpina being often 

 nameless in the same collections. Upon inquiry I have always 

 found, that whenever the original source was known from 

 which the roots were obtained, they are stated to have been 

 sent by Mr. G. Don from Scotland. Upon showing the plant 

 to the late lamented Prof. Don, he also informed me that his 

 father had found it in Scotland. 



Having now satisfied myself that the plant was a distinct 

 species, and also that it came from the Highlands, I took all 

 the means in my power to ascertain its identity with some 

 described species, but having totally failed, I feel convinced 

 that it has escaped the notice of botanists. It was denomi- 

 nated A. argentea by Mr. Don, but that name was never pub- 

 lished, and as Lamarck employed the same name for A. al- 

 pina, I have considered it advisable to give a new name to this 

 plant, as the employment of argentea (although a most excel- 

 lent and descriptive name) would only tend to create confu- 



* In June 1842, Mr. Hyndman dredged a full-grown Trochus papillosus 

 near Sana Island. 



