358 Analysts of Scientific Books and Memoirs. 



tations from our classical poets, and by interesting observations relative to 

 the uses and history of plants, and the phenomena of vegetable life. 



The generic and specific characters of the plants described in this work 

 are remarkably clear and precise, and the occasional discussions which occur 

 respecting dijfferenccs of species, evince much knowledge and acuteness. 

 The botanist will find many new and important observations recorded in 

 this little volume, which will not properly admit of being extracted, as 

 specimens of the work ; but we shall make no apology for copying the de- 

 scription of a new species discovered by Dr Johnston, viz. the Melampy- 

 rum monianum. 



" M. monianum, leaves linear, floral ones quite entire ; flowers axillary, 

 in partly distant pairs, turned to one side ; corolla about twice as long as 

 the calyx, closed, lip direct. (Nova species.) 



" Hob. On the south-east side of Cheviot, plentiful. June, July. 



'* Stem 3 or 4 inches high, square, pubescent, branched; branches op- 

 posite, simple. Cotyledon-leaves linear-obovate, entire. Leaves narrow, 

 long, linear, often twisted, hairy all over, brownish-green. The floral leaves 

 do not diflrlr from the others. Flowers in pairs, turned to one side, on 

 short stalks, pale yellow, with a white tube- Calyx striped with green and 

 reddish-brown ; the segments setaceous, rough, shorter than the tube. Up- 

 per lip of the corolla villose internally ; lower lip straight, in 3 acute short 

 segments, slightly projecting ; the palate raised, orange. Anthers green 

 and brown, pubescent, on smooth filaments. The flower is generally un- 

 spotted, but sometimes there are 4- small obscure spots on the lower lip, 

 placed distantly, and not on the mouth. 



" It is not without hesitation that I give this as a species dictinct from 

 the preceding, since the difference may be attributed to situation, for we 

 know that an alpine station does alter the aspect of plants to a considerable 

 extent. In estimating the force of this objection, we can only reason from 

 what we observe to be the effect of a similar situation on plants of the same 

 natural order. Now, the lihinanthus Cnsta-Galli is a plant of this kind, 

 and we find it growing with this Melampyrum undiminished in height, and 

 unaltered in appearance, and, were the objection valid, we might expect 

 the plant at the base of the hill to be much in its usual state, and gradually 

 diverging from it as it attained higher limits ; but this was not the case, 

 for it was very uniform in character over a surface of many acres." 



The nomenclature chiefly followed is that of Sir J. E. Smith in the 

 English Flora, and Dr Johnston could not have chosen a better guide. 

 Perhaps it would have been useful to have added to the generic name, the 

 natural order under which it is arranged, as has been done by Dr Greville 

 in his Flora Edinemis, as leading the student to the classification of vege- 

 tables into connected families. 



This work is illustrated with two coloured engravings, of the Veronica 

 filiformis, and the Luciola Sudetica ; and the author has given in the pre- 

 face a very clear and valuable outline of the geology of Berwickshire, fur- 

 nished by a friend, who need not have concealed his name. An introduc- 

 tion of this kind to the Flora of any district is particularly valuable, as 



