REVIEWS. 47 



happy meetings, and rare discoveries — with much of what may be termed 

 the poetry of science ; its author has lent his pen willingly to record the 

 sayings and customs, the plays and incidents associated with the plants 

 which pass under review, and with a praiseworthy zeal has endeavoured to 

 rescue from oblivion much of that traditionary lore which still lingers in 

 remote haunts, though now to be sought among a motley race, constituting 

 the herbalists of the present day, who, even still, in some places, dispute the 

 skill and pretensions of the more regular practitioner. 



Few writers are so capable of illustrating the natural history of the 

 Eastern Borders as the author of the " Terra Lindisfarnensis," Himself 

 a borderer, he is bound to the task by a natural predilection, while his 

 deep acquaintance with the records of the past, peculiarly fits him to pur- 

 sue with profit the line of research which he has so happily adopted ; and 

 though, perhaps, the over-fastidious may be disposed occasionally to cavil 

 at his modes of expression as rough and uncouth, still these defects — if 

 they really exist — would seem to spring naturally from a close acquaintance 

 with the quaint diction of those early waiters, so often and appropriately 

 quoted by him with the respect they deservedly merit from all true lovers 

 of nature. 



We feel, however, that our readers will be best fitted to judge of the 

 merits of this most pleasing contribution to local natural history, by a few 

 extracts taken, almost at random, from its pages, all of which will amply 

 repay an attentive perusal. 



Under the head Rubus — Bramble, we have, at page 60, the following 

 analytical table to assist the student in determining the Eastern Border 

 shrubby brambles : — 



11 A. Stems erect or nearly so. 



Leaves white underneath . . . R. idaeus. 

 Leaves green on both sides . . . R. plicatns. 

 B. Stems arched or trailing. 



* Stem smooth, glabrous or slightly hairy, 

 t Lower leaflets overlapping. 



T. leaflet cordate, the lower stalked . R. nitidus. 

 T. leaflet rhomboid, the lower sessile . R. corylifolius. 

 tt Lower leaflets separate, retroflexed. 

 § Stem angular. 

 T. leaflet obovate cuspidate green be- 

 neath R. macrophyllus. 



T. leaflet obovate cuspidate white be- 

 neath R. rhamnifolius. 



T. leaflet cordate cuspidate green . R. cordifolius. 



§§ Stem roundish. 

 T. leaflet suborbicular cuspidate green . R. mucronatus. 

 T. leaflet cordato-ovate acute . . R. carpinifolius. 



