1898.] Alexander Goodma7i More. 103 



on the work which he himself loved so much. lu these letters his 

 critical knowledge of plants and animals, his .never-failing friendliness 

 and helpfulness, and above all his incessant stimulating of his corres- 

 pondents to fresh exertion, are very clearly portrayed. These character- 

 istics appear also in vivid colours in some scraps of conversation which 

 have been preserved. The following monologue, supposed to be 

 addressed to a young botanist at his own table, recall the man to all 

 who knew him: — "Now, I think, you have materials for a nice paper; 

 why not do it at once ? . . . . Oh, don't hesitate ! Here are pens 



and paper ! Now, about Ranunculus ; where do you find it ? Most 



interesting : put that down exactly as you have said it. And ? 



Roadsides ! Say ' introduced.' We have to be strictly honest. And 



in clover crops ? But do you find it every year .? More interesting 



still ; write it down ' a colonist.' You are sure is native } Ah, let us 



be careful. I think the ' dagger' should be used. And .'' Can you 



remember the exact shape of the stipules 1 Perhaps it might turn out 



to be Better not mention it yet. Don't be in any hurry." In 



many places in the book, as in the one just quoted, More's personality 

 is vividly reflected. 



A review is supposed not to be complete without a little fault-finding ; 

 the critic, from his lofty seat, looks down and condescends to instruct 

 the author regarding the work on which the latter has spent months of 

 loving care, and of which the former often knows but little. But in the 

 present instance, even if one had the wish to grumble, one has but small 

 opportunity. Mr. Moffat's work has been executed with much care, 

 and only one or two trivial points occur to us : — Speaking of 

 Toothwort, Loughgall is mentioned as " still the only County 

 Armagh station known." Two additional Armagh localities will be 

 found recorded by Mr. Lett in Irish Naturalist, v., i66. Mr. Moffat 

 speaks of Carex Buxbaumii as "found nowhere else in the British Isles," 

 but at Lough Neagh. Its occurrence in Scotland (see Ann, Scot, Nat. 

 Hist., Oct., 1895., and/cz/rw. Bot., Feb., 1896) is now well known. But such 

 slight slips have no bearing on the value of the book. 



In the latter third of the book, the more important of Mr. More's 

 scientific papers are reprinted. Conspicuous among these are his 

 •* Distribution of Birds in Great Britain during the nesting season" (with 

 map and supplement), " Geographical Distribution of Butterflies in 

 Great Britain," " Botany of the Isle of Wight," " Flora of Castle Taylor," 

 and " List of Irish Birds." To the scientific papers is appended the 

 obituary notice of Mr. More, and bibliography of his writings, which 

 appeared in this Journal from the pen of Mr. R. M. Barrington. 



Perhaps the most interesting portion of the book, especially just at 

 present, in view of the forthcoming publication of the second edition of 

 Cybele Hibernica, is the part which deals with the formation and working 

 out of the project which resulted in the appearance of the standard 

 Flora of Ireland in 1866— an event of vast importance in the history of 

 Irish botany. Some years ago (if a brief digression from the book before 

 us may be permitted) I picked up in London a copy of Cybele Bibernica, 

 which had belonged to John T. Syme, alias}. Boswell Syme, alias Dr. 



