97 



Since that period, Dr. Wight's residence has been ahnost, if 

 not entirely, at Negapatam ; where he is engaged in his 

 medical duties. The man of science, whatever his profession 

 may be, will, by a well-arranged use of his time, find some 

 leisure for his favourite pursuit : especially when, as in the 

 present instance, that study is one intimately connected with 

 bis profession. So it is with Dr. Wight. He has diligently 

 explored the neighbourhood of Negapatam ; he has sent col- 

 lectors, at his own expense, to various distances, and employed 

 draughtsmen ; and then formed the wish that the plants, thus 

 discovered and delineated, should be made known to the 

 world, in a form similar to that of English Botany. 



These figures, and the excellent descriptions made on the 

 spot by Dr. Wight, will be published in the present Work, 

 under tlie head of " Illustrations of Indian Botany^ particu- 

 larly of the Southern parts of the Peninsula." The drawings 

 being generally too lai'ge for an octavo plate, it is resolved 

 that they shall all be given on a quarto size, and coloured : 

 and, in order that they may form a connected series, they 

 are entitled " Supplementary," and are numbered separately 

 from the rest of the plates in the Work. 



It will be at once seen, that to Dr. Wight is due the 

 entire merit of this publication. It remains for me only to 

 make such additions and alterations as my more favoured 

 situation, an extensive library, and a large herbarium, put it 

 into my power to effect. 



And here I must again express my grateful acknowledge- 

 ments to Dr. Wallicb, without whose friendly encouragement 

 and important assistance, my knowledge of Indian Botany 

 would have been limited indeed. His publications, his im- 

 mense catalogue of the collections in the Museum of the 

 Hon. the East India Company, and, above all, the numerous 

 authentic specimens I have had the happiness to receive from 

 the Hon. Company through him, have already enabled me 

 to decide upon some species, whose names would otherwise 

 still have remained in doubt. — W. J. H.^ 



Glasgow, 20th October, 1830. 



VOL. II. H 



