APRIL. 91 



and hardy six. On no occasion will there be more than one coloured 

 orchid in each number. 



Since this work is intended for English readers, the English 

 language will be adopted, as far as possible, in all familiar names 

 and descriptions. English names of the plants represented in the 

 coloured plates will be given in preference to technical Latin ones, 

 in the hope that by degrees the ear may be relieved from the neces- 

 sity of dwelling upon sounds which, even to the learned, are often 

 harsh and unpleasant. There seems to be no vaUd reason why the 

 system of talking Greek and Latin, without understanding it, may 

 not be banished from familiar natural history. At the same time, 

 for the convenience of foreign naturalists, and of those who prefer 

 technical to familiar words, the names employed in strict science are 

 also given, and the distinctive characters of the species are added in 

 Latin. 



The proprietors also wish to state, that in order to spare their 

 subscribers the necessity of continuing to purchase a book of this 

 nature for an unlimited series of years, and of thus incurring an 

 expense of unknown amount, it is intended absolutely to terminate 

 the present work with the tenth volume. But with the cessation of 

 the present work it is intended that another, with a new title, but 

 upon a similar plan, shall immediately succeed it ; so that those who 

 may wish to extend their subscription will have the opportunity of 

 doing so, while those who may be desirous of discontinuing their 

 purchase will be in possession of a complete work. In this way the 

 necessity of breaking up a periodical into what are called series, or 

 new issues, — which are merely thin disguises, intended to conceal 

 the purchase of fragments of a work, will be entirely avoided." 



The coloured illustrations in the present number are : 

 1. Drummond's side-saddle flower; 2. the glittering gland- 

 bearing Trumpet-flower ; 3. Walker's Cattleya. The wood- 

 cuts are: I. Aristolochia picta ; 2. leaves of Berberis Japo- 

 iiica ; S. B. loxensis ;. 4. B. Darwinii; 5. B. tinctoria; 6. 

 S[)irasa decumbens; 7. Grammanthes gentianoides ; 8. Calan- 

 dria umbellata. The sixteen pages of letterpress are of the 

 interesting character to be expected from such men as John 

 Lindley and Joseph Paxton. 



ORCHIDS: CATTLEYA SPECTABILIS. 



Our friends Messrs. Loddiges of Hackney, whose fame is world- 

 wide in connexion with Orchids, have kindly favoured us with the 

 following particulars of this beautiful variety of the species to which 

 it belongs. Our drawing was made from the plant exhibited by 

 those gentlemen at Chiswick, where it was much and deservedly 



