1870.] BOTANY AND ZOOLOGY. 355 



than cristatum, and is one of the commonest of ferns in this 

 country. The reference, '■ A. cristatum Sw.^' under Nephrodium, 

 Filix-mas, is probably a slip of the pen. The " var. uliginosam 

 (Rabenhorst, no. 19) is correctly referred to this species, and is 

 the same as our Aspidinm Boott'd of Tuckerman in Hovey's Mag. 

 of Hort. and Bot. vol. ix. (1843), p. 145, which Dr. Hooker, 

 however, quotes as a variety of his " sub sp. dilatatuni '' under 

 " N. f^pinulosum Desv." — wherein, I think, he errs. The last- 

 named species is divided into three sub-species : (1) "spinulosum 

 proper"; (2) dilatatum having four varieties — glandulosum, 

 nanum, Boottii and dumetorum, and also, as I suppose dilatatum 

 proper, ; and (3) remotum. Of dilatatum it is said that it '• ex- 

 tends into AY. Asia and E.N. America,)" but if I be correct in 

 referring Seemann's no. 1760 and some of Dr. Lyall's British 

 Columbia specimens to this variety, its range in North America 

 is much more extensive. The usually noted differences between 

 it and spinulosum, as color and shape of scales, color of the 

 frond, and whether glandulose or otherwise, are all inconsistent ; 

 the outline of the frond I judge to be the only consistent character. 

 The publishers have done their part well; the letter-press is 

 remarkably clear and distinct, and the type well chosen, after the 

 style first set by Dr. Gray. The paper, though good, is too soft 

 to bear ink, and the fifty pages of advertisements are rather too 

 heavy an imposition. 



Saponaceous Plants. — Many plants in different countries 

 furnish useful substitutes for soap to the natives, where there are 

 no conveniences or materials for manufacturing the ordinary soap 

 of commerce. Prominent among these are the soapworts, tropical 

 plants belonging to the genus Sapindus. The Hindoos use the 

 pulp of the fruit of Sapindus detergens for washing linen. 

 Several of the species are used for the same purpose instead of 

 soap, owing to the presence of the vegetable principle called sapo- 

 nine. The root and bark also of some species are said to be 

 saponaceous. The capsule of Sapindus emarginatus has a deter- 

 gent quality when bruised, forming suds if agitated in hot water. 

 The natives of India use this as a soap for washing the hair, 

 silk, &c. The berries of Sapindus laurifolius, another Indian 

 species, are also saponaceous. The name of the genus is merely 

 altered from Sapo-indicus, Indian soap, the aril which surrounds 

 the seed of S. Saponaria being used as soap in South America. 



