208 THE JOUllNAL or BOTANY 



John Whitehead, the working-man biyologist, and added many new 

 records of rare mosses and hepatics for Lancashire, Cheshire, and 

 Derbyshire, evidences of which are seen in the " List of Mosses and 

 Hepaticifi " contributed by him to the Flora of Asliton under-Lyne 

 and District (compiled by the Ashton-under-Lyne Linnean Botanical 

 Society: 1888). He also contributed sets of rare Hepatica? to 

 Carrington and Pearson's " Hepaticse Britannica? Exsiccata?," the most 

 remarkable of which was Ceplialozia jiuitans var. rjigantea. 



Being a bachelor with ample leisure, Holt made frequent excur- 

 sions into North Wales, the Lake District, and the Craven District of 

 Yorkshire, and his discoveries were recorded in the Proceedings of the 

 now defunct Manchester Cryptogamic Societ}'. In 1883 he discovered 

 in Kavensdale, Derbyshire, Thamnium anr/ustifoJium, which he 

 published in this Journal for 188(j, p. Qo, with a jDlate. In 1885 he 

 visited Killarney with the late S. A. Stewart, and made extensive 

 collections of mosses and hepatics ; the latter he sent to Spruce, who, 

 in addition to many rare species, recognized two new hepatics {Raclula 

 Soltii and Lejeunea Holtii), which were described by Spruce (with 

 plate) in this Journal for 1887 (pp. 33, 209). 



About this time, fearing the loss of his eyesight, Holt suddenly 

 gave up the study of mosses and hepatics, to the regret of his friends, 

 and devoted his time to grasses and sedges ; several records for these 

 plants are given on his authority in Lord de Tabley's Flora of 

 Cheshire. 



In 1882 Holt compiled " A List of the Mosses of the Isle of 

 Man," which was published in the Transactions of the Isle of Man 

 Natural Histori/ and Antiquarian Societi/, i. Douglas, 1888, pp. 62- 

 81< ; his " Additions to Manx Moss List : April 1898 " appeared in 

 Yn Lioar Manninagh, iii. pp. 402-4 (Douglas, 1898). To vol. i. of 

 the same Journal (pp. 10 & 19) he contributed critical notes on 

 Plagiotheciiim Borrerianum and Mnium stellare in 1882; also a 

 list of " Manx Grasses, July 1901," to vol. iv. (pp. 20, 58-60). His 

 collection of phanerogams and mosses is in the possession of the Isle 

 of Man Natural History Society ; his other cryptogams he presented 

 to the Manchester Museum, where they are recorded as the " Holt 

 Collection." 



I had the pleasure of his friendly companionship in many a 

 ramble, and felt keenly his sudden decision to give up microscopic 

 study ; but in this he was justihed, for he became blind some time 

 before he died. Of a quiet, shy, and retiring disposition, unknown 

 except to a very few, thus passed away one whose name will ever be 

 associated with two of the rarest and most beautiful species of native 

 hepaticse, 



I am indebted for some of my information to Mr. H. de W. 

 Marriott, who has been his constant friend during the last few j^ears, 

 and to whom I tender my grateful thanks. 



William Heney Peaeson. 



