298 THE JOUENAL OF 3J0TANY 



chateau was situated. I was inclined to attribute to Mdlle Cerf, 

 from internal evidence, a paper on '* Belgian Botany " in Phyt. vi. 

 305-390, 421-477, signed " H. H. C," but the fact that this is not 

 included in the list of her papers given by Crepin (I.e.) made me 

 look further ; the references on pp. 314, 320, identify " H. H. C." 

 with H. H. Cripps, of High Street, Tunbridge Wells — is anything 

 known about him ? Crepin, by the way, includes in his list a 

 paper on "East Anglian Botany" (Phyt. vi. 327-385), with which 

 assuredly Mdlle Cerf was in no way concerned : although headed 

 " From a Correspondent : to the Editor " the style suggests that the 

 writer Avas Irvine himself. 



The first contribution of '* H. C." to the PJiytologist (ii. 61G; 

 Nov. 1858) is not mentioned by Crepin : it is " On the Fertilization 

 of Imperfect Flowers," and is followed by a translation of D. Miiller's 

 paper in Bot. Zeit. for 1857 (Oct. 23) in relation to Viola. Other 

 translations by Mdlle Cerf (not signed, but attributed to her by 

 Crepin) are those from Treviranus in Bot. Zeit. of the same year, on 

 the hybernacula of Ilydrocliaris and JPotamoqeton crisjpus (Phyt. v. 

 190, vi. 68) ; although neither is signed, the former is attributed to 

 *' H. C." in the index to the volume. Mdlle Cerf, as the index to 

 " communications received," prefixed to each volume, shows, frequently 

 corresponded with Irvine ; in case anyone should be sufficiently 

 interested in her to look up the references, it may save him the 

 trouble if I say that, with the exception of those alread}^ given, they 

 are, with two exceptions, mere acknowledgements of the receipt of 

 communications from " H. C." The exceptions are in vi. 283 (Sept. 

 1862), where " our amiable friend ' H. C.,' now residing and botanizing 

 in lioss-shire, is informed that a series of Scotch Koses will be very 

 acceptable " ; and on p. 447, where she has a short list (without 

 notes) of "Cromarty Plants." Crepin (I.e.) writes: " Avec les 

 recoltes qu'elle a faites dans notre pays, en Ecosse, en Angleterre, 

 aux bords du Khin, en Suisse, etc., elle avait compose un herbier fort 

 interessant et dont les plantes sont admirablement pre])arees " : she 

 was a foundation member of the Societe Koyale de Botanique de 

 Belgique. 



A perusal of Mdlle Cerf's papers, especially those on the Belgian 

 flora (Phyt. iii. 161-4; 33-4, 70-72), to which she added Artemisia 

 camphorata, confirm Crepin's estimate of her capacity as a botanist, 

 and show that she was well acquainted with botanical literature : 

 they also, in some indefinable way, convey the idea of a charming 

 personality, and suggest that Crepin's tribute—*' que cette dame sera 

 profondement regrettee de tous ceux qui Font connue " — is no mere 

 conventional expression. 



James Bkitten. 



