SHORT NOTES 301 



Rules by tlie third pavagrapli of article 51. This is to my mind an 

 extremeh^ foolish rule, inasmuch as it rejects Biirsn-pasto'ris while it 

 validates Sebasfiano-Sclutueria; but it is no longer true, you see, 

 that I know of no modern rule which denies the validity of Hill's 

 names. — Joiix Hendlet Barnhaut. 



Opiitoglossum vuLGATUii L. While walking from West Meon 

 to Hanibledon, Hampshire, in June last, I met with a considerable 

 quantity of Opliioi/Jossum vulqafnni L. on the summit of the chalk 

 downs near the ancient camp on Old Winchester Hill. The fern 

 was growing with Viola hirta, Cnicits acanlla, T/ti/m/rs, and other 

 plants characteristic of calcareous pastures. I think this is a very 

 unusual habitat for Ophiof/lossmn, which generally aifects moist 

 alluvial meadow-land ; but it is not unique, for the Flora of Hamp- 

 shire gives another station on the chalk downs near Winchester.^ 



H. W. KiGSLET. 



REVIEWS. 



The Natural Isat ion of Animals and Plants in New Zealand. 

 By the Hon. Geo. M. Thomsox, M.L.C, F.L.S., F.N.Z.Inst. 

 Ro3^al 8vo, pp. X -h 608. Price ^Is. net. Cambridge University 

 Press, 1922. 



In" his preface to this handsome volume, the author points out 

 that New Zealand, owing to its isolation by over a thousand miles 

 from any other extensive land-area, is the only country in which the 

 attempt to trace the Hrst introduction of every species could succeed. 

 "We possess," he says, "a fairly accurate record of what was here 

 when Europeans first visited these shores, and we have been able to 

 follow the later introductions of new species with a certain measure 

 of success." 



Mr. Thomson had originally intended to confine his attention to 

 mammals, birds, and fishes ; but it seemed inadvisable to stop there, 

 and therefore, " having some bowing acquaintance with the floras of 

 Britain, North America, and Australia, in addition to that of New 

 Zealand, in due course [he] added the introduced plants " — a decision 

 for which botanists, especially those who are concerned with questions 

 relating to distribution, will be grateful : a note on p. 503, fi-om 

 which we learn that he was a pupil of J. H. lialfour, his previous 

 publications, and the ]n'esent volume suggest that the author under- 

 estimates his botanical qualifications. It is, of course, with the 

 botanical portion of the book, which occupies about a third of its 

 bulk, that this notice is alone concerned. 



The first collection of New Zealand jilants brought to Europe was 

 that made by Banks and Solander on Cook's first voyage in 1769 ; 

 there is no record that on this occasion either animals or plants were 

 introduced, but on the second visit in 1773 " a quantity of European 

 seeids of the best kinds " were sown, though these ap])arently failed to 

 establish themselves. According to tradition, however, Lacjenaria 

 vulgaris (which was observed by Banks in 1773) was introduced 



