318 THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 



and redundancies, with a good, breezy, vigorous style, undisfigured 

 by "fine writing," affectations, or '' sloppiness." 



Mr. Praeger sketches out in an interesting fashion the history 

 of several certainly introduced species (e. g. Linaria minor, Arenaria 

 tenidfoUa, Matricaria discoidea) ; he also shows, with regard to 

 questions of doubtful nativity, an unusually unbiassed judgment 

 and a rare perception of probabilities. The full and up-to-date 

 bibliography of Irish topographical botany is one of the most 

 serviceable helps that could be given to students. 



"In the consistent use of latest records, this work exhibits a 



departure from the practice usually followed in Floras In 



the present case, the whole object is to exhibit a view of the flora 

 of Ireland as it is ; to give a present-day census of the plants of the 

 country." Accordingly, Mr. Praeger prints after each vice-comital 

 record of a plant the name of the most recent, rather than that of 

 the first observer. He argues that '' the names of persons are here 

 published, not with any reference to original discovery, but simply 

 as vouchers for the records''; and that Ci/bele has already done full 

 justice to historical and original claims. Opinions will probably 

 differ as to the course adopted ; on the whole, it seems justifiable. 



The " Field Work " chapter shows how ably Mr. Praeger has 

 marshalled his available forces, and what an indefatigable outdoor 

 worker he himself is. Pioughly speaidng, 20,000 county records 

 (500 species in 40 divisions) were required before the book could be 

 produced; 12,000 of these were lacking in 1895, 15,000 being the 

 number actually aimed at — and obtained ! Monaghan (477) alone 

 fails to reach the prescribed standard, and this exception is due to 

 an accident. The author devoted practically all his hoUdays for 

 five years (roughly, two hundred days) to this object ; the ''ordinary 

 day" being twelve hours, and the distance covered varying from 

 fifteen to thirty-five miles. Materials to the extent of some five 

 thousand sheets of specimens have been placed in the National 

 Museum, the critical plants named by recognized authorities — an 

 excellent plan. 



Thus we have, practically, a complete survey of Irish plant- 

 distribution down to the present time. Varieties are not usually 

 dealt with, and some subspecies are still too little known for treat- 

 ment (e. g. EuphrasicE, with the exception of E. salishurgensis). 

 Misprints are few and unimportant ; a curious one is Hieracium 

 vulgatum var. '' inacultatum'' for maculatum ; and H. riyidiun yslv. 

 " (jlabrescens'' should be scahresctus. Care.c (Ederi Eetz is not even 

 recognized as a subspecies. Two or three plants are "calcicole" in 

 Ireland which could hardly be so reckoned in England — e.g. J uncus 

 ijlaucu!<, not uncommon here both on sand and clay. The Lough 

 Mask (East Mayo) station for Daboecia polifolia, about which the 

 author is not satisfied, may be accounted for by its occurrence in 

 some plenty on the west side of the lake, ^axifraga umbrosa 

 (decidedly " calcifuge ") grows sparingly on the limestone at its 

 south-west corner. 



In conclusion, the book is again warmly recommended to all 

 who take an interest in British botany, as being full of interest and 

 well worth its cost. Edward S. Marshall. 



