SPERGULARIA MARGINATA 131 



also examples in Herb. Mus. Brit, from the Plytn Estuary (Archer 

 Briqgs, 1875), Chesil Beach (Riddelsdell, 1912), Lulworth (Ridley 

 Sf Fawcett, 1883), Hunstanton (T. B. Blow) and Walney Island 

 (Hodgson). The plant is probably widely distributed on sea-cliffs 

 and wet rocky or stony shores. 



There also exist in Herb. Mus. Brit, several Scottish examples 

 (Burntisland, Hunter ; Auchmithie, Carnegie ; Nairn, F. S. Mar- 

 shall, no. 2139 ; Kirkibost, N. Uist, Shoolbred) that possess the 

 same relatively compact habit, short pedicels and bright pink petals 

 as var. glandulosa, in combination with a much less glandular 

 development. These seem to be a modification of this same variety, 

 and not of the saltmarsh type, and may be distinguished as a form 

 thus : — 



SPERG TIL ARIA MARGINATA Kittel, vai\ GLANDULOSA Dl'UCe, 



b. gladrescens, forma nova. 



Planta habitu compact o, pedicellis brevibus petalisque roseis ut in 

 varietate glandulosa, sed parce glandulosa vel etiam suhglabra. 



THE DRAUGHTSMAN OF THE 'HERBARUM 

 YIYJE EICONES.' 



By Agnes Arber, D.Sc, F.L.S. 



In a paper on " Brunfels and Fuchs " in this Journal for 1919 

 (lvii. 236) Dr. A. H. Church discusses the identity of the draughts- 

 man responsible for the illustrations in the famous Herbarum vivce 

 eicones of Otto Brunfels, published by Schott, of Strasburg, in 1530, 

 and concludes that " from internal evidence it may be sufficiently 

 assumed that Brunfels drew the figures himself." In 1912 I hacl 

 written (Herbals, p. 171) that "the illustrations in Brunfels' herbal 

 were engraved, and probably drawn also, by Hans Weiditz, or Guidi- 

 tius, some of whose work has been ascribed to Albrecht Diirer." 

 Dr. Church criticizes this passage in the following terms : — " Arber 

 naively suggests that the engraver drew them — so used are we to the 

 inferiority of the artistic profession ; but there is no reason why they 

 should have been so done, any more than modern work is left to the 

 printer or process-engraver." 



In the light of Dr. Church's criticism, I have reconsidered the 

 question, but a further stud}' of the subject leads me to reaffirm my 

 former belief that Weiditz not only engraved but also drew the 

 splendid series of illustrations which give the Herbarum vivce 

 eicones its epoch-making character. Since Dr. Church relies mainly 

 on internal evidence, we may first look at the subject from this point 

 of view. These woodcuts have a marvellous sureness and decision of 

 line, and show a virility of handling, which to me suggest the work 

 of a man who is engraving his own design, rather than interpreting 

 someone else's drawing, and, further, these pictures have in every 

 way the look of the finest type of professional work ; whereas, if 

 Brunfels, as Dr. Church suggests, did them himself, they must have 

 been merely amateur efforts. Brunfels, who was for many years 



