BANKS AS B(JTAXIST, 17 



I have dwelt on the Newfoundland collection at length because 

 it gives more definite evidence of Banks's individual botanical 

 attainments than is afforded by any of tlie later work in which he 

 was associated with iSolander, wliose greater fame as a botanist 

 has natm-ally overshadowed that of his patron, and to wliom 

 exclusively is sometimes attributed worlc for wliich the two men 

 were jointly responsible. Thus the now species described in the 

 second edition of Alexander llusseli's 'Natural History of Aleppo ' 

 (1789) are generally quoted as of tSolander, altliongh Patrick 

 iiussell in his preface expressly states that the catalogue of plants 

 was drawn up by both botanists. IJut the records of the New- 

 foundland expedition contain no indication of any co-operation 

 on Solander's ])art, and show that Banks, at the age of 24, had 

 already obtained considerable botanical proficiency. 



In the year between the Newfoundland voyage and the departure 

 of the voyage to the South Seas, Banks visited the west of 

 England : the Journal which he kept during his excursion was 

 acquired by Mr, Spencer George Perceval, who published it in 

 the 'Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists' Society' for 1898 

 (ix. 6-37). 



From his school days at Eton, Banks had been interesied in • 

 British plants ; we are told that while at school he paid some 

 women, " cullers of simples,'' to bring him specimens of each 

 plant they collected, for whicii he paid them sixpence ; that, 

 finding at home an old torn coi)y of Gerard's Herbal, he took it 

 back to Eton with him, and that while there he made considerable 

 collections of plants and insects ; his botanical studies were 

 continued during his university career at Oxford. A letter from 

 Lightfout dated Feb. 27, 170G — the first of the transcribed 

 Correspondence — shows that Banks was at that time in active 

 correspondence with the writer and v\ith other botanists ; and 

 Lightfoot's account of his own earlier visit to St. Vincent's liocks 

 may have prom])ted Banks to the investigation of the plants of 

 tliat locality recorded in the Journal of the AVest of England 

 excursion. Banks again visited the AVest in 1773 — this time in 

 company with Lightfoot on the way to and from their joint 

 expedition to AVales. Of this joui'iif^y Lightfoot kept a diary, 

 which is printed in the 'Journal of Botany ' for 1905, with four 

 letters written later to Banks relating to plants collected on the 

 occasion. The llerbainum contains specimens of the plants col- 

 lected — among them some not mentioned by Lightfoot ; the sheets 

 bearing the names in Banks's hand and are endorsed by him with 

 notes giving locality and date : thus of I'Aipliorh'ui Lailti/ris, then 

 llrst noted as a British plant, he writes : " I found this one 

 plant among the Ligustrum on the south side of the Steep 

 ilolmes Island, but being hurried by the tide had not titne to 

 search for more." Writing of this exjiedition Lightfoot says : 

 " I believe it may without vanity be saiti that few, if anv. Botanical 

 hjxcursions in Great Britain liave exceeded our collection either 

 in Niim])''r or liaritv of rianls." 



