NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



185 



confluent, irregular, convex, immarginate, aud tuberculose. In 

 other respects same as type. On sandstone rocks, St. Bees, Cum- 

 berland, 1880. 



L. percontigua, Nyl. — Distinguished from L. contigiia by thallus 

 K. yellow, then deep orange-red. On walls, Barrowmouth and 

 Saltom Whitehaven, Cumberland, 1881. 



L. plianbina ( Anzi), Nyl. — Parasitic on the thallus of P. plumbea, 

 Lightf., on a tree, Borrowdale roadside, near Keswick, Cumberland, 

 1881. Rare. 



L. Bouteillei, Desmaz. ; forma ruhicola (Cro.), Nyl., Flora, 1869. 

 — On Ulex europmus, roadside between Seascale and Gosforth, 

 Cumberland, 1881. Very rare. — W. Johnson. 



Protective Mimicry. — On p. 129 of this Journal, Dr. Lees 

 speaks of the superficial resemblance which Selinum Carvifolia 

 bears to Peucedamim officinale as "bearing upon the question of 

 mimicry," and on p. 131 he speaks of it as a "protective likeness." 

 As this "protective" likeness usually occurs when an edible or 

 otherwise desirable species mimics a noxious or useless species 

 (usually of quite a distinct genus or order), so as to escape detection 

 and eventual extinction, it should be shown in what way the 

 Selinum would benefit by the disguise. Dr. Lees speaks of its fruit 

 as "having a peculiar rank pungent taste, scarcely aromatic, but 

 rather between juniper and pennyroyal"; while in 'English 

 Botany' the Peiicedanum is said to possess "stimulating qualities," 

 the roots being used in Russia as a substitute for gingei. It does 

 not appear, therefore, that either plant possesses noxious or 

 poisonous qualities sufficient to make it advantageous for either to 

 mimic the other, though the balance of advantage seems to be m 

 favour of Peucedayium imitating Selinum. Is there any established 

 instance of one plant assuming a protective resemblance to another 

 plant? — W. H. Beeby. 



Dentaria bulbifera in Kent and Sussex. — I was surprised on 

 April 19th to find this plant growing abundantly, though very 

 locaUy, in copses on each side of the small stream that divides 

 Kent from Sussex, and across which the road from Etchingham 

 Station and the village of Hurst Green passes. I also noticed the 

 plant sparingly in a small wood at Highgate, Hawkhurst, on the 

 20th. I have known both these localities intimately for twenty 

 years, but never saw the Dentaria there before, or have met with 

 anyone who knew of its occurrence in the neighbourhood. — J. 

 Cosmo Melvill. 



[There are specimens in Herb. Brit. Mus., collected at Hawk- 

 hm-st by Miss Otte m 1872.— Ed. Journ. Bot.] 



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