318 A CONTEIBUTION TO THE FLOEA OF DEKBYSHIRE. 



which, though abundant in the alpine pastures of Switzerland, is 

 not likely to commend itself for use among us. In the same way 

 we find Poa alpina recommended to be sown as a pasture grass, 

 and Phalaris arundinacea. Holciis lanatus did not deserve a plate, 

 except to point it out as a grass to be avoided ; and besides the 

 Holcus, there are others that scarcely reach the position of best 

 pasture grasses. The mistake has been in introducing a Swiss 

 work among us in an English dress as if it were a native, whereas 

 one is reminded in every page that it is a foreigner. Yet foreigner 

 as it is, it is full of practical information of the first importance to 

 the agriculturist, and we trust it will secure the wide circulation 

 it deserves. William Cabruthers. 



A Contribution to the Flora of Derbyshire. By the Rev. W. H. 

 Painter. 8vo, pp. 156, map. London : Bell & Son. Price 

 7s. 6cl. 



The compiler of this ' Contribution ' has done useful work in 

 bringing together in a convenient form the notes and observations 

 on the flora of Derbyshire, hitherto scattered through various works, 

 but mainly those of the more recent papers published in this 

 Journal. The future botanist who undertakes a comprehensive 

 Flora of this most interesting of the Midland Counties will find 

 Mr. Painter's book useful, as j)ointing out where he may look for 

 fuller knowledge ; but the loose manner in which the material 

 collected has been used will necessitate reference to the original 

 sources. 



While this ' Contribution ' shows that good and valuable work 

 has been done in Derbyshire by men whose names are honoured 

 amongst botanists, such as the Revs. Andrew Bloxam, Churchill 

 Babington, and Dr. Hewett, and more recently by those whose 

 names are a guarantee for close and accurate observation, such as 

 Mr. J. G. Baker, the Revs. W. H. Purchas and W. R. Linton, &c., 

 we find in it but little evidence of the compiler's own knowledge of 

 either the county or its flora. 



The work opens with a Preface, deeply imbued with religious 

 sentiment, but giving no reason for the publication of so incomplete 

 a work. This is followed by the Introduction, in which is given a 

 short description of the geological and physical features of the 

 county, with an account of the principal rivers and their tributaries ; 

 also "Topographical Divisions," the county being arranged arti- 

 ficially into three portions. Following this is the "Names and 

 Species Limit," " Classes of Citizenship," "Types of Distribution," 

 and " Zones of Temperature and Altitude," copied verbatim from 

 Mr. J. G. Baker's ' Flora of the Lake District.' 



The statistics of the classes of citizenship are not given ; they 

 are as follows: — Native, G93; colonist, 56; denizen, 33; alien, 50; 

 casual, 33 ; doubtful, 61 ; varieties, 165 ; so that one-third of the 

 whole record belong to the four last classes. 



Mr. Painter's summary of the types of distribution is somewhat 

 misleading, as will be seen when it is placed side by side with one 

 compiled from his own text : — 



