96 BOTANICAL NEWS. 



The death, at the age of 76, of the Kev. Andrew Bloxam, one 

 of the best known of British botanists, occurred on Feb. 2nd, at 

 Harborough Magna, Warwick, of w^iich ke was Rector. Mr. 

 Bloxam' s study of the British Flora extended over more than fifty 

 years, and embraced all its branches, but the more critical genera 

 attracted his special attention. He was one of the earliest and 

 most successful students of Ruhi, and his keen observation in the 

 field led to the detection of many forms which, as distinguished by 

 him, have since held theii' ground. He iniblished several papers 

 on this genus in the old series of the ' Phytologist,' and there are 

 also descriptions of two new forms in this Journal for 1869 and 

 1870. For many years Rector of Twycross in Leicestershire, he 

 made the flora of that county a special study, and published an 

 account of the Botany of his parish in the ' Phytologist,' and (in 

 conjunction with the Rev. Ch. Babington) of Charnw^ood Forest in 

 Potter's ' History.' He studied the Fungi with great assiduity 

 and success, and his large collection of them was acquii'ed a few 

 years ago by the British Museum, along with MSS. unpublished 

 Catalogues of the Cryptogams of Leicestershire. 



On January 6th, there died at Arcueil, near Paris, at the 

 great age of 87; Francois Vincent Raspail. Between thirty and 

 foi-ty years ago, he was a prolific writer on all departments of 

 Natural History and Medicine. In Botany, Raspail's chief work 

 was among the Grasses ; and he published, in 1825, his ' Memohe 

 sur la Famille des Graminees,' which contains a classification on 

 new^ in-inciples. His * Nouveau Systeme de Physiologic Vegetale 

 et de Botanique ' appeared in 1837. Brongniart's genus of 

 BnmiacecB, EasjKiilia, was defined in 1826, and supersedes Presl's 

 genus of the same name given fom- years later. 



Robert Swinhoe, who died m London on October 28th, 1877, 

 at the early age of 41, was for some years Her Majesty's Consul 

 at Formosa, and afterwards at Ningpo. He was a good naturalist, 

 and a Fellow of the Royal and Linnean Societies. His specialty 

 was ornithology, but he took a general interest in all branches of 

 science, and his position gave him the opportunity of contributing 

 to the elucidation of many botanical difficulties. 



The herbarium of the late Alexander Braun has been purchased 

 by the Prussian Government for the sum of 21,000 marks. 



The Cryi)togamic herbarium of De Notaris has been acquired by 

 the Italian ministers of public instruction for the Botanic Garden 

 at Rome. 



The beautiful garden, at Antibes, of the late M. Thuret has, 

 we are informed by the ' Gardeners' Chronicle,' become the i^roperty 

 of the French Government, and will be formed mto a sort of 

 MediteiTanean appanage to the Paris Jardin des Plantes. It is 

 intended to give the direction to M. Naudin, of Collioure, and the 

 object will be to make a botanic and experimental garden where 

 new introductions maybe tried, experimented upon, and distributed 

 to other establishments. 



