GLOUCESTERSHIRE RECORDS 223 



ejusd. ins. {Y. Tanaka, 1895), in apice mentis prope portum 

 Moikeshi, ejusd. ins. {T. Ishikawa, 1890), in montanis inter Naipo 

 et Tore, ejusd. ins. {M. Kambe, 1890) ; Yoshinohama, ins. Urup 

 (Jf. Uckida, 1891), Suisanwan, ejusd. ins. {K. Jimbo, 1891). 



Nostra planta differt a typica foliis latioribus, subtus glabris 

 nee pilosis, calyce majore, est plerumque in insulis Kurilis nee non 

 in Yezo distributa. 



GLOUCESTEKSHIRE RECORDS. 

 By THE Rev. H. J. Riddelsdell. 



The preparation of material for the projected Flora of Glou- 

 cestershire has called my attention to the unsatisfactory nature of 

 Watson's dividing line. The county is split into two vice-counties, 

 East Gloucester and West Gloucester, under the respective 

 Watsonian numbers 33 and 34. 



It is rather strange that there should be any difficulty with 

 the division, for Watson was by no means a stranger to the county. 

 His herbarium records show that he visited it more than once, 

 notably in the early sixties : though there is no evidence, I believe, 

 that he was in any other part of it than the neighbourhood of the 

 Severn, from Tewkesbury down to Bristol. 



The difficulty is not that the division is of an arbitrary nature : 

 to some degree, arbitrariness must come in, if it is to be practically 

 useful. But Watson does not appear to have referred either to a 

 large scale map, or to have consulted local botanists on the subject. 

 (The alteration of the county boundaries since his time has made 

 no difference in all this, I believe.) His rule is : " East and West 

 Gloucester are separated by the Thames and Severn Canal, and by 

 the river Severn from the point of junction up to Tewkesbury " 

 {Top. Bot. ed. 2, p. xliii.). 



Now the Thames and Severn Canal begins by Lechlade, in 

 Gloucestershire, and keeps in the county for a few miles, along a 

 course about east and west. It is never more than about half a 

 mile distant from the Wilts border, and sometimes is within a 

 hundred or two hundred yards of it. About a mile west of 

 Kempsford Church it enters Wilts, and stays there for six or seven 

 miles, though at one point it seems (my evidence is the one inch 

 reduction of the ordnance map) actually to touch the Gloucester- 

 shire boundary. It finally re-enters this county some way beyond 

 Cerney Wick, close to " Wildmoorway Bridge" (of the ordnance 

 map). All goes well now till it joins the Severn at Upper Frami- 

 lode. The division is now marked by the river. But difficulties 

 arise at Gloucester. There the Severn runs in two channels, 

 which convey about equal volumes of water. The question is, 

 Which channel is Watson's line to follow ? It is an important 

 matter, for interesting records are at stake. And once again : 

 about a mile above Haw Bridge the river becomes the county 

 boundary. For a mile or so, Worcester county appears on the 

 right bank, but then comes the parish of Forthampton, on the 



