288 CHARLES CARDALE BABINGTON. [1842 



is that if Gibson has found it, he is most fortunate. Why did you 

 not ask him about it ? I have corresponded with him for some time, 

 and been much pleased with his observations. The Car ex I look 

 upon as distinct, but it is Gribson himself who proposed the name of 

 Leylandi, and wants me or Leighton to describe it. I wish that he 

 would do it himself, and then we should adopt the name, but I must 

 say that I do not much like it, as I believe that Leyland has had 

 nothing to do with it. What is Lysimachia strida which you mention 

 as growing near York? I have the true Eriophorum gracile from 

 Croft, and so have you, I think. It is probable that you did not 

 get to the right place. Nothing can be done about the Supplement 

 until Sowerby will inform us of the amount of deficiency upon each 

 number. I propose that subscribers should take their copies direct 

 from him if they can, and that an endeavour should be made to get 

 new ones. I shall have it in view in Scotland. I start on Wednes- 

 day for Manchester, to the Meeting of the British Association, and 

 shall probably go north after it is over. The plan is that Professor 

 Balfour (of Glasgow) and I should go to Orkney and Shetland in 

 August ; but what my movements will be during July I am now 

 unable to say with certainty. I wish greatly that you would look 

 ■over your Willows, and give me your opinion as to what I had better 

 do with them, as I must confess myself quite unable to form any 

 opinion for myself. It would be easy for you to put down upon 

 paper such notes upon the species as would relieve me from a great 

 and nearly insurmountable difficulty. I hope that you will not think 

 me very troublesome in asking this, as I well know that you have 

 only to set to work and the thing is done with ease. I am just 

 returned from a week with Holmes in Suffolk. We went to Alde- 

 burgh and Orford, and hunted Ray's station at the latter for 

 Medicago muricata, which I am now convinced is totally lost. There 

 is no Medicago whatever on the place indicated ; indeed the banks 

 are now so well kept that none are likely to grow upon them. We 

 found plenty of M. minima on the Castle Hill. Spartina strida is in 

 very great abundance on the marshes near Orford Ness. Glyceria 

 Borreri also grows there. Lathyrus (Pisum) maritimus is plentiful on 

 the shingle bank next to the sea, all the way from Aldeburgh to 

 Orford Ness. — Believe me, dear Sir, very truly yours, Charles C. 

 Babington. 



To Professor J. H. Balfour, M.D. 



Edinburgh, July 21, 1842. 



Dear Balfour, — I have been greatly disappointed at finding that 

 the meeting, upon the promise of which I had hurried here, took 

 place last week, as I wished greatly to have remained at Berwick. 

 I have taken lodgings here (as head-quarters) for a fortnight, but 

 will go to Glasgow in the beginning of the week for a day or so. 

 What time will suit you best 1 I am far from pleased with the mess 

 that has been made of the " Botanical Society Transactions," but it 



