392 CHARLES CARDALE BABINGTON. [1880 



To Arthur Bennett, Esq. 



Cambridge, Oct. 15, 1880. 



My dear Sir, — Many, very many thanks for the specimens of 

 Potamogeton lanceolatus (Sm.) from Burwell Fen. I was certainly 

 very sceptical about the plant growing there after seeing it in the 

 rather swift stream at Llugwj' Bridge. But I am now convinced 

 that your plant and that found in Anglesea are the same. Now 

 that attention is again drawn to the plant, we may hope that it will 

 be found in other places. It is quite unknown on the continent as 

 far as I can find out. The Welsh plant has very rarely true 

 floating leaves : we found none this year. It is curious that the 

 plant flowers are so very late. Mr. Griffith could not find any fruit 

 as late as the end of September, nor do you seem to have found 

 any. The other points in your letter I will attend to another day. 

 — Yours very truly, Charles C. Babington. 



To the Rev. W. H. Purchas. 



Cambridge, Oct. 15, 1880. 



Dear Purchas, — Your son has delivered the parcel to me, and 

 also the fresh specimen of Ruhus. The former I have not yet 

 examined, but will do so as soon as I can. I happen to have much 

 to do just now, and so there may be some little delay. Concerning 

 the fresh specimen I am not very sure. It seems to be almost 

 exactly the same as a specimen issued by Bloxam in 1846 (Fasc. of 

 Rubi) from Twycross as " dumetoi-uin (nemmvsus Hayne) " ; and also 

 one from him in 1869, also from Twycross, as probably my 

 kcberculatus. I incline to think that he is correct in this latter 

 name, and that your fresh specimen ought also to bear it. Mind 

 that tuberculatus is probably a collection species, including somewhat 

 diverse forms. The group of caesii is still very imperfectly under- 

 stood ; Focke has made nothing of them, and Genevier has a very 

 detailed account, which I have not yet studied. Indeed I am 

 leaving Genevier's book aside at present, as I am in very great 

 hopes of obtaining his whole herbarium for our Herbarium here. 

 You know he is dead, just after completing the new edition of his 

 very valuable " Monograph." But I think, and have long done so, 

 that our tuberculatus is his and Mliller's scabrosus, and perhaps the 

 teretiusculiis of Kaltenburg. Either of these names is older than 

 mine. But Genevier's herbarium (if it come here) will probably 

 settle this and many other questionable points. B. Furchasii will 

 perhaps also be settled when the same happy arrival takes place. 

 You will have seen that I was very shy of it when drawing up my 

 last published notes on the Bubi. I am quite as shy of it now. 

 Your note is worthy of much consideration. It certainly did not 

 occur to me to place it with the spectabiles ; but you may be correct, 



