394 CHARLES CARDALE BABINGTON. [1881 



and then I find my time very fully occupied. It takes me much time 

 critically to examine a parcel, usually consisting of plants sent 

 because they are not easily determinable. I hope therefore that 

 some plan may be adopted so as to hasten the work in the spring. 

 — Yours very truly, Charles C. Babington. 



P.S. — I thank you and your brother for the appendix to the 

 Characeae. I am inclined to agree with those who do not wish a 

 recognised name to be altered, because an older neglected one can be 

 found. In ordinary cases the rule of priority is most valuable — but 

 a name may become obsolete. I am thus sorry that you have dropped 

 the accepted name, stelligera. — C. C. B. 



To Henry Groves, Esq. 



Cambkidge, Mar. 22, 1881. 



My dear Sir, — The parcel belonging to the Exchange Club has 

 arrived, and I will attend to it as soon as I possibly can, I hope this 

 week or next. — Yours truly, Charles C. Babington. 



To the same. 



Mar. 28, 1881. 



Note. — Members should be reminded thiat very much care and 

 minuteness is requisite in collecting Eubi 



Notice and Record. — The direction of the barren stem, the 

 characters from the flowers — especially the relative lengths and colours 

 of the stamens and styles. All foreign authors, such as Focke and 

 Genevier, lay very much weight upon these points, and I think with 

 reason. But they can hardly be determined from the dried plant ; 

 certainly not from imperfect or imperfectly preserved specimens, such 

 as are often sent to me to name. I am now suffering from my 

 ignorance of the value of these characters formerly. It is very 

 seldom indeed that I find any of these points noted on the tickets 

 sent with the plants. From the want of such notes, and the badness 

 of the specimens in some other point of consequence, I very often 

 cannot venture to append a name to the specimen with certainty. — 

 Charles C. Babington. 



To the sarM. 



Cambhidob, June 16, 1881. 



Dear Sir, — Many thanks for the information asked for. What 

 do 3'ou now think of Curnow and Bennett's possible baltica from 

 Lizard 1 1 see Nordstedt's name is haltica-leptophylla ad Liljebladi 

 accedens. How about connivens ? I have not seen it. Do you not 

 notice the curiously inflated upper joints of bracts in tomentosa 1 

 Our plant differs much in look from ceratophylla (Wallr.), "Ann. 

 Bot.," t. V. — Yours truly, Charles C. Babington. 



