140 ON THE SYNONYMY OF VARIOUS CONIFERS, 
XXXIIL—ON THE SYNONYMY OF VARIOUS 
CONIFERS. 
By Anprew Murray, Assistant Secretary. 
Іт is difficult to say which of two very different classes of Botanists 
have done most to embroil the synonymy of plants—one, whose inclina- 
tion is to multiply species, and the other, whose disposition is to restrict 
them, 
When these different minds deal with plants as to whose identity no . 
doubt exists, their views are matter of opinion, from which no practical 
evil results ; but when they have to decide upon species whose identity 
is not recognised, the consequences of their predisposition may be mis- 
chievous on whichever side it is exerted. On the whole, however, we are 
inclined to think that in such ease more,harm is likely to be done by 
those who protest against the multiplication of species, and. as they 
themselves would say, will be no parties to such an error, than by those 
who would multiply them, even although their motive should often only 
be the pleasure or vanity of connecting their own names with the 
and-by а similar plant is received from the same or a neighbouring 
district. It is compared with the previous imperfect description, and is 
eats it as the same, records a new 
locality for the old name, giving additional facts regarding it, and 
supplies the points defective in the former description. Who has 
done most mischief here? One m 
