GENERAL. XXX1ll 
at one time thought of incorporating in this “ Flora” 
a list of the sea-weeds known to have been found 
round the coast of Orkney, and set to work to 
gather and name specimens. On second thoughts, 
however, I found that an additional list would be 
superfluous, as there is a thoroughly reliable book, 
“The Marine Algz of the Orkney Islands,” on the 
subject. It is a reprint from the “ Proceedings of 
the Edinburgh Botanical Society,’ copies of which 
are now in the market at a moderate price. The 
author was the late Mr George W. Traill, Joppa, 
near Edinburgh. Myr Traill, as the name implies, 
was an Orcadian, being one of the Traills of North 
Ronaldshay, and a well-known authority on this 
subject. l'esides this work, he also published “The 
Algze of the Firth of Forth.” 
Half-a-dozen years ago it had never entered my 
mind that I should write a “ Flora” of the county, 
although I had for nearly two decades previously 
taken a keen interest in the subject. The keenest 
botanist I have been associated with before his 
whole time was taken up with his own work as 
geologist, was John 8. Flett, D.se, LL.D. F.BS., 
Chiet of the Geological Survey, Scotland. I once 
expressed my regret that he had not published a 
“Flora” of the county before he had received an 
important appointment in geology. He rephed to 
say that in the event of my undertaking this work 
he would call on Mr Arthur Bennett, F.L.S., Croydon, 
London, one of the greatest living authorities on 
systematic botany, and ask him to examine any 
doubttul or rare specimens I cared to send him. I 
