Field Meetings. 143 



that, in these earlier orders, even the critical species are what 

 they profess to be. The rest of the herbarium is not named up 

 to the London catalogue, but after Bentham's Flora, and only 

 pretends to give the species in Bentham's sense. 



I regret to say, however, that members of the Society have not 

 availed themselves of the collection to the extent which I hoped. 

 Miss Hannay has very kindly offered to allow any member of the 

 Society to consult it during the winter at her house (St. Mary's 

 House). The Society is deeply indebted to Miss Hannay for again 

 offering to take charge of the herbarium during the cold and wet 

 winter months, when it might perhaps suffer damage in a tireless 

 room. While on this point, I should like to point out to members 

 the importance of consulting frequently tlie plants themselves. A 

 text book of botany is simply an attempt to portray in words the 

 facts which, in a herliarium, are open to one's hand and eye. 

 Every text book is liable to error, and no text books perhaps are 

 more misleading than botanical ones. The compiler of such a 

 book, being human, makes mistakes ; and the student, being also 

 human, is liable to misunderstand the compiler. Hence, for 

 saving of time, and for real nature study, the study of a text 

 book should be quite subordinate to that of the plants themselves. 

 The Society has also to thank the Misses Hannay for the 

 mounting of every specimen — a labour which has occupied an 

 enormous time, and which requires the greatest care and unre- 

 mitting attention. The manner in which the plants have been 

 mounted is simply perfect, as members may see for themselves. 

 We have also to thank the Misses Hannay for a very large 

 number of specimens, and thanks are likewise due for specimens 

 received from the following ladies and gentlemen — Miss Adams 

 and Miss S. D. Johnston, Miss Milligan, Miss Copland, Miss 

 Hamilton, Mrs Thomson, and Mrs Gilchrist-Clark ; and Mr 

 Coles, Mr Corrie, Mr Harper, Mr J. T. Johnstone, Mr M'Andrew, 

 Mr Masterman, and Mr Scott-Elliot. 



I venture, however, to ask the members of the Society again to 

 send as many specimens as possil)le to me or the Misses Hannay, 

 even if it is only for naming, partly because it is only in this way 

 that names can be kept quite correct, and partly in order that 

 the many doubtful or rare plants of the County can be 

 successfully kept in order. It is very important that specimens 

 with ripe fruit should be sent, as in many critical forms the fruit 



