251 



mens a great variety of Orchidece, among which 

 your splendid O. gigantea, pectinata; Epidendrum 

 pracox ; your Neottia acaidis, and a very large spe- 

 cies which I call procera : of these two tribes you 

 will receive from time to time large supplies, ac- 

 cording to the wish you have expressed, as also of 

 Orobanche and Aeginetia. Of the former of these 

 I have the pleasure to present you on this occasion 

 with a species, which I cannot distinguish from in- 

 dica of Buchanan ; of the latter, there are also spe- 

 cimens in the chest. 



I presented Mr. Roscoe with a good many Sci- 

 taminecE, which were forwarded in the Cornwallis. 

 That illustrious man, as also the Botanic Institution 

 at Liverpool (which in 1816 conferred the flatter- 

 ing distinction, of electing me their first and only 

 honorary member), have placed me under personal 

 obligations for some excellent collections just re- 

 ceived from the ship Bengal. What a clever and ex- 

 perienced man Mr. Shepherd must be ! — out of one 

 hundred and one sorts of plants packed up in a light 

 chest, according to his judicious mode, not less than 

 forty-seven were in the highest vigour ; eight were 

 in a state of dangerous weakness, but still holding 

 out hopes of recovery ! If it is considered that the 

 chest was embarked on the 22nd of January ; that 

 more than half a year had elapsed since the roots and 

 plants were packed up ; and that the chest remained 

 on board the ship after its arrival here, for some time 

 atleast,on account of its being placed so far down in 

 the ship's hold as not to be come at without taking 

 out part of the cargo; — if all this is considered, too 



