234. 
be likely to meet the requiremeuts of the case; and from what 
I can learn respecting the splendid tints of the Indian summer 
in America, and from what I have seen in the Highlands of 
Scotland, as compared with my own neighbourhood, I am 
very much inclined to believe that no conditions are more 
favorable. At the same time, of course very much depends on 
the particular species of tree or plant growing abundantly in 
each locality. English woodland scenery suffers much from 
the want of those large trees which, like some species of Aria, 
develop erythrophyll even in our own climate, the only ex- 
tensive, well-marked, red colouring being due to such a small 
plant as the bilberry of our moors. -At a later period of the 
year the more striking tints depend not only on the dis- 
appearance of chlorophyll, but also on the presence of sub- 
stances lke quinotannic acid, changed by oxidization to a 
bright orange-brown, as seen in our own beech trees, which 
are sO great an ornament to the scenery late in autumn. 
In bringing this paper to a close, I would say that I have 
now carefully studied the different colouring matters met 
with in plants for a number of years, and am more and more 
convinced that such methods as I have described enable us to 
identify or distinguish them, even though, as is often the 
case, more than half a dozen exist mixed together. The field 
of research is extremely wide, and years of study would be 
required to work out the detail, and to ascertain the connection 
between the different coloured compounds and the botanical 
character of the various plants in which they occur, but 
would, I believe, yield many interesting results. For my own 
part, I must say that I have derived very great pleasure from 
the inquiry; for, spending as I do several hours almost every 
day in the open country, I have found that at every season of 
the year, and in nearly all kinds of localities, facts may be 
observed which confirm previous conclusions, or correct 
errors ; and I hope that this account of what I have been able 
to learn may be the means of inducing others to pay attention 
to this subject, and that the study may conduce as much to 
their pleasure as it has to mine. 
