CRITICAL NOTICES OP NEW PUBLICATIONS 293 



part is covered by peat bogs. Sandstone appears at Peel, and the peninsula 

 of Langness is partly composed of sand. At Castleton, the coast is formed 

 of a bed of transition-limestone, the only example of that rock in the island. 

 Beds of peat are interspersed amongst tlie clay-slate, presenting the same 

 botanical characters as those on the sand. The greatest elevation to which 

 the slate rises is that of Snaefel, which towers to the height of two thousand 

 and seven feet above the level ot the sea. The mountainous district gene- 

 rally presents elevations of from one thousand to sixteen hundred feet, but 

 it is' unproductive of botanical treasures. There are several species of plants 

 which are common in most places, but which are wanting altogether in this 

 island : these are, the Lamium album, Galium cruciatum, Veronica hederi- 

 folia, Alchemilla vulgaris, Geum urbanum, Linaria vulgaris, and others." 



After the plants set down for Scotland, come those for the Ork- 

 ney and Shetland Isles; and, at tlie end of these, IVIr. Watson 

 requests the assistance of botanists in enlarging the catalogue of 

 Shetland plants, so as to render it more complete. Then follows a 

 list of Scottish Species, with reference to the counties under which 

 they are mentioned. It occupies nineteen pages and contains a dis- 

 tinct enumeration of six hundred and sixty-five plants drawn from 

 two hundred and ninety-eight genera whereof an alphabetical index 

 is subjoined. Next in order, stands the Supplement for England 

 and Wales, and this is fraught with much additional and valuable 

 information. The number of species in each county list, for Great 

 Britain and the Islands, amounts to considerably more than twelve 

 thousand, as exhibited in a curious analytical table. It will remain 

 for practical Botanists to estimate the extraordinary amount of 

 mental concentration, exercised on a stock of patience almost inex- 

 haustible, which Mr. W. must have devoted to the preparation of 

 the separate constituent articles of his Guide. If they do not re- 

 ward, with the highest meed of praise at least, their instructor 

 who has shown himself so zealous, they will incur the charge of 

 being reprehensibly ungrateful. As to his accuracy and faithful- 

 ness, lot these be tested by experience : valuing highly the autho- 

 rity of two respected and indefatigable botanists often quoted, we 

 can rely on the lists for Leicestershire and the adjacent districts, 

 with unbounded and thankful confidence. 



In the Introduction to his first volume, iMr. Watson professed 

 distinctly that he entertained two objects, in publishing his work. 

 His _///•*/ and most desired object was — to ascertain the mere areal 

 distribution of the vegetable species, by making a series of local 

 lists from such materials as were placed within his reach: hh second 

 aim was — to render his compilation or more justly his composition, 

 an accurate and convenient guide-book to the localities of the least 

 common plants; while, in being fitted to combine easily with the 

 former, it would add considerably to its usefulness. This arrange- 

 ment created the necessity for his re])cating the names of ])lants in 

 the lists for counties in which they are abundantly frequent, and 

 also for mentioning sucli vague localities as Somcrscl, Brislul, Nor- 

 Jhllc and the like; but, lhou;;ii u.selcss indications to mere collectors, 

 such notices are very properly intended by him to rcpoid the fact of 



