NEW PUBLICATIONS. 351 
sex, The good advice-of this ancient botanist has been followed at 
Harrow school, and the result is the little book whose title is given 
above. The preface tells us that the work has been entirely drawn up 
by Harrow boys, and that it is published “ from a very strong desire 
to promote at Harrow an interest in natural history." It is very satis- 
factory to find this taste growing in our large schools: not only is it 
excellent employment for the boys, combining in its prosecution 
health, profit, and pleasure, but it is also instrumental in training them 
up to be accurate observers and reasoners, whilst it is of benefit to 
science at large through the record of numerous observations ina given 
district. It is to be hoped that the example of Marlborough and 
Harrow will be followed by other large schools. 
‘The flora of this portion of Middlesex is, as might be expected, 
neither varied nor extensive, and though extended observation will 
doubtless discover more species, especially amongst the less generally 
known groups, such as the Grasses and Cyperacew, yet it is probable 
that such additions will be few in number, and that the plants of the 
neighbourhood may be considered as pretty completely elucidated. 
s it is, however, the efficacy of continued exertions and renewed 
search in even a poor district is well shown by the increase in num- 
ber of recorded species and varieties from 539 in Mr. Hind’s list, 
published in 1861, to 617, the number included in the present 
Flora. The extent of the district included is about sixty square miles, 
and the book is furnished with the Ordnance survey of the neigh- 
bourhood. 
The list of plants consists mainly of the commonly distributed 
plants of the Thames basin, with a sprinkling of rariores, which re- 
lieves its monotony. There are some remarkable desiderata. Caltha 
palustris does not occur wild, though there are numerous suitable lo- 
calities for its growth, nor has Lychnis vespertina, Asperula odorata, or 
Erica cinerea been met with by Harrow botanists, though it is proba- 
ble that they all occur, as all are found both at Hampstead and in the 
Harefield district. Senecio Jacobea must surely be a Harrow species, 
though not included in its flora; 4. erucefolius is there stated to be 
* very abundant," and may be an error, the commoner species being 
intended. Both, however, are included in Mr. Hind's catalogue. 
There are several other plants omitted from the Flora which are 
given as natives by Mr. Hind, amongst them Ranunculus sceleratus, 
