214 CORRESPONDENCE. 
timation of the existence of a Cocoa-nut-tree growing at Cawarral was given by 
Mr. Robert Spencer. I shortly after secured specimens of the leaves, flowers, 
and fruits for identification, which I forwarded in November, 1864, to our 
illustrious Australian botanist, Dr. Ferdinand von Mueller, who mentioned 
hibitions. The epe unroot the a lready growing plant, to secure the 
smallest part of the albumen atable. Does not such want of fore- 
thought by these deci of nature establish sufficiently one of the Sea 
eauses of the paucity of the Cocoa-nut on our I 
reor = T useful Palm, and still extend its geographical distribution, 
w to be limited to so few individuals. Will it ever be found in 
hags ed F I am, etc., 
Remarks on Dr. Lindsay's Paper * On — Reaction as a Specific 
Character in Lichen 
Dr. Lindsay, in his paper (Journ. Linn. me Rein: pp. 36-63, 1869), 
bien Bo to show the slight degree of faith that ought to be placed in the che- 
has thought proper to enter into; such a task would assuredly be altogether 
superfluous, for evidence is not to be denied, and to any one able to see, and in 
suitable conditions for such researches, the reactions here in question are as 
evident as they are easy to produce. Nothing in them is “ supposed,” as Dr. 
Lindsay would have it. 
he reddish hue sometimes produced on the altered basis of certain old 
thalli of, e. g., Platysma nivale by the application of potash or of liquid am- 
monia, has nothing to do with the chrysophanic acid pese; as €— Lr 
: ; of t 
r. - 
Lichens. All the other examples set forth by him are like the one just dies 
to, oraltogether inaccurate. In like manner, if the thallus of Physeia parietina 
or of adi 
times positive and sometimes negative) he had to do with different species? 
He himself allows he is unaeq with the common Parmelia olivetorum 
-Ab uno disce omnes 
Mu MES noe me Marce ee ee ee 
