Feb. 1903.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 267 



Dr. Buchanan White's "Flora of Perthshire"; but in most 

 of even the larger works, and still more in the briefer 

 ones, we usually find only a few localities enumerated, 

 with the name of the collector or reporter for each, 

 following a brief general statement such as " rare," 

 " frequent," " local," " by streams," " in fields." Man's 

 share in the present state of the flora is very inconsistently 

 treated. Common weeds of cultivated ground are admitted 

 into every list without question, though many of them are 

 ilepeudent on man's labour, not only for their introduction, 

 but also for their continuance in the district. Others are 

 relegated to a special list of species introduced by man, 

 though they may show themselves as widespread as, and 

 better able to retain their hold in the district than, the 

 field-weeds, and along with them are associated many that 

 are clearly mere outcasts and casuals, unlikely to appear 

 in any one locality for more than one or two years unless 

 reinforced. Species are included that have clearly been 

 planted originally where they continue to be found, whether 

 they have spread and become naturalised in aspect, or 

 remain limited to the original spot. Some tree and shrubs 

 are included, e.g. the maples and limes, while others are 

 omitted even though they seed freely, e.g. the larch, spruce, 

 and silver fir. 



The confusion becomes still greater when all species 

 admitted into the local list run on in one series, in which 

 some are noted as " introduced," while to others no such 

 note is added, though not less evidently called for. Man's 

 influence in limiting or extending the numbers and range 

 of distribution of species within a district is even less 

 consistently treated in local lists than his share in their 

 introduction. Eemarks on it are usually limited to the 

 few species that have become extinct, or are approaching 

 extinction. 



One rarely finds information of a kind at all definite or 

 serviceable with regard to the actual abundance and the 

 relative increase or diminution of the commoner (therefore 

 the usually characteristic) species of a district. Only now 

 and again are terms employed such as imply actual refer- 

 ence to the local conditions. Frequently they might have 

 been copied from some text-book or general flora. 



