276 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. lxvii. 



each species and variety a map should be prepared to show 

 the distribution, except where its rarity makes it desirable 

 not to indicate the localities too minutely. The records 

 should include, in the ordinary series, every species 

 observed under such conditions as might lead to its being 

 regarded as a wild plant (and in an appendix might be 

 enumerated the plants cultivated in the country generally) ; 

 but against each plant should be noted whether it appeared 

 to be " native," or " alien," owing its presence in the district 

 to man's agency, intentional or unintentional. In the 

 latter case, its condition as observed should be noted, 

 whether only a suspected " alien," or a " denizen," holding 

 its place without man's aid, or a " colonist," continuing to 

 grow as a weed of cultivated ground against man's will, or 

 a " casual " merely, dying out after a time, or planted 

 where found. It should also be noted of the " aliens," 

 where possible, how they seemed to have been introduced, 

 whether as outcasts, or escapes, or relics of cultivation, or 

 with commercial products, etc. As to " native " plants, it 

 might be stated whether their range of distribution or 

 abundance was being altered noticeably by man or from 

 natural causes. 



For each district, at least of larger extent, the character- 

 istic and local plants should be indicated, and also the 

 immigrants from other districts, and those that reach a 

 geographical limit in it. The grade of scarcity or of 

 abundance should also be stated. Any plant-associations 

 of a noteworthy kind, deserve mention. Information as 

 to habitats, restriction to certain geological formations or 

 soils, peculiar forms, associations with insects, either bene- 

 ficial (as in pollination) or hurtful (galls or other injuries) 

 diseases, and other matters of l)iological interest that might 

 affect the flora might be included, or might form a com- 

 panion volume to the " Topographical Botany of Scotland " 

 of the future. 



By the use of a few simple and easily understood con- 

 tractions, local lists might easily give much more information 

 on a good many of the above points than one usually finds 

 in them, with very slight addition to their bulk. 



Lastly, the progress of investigation of the flora is of 

 much interest, and the earliest record of each plant in a 



