71 
BOTANICAL NEWS 
Though havmg exceeded our ordinary space by eight pages, vre are com- 
pelled to defer our notices of new publications, and seteral important cotumu- 
liications from Messrs. Bater, Babington, Ckrke, and Miss &ifford. 
*Hardwicke's Science-Gossip' is the title of a new '* monthly medixim of 
interchang:e and gossip for lovers and students of nature" on animals and 
plants. The first niunbcr, published on the 1st of January, contains several 
original popidar notices, and clippings of variotis periodicals and boots, illus- 
trated by woodcuts. The object of this new publication is to encourage and 
develope the taste for natural history in general which undoubtedly exists 
amongst a considerable body of men, to whom our strictly scientific periodicals 
or high-class popular journals are almost unintelligible, and who are frightened 
and perplexed on being too suddenly admitted to a full view of all the difficul- 
ties with which those have to grapple who are really working at the advance- 
ment of true science. Scientific men ought to feel grateful to the editor for 
endeavouring to draw votaries to science. 
We learn, with deep regret, the death of Dr. W, B, Baikie, E.N., who went 
out to the West Coast of Africa about nine years ago as the accredited envoy 
of H. M. Government to open up the trade of the Niger, an expedition to 
which the late Mr. Barter was attached as botanist. He was recalled at his 
urgent request, and, having suffered many privations during liis prolonged stay 
in one of the most unhealthy parts of the world, he succumbed to a short 
attack of fever and dysentery, at Sierra Leone, on the 30tli of November, 1864- 
His official dispatches and communications to learned societies show his in- 
dustry and power of observation, 
From a correspondence lately made known, we learn that upwards of 200 
names ai'e subscribed to the Lindley testimonial. This enabled the promoters 
to order a handsome piece of plate, value about 200 guineas^ which borrowed 
some of the details of its ornamentation from the Orchids and other plants to 
which Dr. Lindley'a studies have been more especially directed. The delicate 
attention shown in the design has been duly appreciated by Dr. Lindley, who, 
prevented by ill-health from receiving the deputation that were to present the 
testimonial, has written a letter to Mr, Bateman, begging him to convey his 
thanks to the subscribers for then* kindness. 
Mr. Richard Buxton died at Manchester, on the 2nd of January, in the 81st 
year of his age. It is now nearly twenty years since he wrote his * Botanical 
Guide to the Floweiing Plants, Ferns, Mosses, and Algse foxmd indigenous 
within eighteen miles of Manchester.' This book was favourably received, 
and the memoir of the author's hfe prefixed to it shows the power of a poor 
man to educate himself under adverse circumstances. At page 4 he says; — 
" When about twelve years of age I went to James Heap's, in Port Street, to 
learn the trade of a bat-maker, ^ — that is, a maker of childi^en's small leathern 
shoes. With him I continued about a year and a half, and then went and 
worked with one James Hyde for several years^ At this time I had for- 
gotten what little I had previously learned at the Sunday School, and was 
quite unable to read ; this caused me much regret. I therefore got a 
spelling-book to teach myself. I soon became master of it, and I then 
