37S 
BOTANICAL NEWS. 
In a paper read at the Geographical Society on Explorations in Central 
America, Mr. John Collinson, C.E., states that amongst the curious causes 
which affected the compass when cutting his way through the primeval forests 
of Nicaragua, were " some of the enormous Mahogany and Wild Cotton (Erio- 
dendron) trees, which would often attract it as much as three degrees, observa- 
tions of the Pole Star and Southern Cross attesting the truth of the theodolite 
lines, and confirming the occurrence of the phenomenon." If this statement 
should be borne out by future investigations, Mr. Collinson will have made a 
valuable discovery, for we do not find even a hint on the subject in writings 
where we expected to find it, — on trees struck by lightning. With regard 
to the latter subject, it would be desirable to collect more data than we at pre- 
sent possess. Dr. Buchenau has lately raised the question whether or not cer- 
tain species of trees, such as the Birch, enjoy an immunity from being struck, 
or rather say, injured by lightning. No observations seem to be on record of 
Cocoa-nut Palms being injured by lightning, though, as Tennant, in his well- 
known work on Ceylon, states, they are known to be excellent lightning con- 
ductors. 
The first part of volume i. of a new series of Hooker's ■ Icones Plantarum ; 
or, Figures, with descriptive characters and remarks, of new or rare plants se- 
lected from the Kew Herbarium' (price seven shillings, post free), is now pub- 
lished by Messrs. Williams and Norgate, 14, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, 
London, W.C. The numbering of the Plates (which are drawn by Mr. Fitch) 
is in continuation of the former series, commencing with 1001, and represent- 
ing the following species -.—Hernias villosa, Thunb., Cape of Good Hope ; 
Traversia baccharoides, Hook, fil., New Zealand ; Haastia pulvinaris, and //. 
Sbiclairii, Hook, fil., New Zealand ; Allanblackia floribttnda, Oliv., Tropical 
Africa ; ChaunocHton lor antho ides, Benth., Tropical America ; Pleurocarpcea 
denticidata, Benth., Australia; Hydroly thrum Wallichii, Hook, fil., India; 
Ahodeiopsis Mannii, Oliv., Tropical Africa; Pachyclidoa Novce-Zelandia, 
Hook, fil., New Zealand; Anona Mannii, Oliv., Tropical Africa; Senecio tro- 
paolifolius, Macowan, Cape of Good Hope ; Thamnea depressa, Oliv., Cape of 
Good Hope ; T. unijlora, Sol., var. hirtella, Cape of Good Hope ; Berzelia 
(Mnioihamnea) callunoides, Oliv., Cape of Good Hope; Alsophila Rebecca, 
P. MuelL, Australia; Schizcea Sprucei, Hook., Tropical America; Sindora 
Wallichii, Benth., India ; Liquidambar orientalis, Mill., Levant ; i. Formo- 
sana, Hance, Formosa ; Mellissia begonifolia, Hook, fil., St. Helena ; ILete- 
roneuron nigricans, Hook, fil., Amazons ; Kaliphora Madagascariensis, Hook. 
fiL, Madagascar ; Lamprolobium fruticosum, Benth., Australia ; and IUipeia 
cuneifolia, Hook. fil. et T., India. 
Mr. James Britten has published a Catalogue of the Plants known or re- 
ported to have been found in the county of Buckingham ; and will be happj 
to forward a copy of it to any person sending name and address, and enclosing 
a couple of stamp*, to the author, at High Wycombe. This preliminary list 
contain* 777 species, and 22 varieties. 
