208 THE DARWINIAN THEORY. 
bipinnate foliage; the latter is much like that of Anthriscus silvestris, 
Hoffm., whilst the flowers are usually about the size of those of D. 
Ajacis, L. Mr. Hay's solitary specimen has the leaf-segments much 
narrower and finer, the flowers smaller, and the spur longer and more 
slender, but I have no doubt it is conspecific. The very beautiful 
specimens brought by Mr. Sampson from Kai-kun-shek have afforded 
excellent materials for the above diagnosis. 
TRIFOLIUM SUBTERRANEUM, ETC., IN IRELAND. 
By ALexanpEer G. Mors, F.L.S. 
In the month of June last year, I had the pleasure of adding 
Trifolium subterraneum, L., to the Irish flora; I found it growing 
rather sparingly on the short sandy pasture which borders the north 
side of the river opposite the railway station, and quite close to the 
town of Wicklow. On the sandhills, a little north of the town of . 
Arklow, grow Eleocharis uniglumis, Juncus acutus, and Equisetum 
Moorei. The two latter plants occur here and there on many different 
points of the coast between Wicklow and Arklow, both of them appa- 
rently finding their northern limit together in a little cove opposite 
Sea-Park House. 
With regard to Juncus acutus, I find that the date of flowering is 
given incorrectly in most of our books. It flowers early in June, and 
all the plants which I saw at the beginning of July were already in 
seed, while at this date Juncus maritimus had scarcely shown its 
panicle. 
Glasnevin, May 25, 1868. 
THE DARWINIAN THEORY.—II. 
Having examined the pretended existence of progenitors, we pro- 
ceed now to make some inquiry into that which must have preceded 
all progenitors,—the primordial form from which it is said that life 
started, and from which all other forms of life have derived their 
- To understand this doctrine clearly, we give the text which 
teaches it from the third and fourth editions of Mr. Darwin's book, 
