440 



The author does not record many localities in detail, resting con- 

 lent with general indications ; and in a work little likely to be much 

 used within the isles, this course was judicious enough. Equally so 

 is the omission of specific characters and descriptions, excepting in 

 some few cases where there seemed need for them, as in describing a 

 new species, for, of course, like other very local discoverers, our young 

 author must find a novelty or two to name and describe. A moun- 

 tain form (usually so deemed) of Plantago maritima is " raised to the 

 rank of a species," and the following characters are given to distin- 

 guish the new species from the plant of the sea coast : — 



P. maritima. — Leaves erect, narrow lanceolate, smooth ; spikes 



cylindrical, 

 P. setacea. — Leaves lying flat on the ground, cylindrical or semi- 

 cylindrical; spikes globular. 

 Another "new species" is " Laminaria Cloustonii (Edmons. MSS.) ;" 

 but, while the first to impose the new name upon the plant, our au- 

 thor is not here the first to propose the new species. In alluding to 

 the fancy for making or naming new species, sparingly exercised, we 

 should also record an instance of personal forbearance under this 

 head, shown by Mr. Edmondston, in his retaining as a variety only, 

 the plant formerly figured in the ' Phy tologist ' (i. 497), erroneously, 

 as the true or typical form of the Linnean Cerastium latifolium ; and 

 afterwards distributed as a new species, under the manuscript name 

 of C. nigrescens, Edmonds. (Phytol. ii. 96). Some little uncertainty, 

 however, seems even still to attend this plant. No available distinc- 

 tion has been found between the plant of Shetland and the Linnean 

 C. latifolium of the Highland mountains ; and yet its peculiarly broad 

 and obtuse leaves, deeply tinged with purple, afford a decided first- 

 sight or physiognomical difference, which is even more pronounced 

 in some examples raised from seeds of it in the neighbourhood of 

 London. Besides this dubious Cerastium, thei'e is only one other 

 species peculiar to Shetland, when contrasted against other parts of 

 Britain, namely, Arenaria norvegica, Gunn. — an inhabitant of Nor- 

 way, as indicated by the specific name. 



The geographical notices introductory to the list of plants, and re- 

 marks scattered through the list itself, are deserving of attention. 

 And on the whole, though not free from some of the defects of haste 

 and youthful inexperience, the ' Flora of Shetland ' is a creditable 

 evidence to the author's ability and industry of research. 



C. 



