487 



who names a set of Rubi in 1843 or 1844, will re-name the same 

 forms differently in 1845. This is also a proved fact with a botanist 

 who is one of those best known as a describer of British brambles. 



No. 108. — The "Supplementary number" for the latter half of 

 1845, is nearly filled by a zoological paper, only five pages being de- 

 voted to a partially botanical article, namely, Dr. Junghunn's ".Jour- 

 ney through Java." 



No. 109. — " Contributions to the Physiology of Fecundation in 

 Plants," by G. Dickie, M.D., &c. " Journey through Java," by Dr. 

 Fr. Junghunn. 



No. 110. — "Remarks upon the formation of Starch," by M. 

 Charles Muller (translated from the * Botanische Zeitung,' for Decem- 

 ber, 1845). " On the relations of the genus Noggerathia to living 

 Plants," by M. Adolphe Brongniart (translated from the 'Comptes 

 Rendus' for December 29, 1845). "Botanical Notices from Spain," 

 by Moritz Willkomm. 



No. 111. — "Notes on the natural habitat of the common Potato, 

 and on its introduction to Europe," by George Ord, Esq., Philadel- 

 phia. " A Synopsis of the British Rubi," by Charles C. Babington, 

 M.A., &c. " On the development of Starch and Chlorophylle gra- 

 nules," by Carl Nageli (from a memoir on Caulerpa prolifera). " Bo- 

 tanical Notices from Spain," by Moritz Willkomm. "Agrimonia 

 odorata, Aiton^'' by C. C. B. "On the disease of the Plantain," by 

 George R. Bonyun, M.D. 



Mr. Ord concludes that the true potato [Solanum tuberosum) is in- 

 digenous in South America, and not found in North America except 

 under cultivation, and that it was brought into Britain by Drake. 

 The wild potato of the North American States is the Apios titherosa 

 of Pursh, 



Mr. Babington's Synopsis of the Rubi will of course be hailed with 

 satisfaction by the botanists who delight in these endlessly varying 

 shrubs. We do not mean to write in terms of disrespect to those very 

 acute observers of plants, Mr. Borrer and Mr. Babington, in express- 

 ing a supposition that botanists of their school (right or wrong as may 

 turn out) will gradually carve out as many species of Rubus as have 

 been carved out of Salix ; and that eventually it will be found so im- 

 possible to identify them by descriptions, that they will be recom- 

 bined into some half-dozen probable species. The allied genus, Rosa, 

 has been dragged through a similar course, by being split into a host 

 of book-species, inseparable and undistinguishable in Nature ; but 

 these are fast dropping into disregard or oblivion ; and so, we opine, 



