853 



true cowslip. But the three flowering examples differ considerably 

 in their corollas from the wild cowslip, while they closely resemble 

 each other. By their umbellate inflorescence, short pubescence, and 

 broadly toothed calyx, they may be considered cowslips, equally as 

 by their leaves ; but their corollas are a third or a half-way towards 

 those of the primrose, in size, in form, and in colour. They might be 

 placed as a link between P. veris and P. vulgaris, variety intermedia, 

 of the London Catalogue ; that is, between the cowslip and the 

 ' Claygate oxlip.' 



As the wild cowslips and primroses present several very obvious 

 dissimilarities, — in flowers and leaves, in form, colour, pubescence, 

 in mode and time of inflorescence, — some skepticism on the point of 

 their specific identity is reasonable enough. Nevertheless, the ulti- 

 mate acquiescence in this long-suggested view appears to be inevita- 

 able. Certain assumptions about the laws of hybridity might plau- 

 sibly account for some of the facts, yet they will not suffice to explain 

 all. Hybridity would sufficiently account for the appearance of 

 intermediate forms ; and the paucity of oxlips, as compared with the 

 innumerable cowslips and primroses, is just what might be fairly an- 

 ticipated under that theory. The fertility of the intermediate oxlip, 

 or presumed hybrid, is no insuperable difficulty to get over, seeing 

 that other hybrids, vegetable and animal, are said to be occasionally 

 fertile. The true difficulty lies in the fact, that the hybrid Primula 

 (if such it be) not only reproduces its own likeness in its progeny, 

 but the exact counterparts of both the presumed original species also. 

 Now, would any horse-dealer expect his mules (when fertile) to pro- 

 duce indifferently mules, or horses, or asses ? 



1 perceive that certain writers in the ' Phytologist ' do not under- 

 stand the bearings of these experiments upon some of the great 

 problems of science. In their eyes, accordingly, the repeating and 

 recording of such experiments will naturally wear the look of scienti- 

 fic peurilities. But, for my own part, I have no hesitation in 

 expressing a conviction, that experiments of this kind, both with 

 plants and animals, are at present very much needed ; and that there 

 is fair reason to anticipate much important addition to our knowledge 

 of the laws of nature, more or less directly arising from them, — sup- 

 posing them to be made extensively and carefully. 



For the purposes of technical or descriptive botany, it is desirable 

 to ascertain how widely individual plants or varieties can diff'er from 

 the typical character of their species. And the same remark may be 

 equally extended to zoology. 



Vol. II. 5 o 



