475 



requires alteration even now, is the substitution of the word " usual " 

 for " uniform ;" for I still think that the usual Irish forms differ from 

 the usual Pyrenean forms of the plants. 



I am truly sorry that any omission on my part should have ap- 

 peared like a neglect of Mr. Andrews' observations, and am not sur- 

 prised at his feeling sore when he supposed that it was intentional. 



The existence of the Pyrenean forms in Ireland has now, at any 

 rate, been made sufficiently public by appearing in two of the Bota- 

 nical Journals, in addition to the report referred to above. 



Charles C. Babington. 



St. John's College, Cambridge, 

 March, 1849. 



A few Remarks on the "Proof" of C. C. Babington's "Error" 

 respecting the Specific Distinctness of Saxifraga Geum, ele- 

 gans, hirsuta, 8fc, fyc. By James Backhouse, Jun., Esq. 



Whilst the information given by " C." in the last No. of the 

 * Phytologist,' upon the Saxifrages of the umbrosa group in Ireland, 

 cannot be regarded as otherwise than interesting and important, inas- 

 much as specimens have been gathered, seeds collected, and plants 

 cultivated from both Ireland and the Pyrenees in abundance ; yet the 

 decision which " C." seems to have arrived at, that there is (or has 

 been) an amount of evidence given sufficient to overthrow the specific 

 distinction between umbrosa, elegans, hirsuta, and Geum which many 

 persons believe to exist ; and even to require from a careful and ac- 

 curate observer, like C. C. Babington, as a "scientific, if not a moral, 

 obligation," that he should retract his statements and declai-e his er- 

 ror, seems in my opinion entirely devoid of sufficient foundation and 

 authority. I cannot say that the probabilites do not appear to be on 

 the side of those who think these Saxifrages varying forms of one 

 species ; but before any certain conclusion is arrived at, we must be 

 in possession of far more evidence than has yet been brought forward 

 in the public journals. 



The information respecting them actually ascertained, seems to be, 

 that every shade of difference between the extreme forms (which may 

 be considered as represented in S. umbrosa, var. serratifolia, and S. 

 Geum, setting aside the "new one?") is found in a wild state, not 

 only in Ireland, but also in the Pyrenees ; and that seeds have been 



