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Occurrence of Anacharis Alsinastrum (Udora canadensis) in the 

 Trent, near Burton-on-Trent. By Edwin Brown, Esq. 



I discovered a few days ago Anacharis Alsinastrum growing in 

 profusion in the Trent, near this town ; it also grows in the canal in 

 this neighbourhood. 



Several years ago I paid considerable attention to the botany of 

 this neighbourhood before entomology engrossed my leisure moments, 

 and I feel convinced this plant did not then grow in our streams, 

 otherwise it would have been discovered before. This fact, taken in 

 connexion with the very recent discovery of the plant in Great Bri- 

 tain, leads one to the conclusion that it is not indigenous. It now 

 forms very large submerged masses in the Trent, of a striking appear- 

 ance. I have, however, found as yet but few flowers, and those are 

 all the so-called female flowers. Contrary to the experience of Mr. 

 Babington, as given in the 'Annals of Natural History,' every flower 

 I have examined contained three stigmas and only two filaments. 



The rapid dispersion of this species throughout the country ap- 

 pears to have an analogous instance in the wonderfully speedy diffu- 

 sion of the mollusk Dreissena polyraorpha over the beds of all our 

 rivers and canals. 



Edwin Brown. 



Burton-on-Trent, August 20, 1849. 



Notice of ' T/ie Rudiments of Botany ; a familiar Introduction ta 

 the Study of Plants. By Arthur Henfrey, F.L.S., Lecturer 

 on Botany at St. George's Hospital, author of ' Outlines of 

 Structural and Physiological Botany.' With Illustrative Wood- 

 cuts.' London: Van Voorst, 1849. 



If there were room for a rudimentary work on botany this unpre- 

 tending little volume might edge its way into notice, for it is cleverly 

 written, of enticing appearance, and very prettily illustrated. We 

 heartily wish it success, but at the same time we must not abandon 

 the critic's office of criticising where opportunity offers. Mr. Henfrey 

 is evidently a very ardent book-botanist ; he reads a great deal, reads 

 very attentively, and understands and applies what he reads : this 

 was very observable in his ' Outlines,' and in noticing that work we 

 bore willing testimony to its excellence, especially in the points to 



