Vll 



The Rev. Mr. Bree, whose writings must, I am sure, be always 

 read with delight and instruction, has three interesting papers. The 

 first is called 'Warwickshire Habitat for Gagealutea' (Phytol. iii. 

 922). The second, 'A Visit to the Lily Field, or Narcissus poeticus 

 in Warwickshire' (Phytol. iii. 945). In this contribution the extra- 

 ordinary abundance of the beautiful Narcissus in the locality described 

 is very pleasingly set forth (Phytol. iii. 945). And the third, ' Note 

 on Lastrea uliginosa' (Phytol. iii. 1087). In the last, Mr. Bree pro- 

 nounces this fern, which I had ventured to describe as new, to be 

 identical with Lastrea spinosa, as he is accustomed to see it in his 

 own immediate neighbourhood. He does not pronounce this judg- 

 ment carelessly or hastily ; neither does he content himself with my 

 own imperfect description ; but has been at the trouble of obtaining 

 a living plant from Mr. Kennedy, of Covent Garden, and has insti- 

 tuted a fair and searching examination of its characters. On such a 

 question as this I have the highest possible respect for Mr. Bree's 

 judgment : the great talent he has displayed in extricating rigida and 

 recurva from the confused mass of species previously known as dila- 

 tata of Smith, and spinulosa of Hooker, entitle him to our warmest 

 praise. On the other hand, it seems fair also to state that Mr. Moore, 

 of the Chelsea Botanic Garden, a gentleman who has made our Bri- 

 tish ferns his peculiar study, and who has written with great success 

 on this very subject, labels the fern in question, without doubt, as 

 Lastrea cristata (see Phytol. iii. 802). It may, I think, however, be 

 gathered from a careful study of the passages to which I have referred, 

 that both these excellent botanists regard the fern rather as an aber- 

 ration from the species named than as its typical form ; and thus their 

 opinions assimilate more nearly with each other, and also with what 

 I have advanced on the subject, than at first sight appears to be 

 the case. 



Mr. Bloomfield mentions (Phytol. iii. 943) the discovery of Orchis 

 hircina in Suffolk, a circumstance of considerable interest ; and while 

 writing of this rarest of British Orchideoe, I will take the opportunity 

 of recording the fact that James Potter, well known as a collector of 



