421 



riably found that however my botanical friends might tate fire at the exhibition of my 

 specimens or the mention of their habitats, that the uninitiated in these things were 

 unable to comprehend the sources of my pleasure, and could not understand on what 

 principle I could experience delight in making long journeys, and taking fatiguing 

 rambles, merely in search of plants. * * The neglect of physical 



and mental enjoyment lying within the reach of almost every body, appears to me to 

 arise from a false supposition that the toils attendant upon the study of Botany would 

 greatly counterbalance any pleasure to be derived from it. In these papers, then, I 

 aim to show how incorrect such a conclusion is ; — and, in monthly order, my object 

 has been to produce delineations which, even to the general eye of those imfamiliar 

 with botanical terms, shall offer charms which may tempt the leisure of those who de- 

 sire a pleasing and instructive occupation ; while I have introduced incident to show 

 that the botanist, during his rambles, may still look out with all the gusto of a travel- 

 ler superadded to his scientific examinations — while the stores of his collecting-book 

 will make " a wet day at an inn " veiy different from " the wet day " so graphically 

 described by Washington Irving." 



* * * * 



" Treating the subject thus lightly, I may hope to attract some whose attention 

 would shrink from the study of more laboured treatises — and the ardent enquirer, if 

 he accompanies me for excitement, will find abundant works before the public, where 

 the sparks here kindled, may contribute fuel to the continuation and duration of the 

 scientific flame he desires to nourish with increasing and perennial vigour. Even the 

 proficient in botanical study may not be displeased with the allusions made to the ha- 

 bitats of some of his favourites; since as iron sharpeneth iron, so is enterprise awa- 

 kened by the narration of the humblest pilgrim to the shrine that is the object of the 

 reverence of his fraternity." — Preface. 



Were we disposed to be critical, we might perchance quarrel a lit- 

 tle with the author's style, and say that it is, in some places, rather 

 too sentimental ; but this, if it be a fault at all, is one into which a 

 writer may readily fall, if, when he treats of flowers, they suggest to 

 his mind other ideas than such as relate simply to their utility or sci- 

 entific an-angement. However, " take it for all in all," we hail the 

 * Botanical Looker-Out ' as a very agreeable contribution to our stock 

 of popular works on Botany. 



Art. CV. — Varieties. 



227. A Catalogtie of Plants found growing in the neighbourhood of Wrexham, in 



Denbighshire. 



Veronica serpyllifolia Veronica Chamaedrys Circsa Lutetiana 



scutellata hederifolla Anthoxanthum odoratum 



Anagallis agrestis Valeriana rubra 



Beccabunga arvensis dioica 



oflBcinalis Pinguicula vulgaris officinalis 



montana Lycopus europsus Fedia olitoria 



