772 



[The beautiful condition of the plants kindly forwarded by Mr. Watson, fully 

 proves, what indeed we never doubted, the perfect adaptation of his plan to the pre- 

 servation of botanical specimens. Unfortunately, hovifever, it is only when stationary, 

 either at home or in some fixed locality, that the botanist can avail himself of this 

 method, unless he travel with a horse and cart, and a shop-full of paper, as we believe 

 some of the Edinburgh parties are in the habit of doing in their summer excursions. 

 The poor pedestrian, with his comparatively scanty stock of paper strapped over his 

 shoulders, must dry it whenever he can find an opportunity of doing so ; and these 

 opportunities, as we have known to our sorrow, are often " few and far between," and 

 sometimes do not occur until the plants collected on previous days are, so far as their 

 beauty is concerned, completely spoiled. Among the specimens sent by Mr. Watson, 

 the whole of which are excellent, we were particularly pleased with the following : — 

 Linum angustifolium, Cerasus avium and austera. Orchis mascula. Euphorbia amyg- 

 daloides (a splendid specimen), and several Primulas, with the colour of the flower in 

 all, except the Bardfield P. elatior, most beautifully preserved. Many of the plants 

 sent were raised from seeds collected in the Azores ; several of these, as Arthrolobium 

 ebracteatum, Polycarpon tetraphyllum and Lotus angustissimus, appear to be identical 

 with British species. We can specify no more than the above very small number of 

 the (/ood things contained in Mr. Watson's packet, for which we beg him to accept 

 our best thanks. — Ed.'] 



383. Shetland locality for Cynosurus echinatus. It will perhaps 

 interest the readers of ' The Phytologist,' to know that I have this 

 year re-fonnd Cynosurus echinatus in Bressa, Shetland, about a hun- 

 dred yards from where I found it in 1840. I obtained only three 

 rather small specimens ; but this fact proves the perseverance of the 

 plant in the locality, and shows the propriety of reckoning it in the 

 Scottish Flora. If such a request be not considered presumptuous, 

 might 1 mention, through the medium of your pages, that if any of 

 your correspondents could furnish me with even the loan of a South 

 of England specimen of C. echinatus, it would be conferring a great 

 obligation on me. The Shetland specimens, both those collected at 

 first and also now, differ much from my foreign specimens ; the latter 

 are admirably and characteristically figured in Parnell's beautiful 

 * Grasses of Scotland.' They differ from the Shetland form in having 

 a much more dense roundish spike, which is covered with a somewhat 

 hoary pubescence, totally absent from the Shetland specimens. I 

 should much like to see an English specimen of this interesting grass, 

 to ascertain which form my plant agrees with. — Thos. Edmonston, 

 jiin.; Baltasound, Shetland, September, 1843. 



[Among the plants mentioned in the following commiinication by Mr. Gibson, 

 as having been collected by himself in the Vale of Calder, is Cynosurus echinatus. 

 We have no doubt that Mr. Gibson will feel pleasure in complying with Mr. Edmon- 

 ston's request ; we also should be much gratified by the receipt of a specimen from 

 each of the localities discovered by these gentlemen. — Ed.] 



