915 



ture, the working by carpenter's rule, the term normal form is quite 

 as melodious as type of the species hitherto adopted for the usual and 

 regular habit or forin of a plant from which the specific distinctive 

 characters ought to be taken ; and is equally inaccurate. Normal as 

 applied by legislators to model prisons and schools, has Latin autho- 

 rity ; in the case of plants model will hardly do. 



I hope the above explanation of the word species may tend to 

 check young men from talking of " making species," or boasting of 

 " exalting varieties to the rank of species," neither of which is in the 

 ]X)wer of mortal man. T will now conclude with saying, far be it from 

 the most ardent admirers of the great Linnasus, or the zealous defend- 

 ers of his sexual, commonly called artificial system, to disparage any 

 others, founded on analogy; much less to discourage the beautiful 

 study of Physiology, without the knowledge of which no man can be- 

 come a thoroughly scientific botanist. 



I am, Sir. 



Yours sincerely, 



Edward Forster. 



To the Editor of ' The Phytologist.' 



Art. CCVII. — List of a few of the Botanical Rarities collected in 

 Scotland in 1843. By William Gardiner, Esq. 



Lychnis viscaria, L. Gathered in a new station, in July, namely, 

 wooded banks of the Ericht near Craighall, about two miles above 

 Blairgowrie, Perthshire. Only two or three specimens in flower. 



Lychnis alpina, L. This very interesting and rare species I col- 

 lected on the summit of Culrannoch, one of the Clova mountains, 

 about 3200 feet high, in the midst of a terrific hail-storm in July. It 

 grew on wet stony ground, associated with Armeria maritima, /3, alpina. 



Linncea horealis, Gronov. Plentiful among the mossy rocks at the 

 base of Craig Maid, in Glen Dole, Clova, July 28, bearing abundant- 

 ly its graceful snowy and rose-tinted blossoms, loading the summer 

 air with their rich perfume. 



Sonchus alpinus, L. This was culled from two stations in Glen 

 Dole in July and August, carefully leaving the roots, and observed in 

 several other places about the rocks of Craig Maid but inaccessible. 



Erigeron alpinus, L. In Caulochen and in Glen Dole, high on the 

 rocks, but in small quantity. 



Moneses grandijlora, Salisb. Moist shady woods, Scone, Perth- 

 shire, flowering in June, but very deficient in size this season. 



4x2 



