940 



rarity I collected in Deerhill-wood, on the 5th of March, whilst wad- 

 ing above knee-deep in snow ! The day was fair and frosty, and the 

 hard surface of the snow on the roads tempted me to the enjoyment of 

 the walk ; and being desirous of a peep into the woods, to mark the 

 difference of their wintry aspect from that of the genial summer, when 

 every tree is loaded with verdure, and alive with the music of birds, I 

 prolonged my walk to the base of the Sidlaws, and entered the wood- 

 lands. The scene was bleak and cheerless. The young leaves were 

 yet cradled in their buds. The breeze indeed was there, but its soft- 

 ness was wanting, and no breath of sweet flowers nor song of happy 

 birds, did it diffuse around, as it sullenly moaned through the dark 

 pines. Even the mossy carpet was wanting, as snow covered the 

 ground to the depth of several feet, which, being here quite soft, ren- 

 dered it necessary to wade instead of walk, and consequently made 

 one's progress slow and fatiguing. Yet even here, in the midst of win- 

 ter's sterility, the lover of Flora could enjoy a rich banquet, for the 

 trees are in many places profusely decorated with Lichens. Besides 

 the Alectoria I have here collected the following species, all in fruc- 

 tification, although on some of them the apothecia were but sparingly 

 developed. Usnea barbata, U. florida, Cetraria glauca, C. sepincola, 

 Borrera furfuracea, Parmelia physodes, Evernia prunastri and Rama- 

 lina fastigiata. — William Gardiner ; 40, Overgate, Dundee, March 

 18, 1844. 



Art. CCXII. — Proceedings of Societies. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



March 1, 1844. —J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S., &c., President, in the 

 chair. Various donations were announced, including some species of 

 Algae from Cape Raceife, Algoa Bay, from Mr. Bowerbank. 



Read the conclusion of the paper commenced at the last meeting, 

 being * A Synoptical View of the British Fruticose Rubi, arranged in 

 Groups, wdth explanatory remarks, by Edwin Lees, Esq., F.L.S.' It 

 is unnecessary to enter into further details respecting Mr. Lees' views 

 on the groups, species and varieties of British Rubi, as they are now 

 before the botanical world, in ' The London Catalogue of British 

 Plants,' just published by the Botanical Society. The paper was ac- 

 companied by drawings and numerous specimens, the latter are depo- 

 sited in the Society's herbarium. — G. E. D. 



