1014 



— no reference being necessarily made to other parts of the plant. 

 Now this seems to me very like the A, B, C of an index. But in the 

 natural system, the whole plant must be examined before a decision 

 can be pronounced as to the order to which the plant belongs, and 

 thus passing in review the whole structure of the plant, much more 

 knowledge of it must be gained than by merely examining the sta- 

 mens and pistils. It is true, that in descending to the genera and 

 species, the whole plant will be examined, but this has no reference 

 to the particular system. 



In what I have hitherto said, I have not depreciated the Linnsean 

 system below its proper level. I have admitted its great utility in 

 furthering our primary studies of plants ; but I deny that it is an ar- 

 rangement that will satisfy a philosophical mind. If it could have 

 done so, how was it that Linnaeus himself propounded a " natural 

 system " ? 



1 must admit that there is considerable difficulty in comprehend- 

 ing the natural system without assistance ; but those who have heard 

 Professor Lindley's lucid demonstrations of that system, will acknow- 

 ledge that it is of all systems the most philosophical. 



I fear that in this and the foregoing communications, I have used 

 many repetitions, but I have endeavoui'ed to avoid them as much as 

 was consistent with the full elucidation of the subject. 



I am. Sir, 



Your obedt. Servant, 



Ph. B. Ayres, M.D. 



To the Editor of ' The Phytologist.' 



Art. CCXXIV. — ExplanaUons of the ^London Catalogue of British 

 Plants.'' By G. E. Dennes, Esq., F.L.S., Secretary of the 

 Botanical Society of London. 



The editorial note appended to Mr. Sidebotham's letter (Phytol. 

 478), renders it expedient to offer some explanations about the 'Lon- 

 don Catalogue of British Plants.' The comments of Mr. Sidebotham 

 are mostly founded on misapprehension of facts. For instance, Mr. S. 

 asserts that Tmpatiens fulva is held to be an introduced species, "be- 

 cause not found in one of the twenty " local Floras consulted. The 

 fact is not so. The number of local Floras in which the several spe- 

 cies occur, is given only in indication of their comparative frequency 

 and diffusion ; and without reference to the distinction made between 



