618 



devoted to the subject of " the disappearance of plants from localities 

 once assigned to them" (Phytol. iii. 510), be correct, there are many 

 other plants undoubtedly native which are far from constant to their 

 position. In the case of Adonis auturanalis, however, my ovrn expe- 

 rience would lead me to affirm that, though varying in abundance in 

 accordance with the variation of the crop, it is always to be found in 

 its old localities ; and this observation Mr. Flower also verifies in the 

 note referred to, as, though rare, he still found a few specimens in the 

 corn-fiekls of Kent, where it had been, a few years before, abundant. 

 The second reason, then, is no more satisfactory than the first; for, 

 supposing Adonis autumnalis to be "probably not truly wild," a plant 

 which is known to have been found in corn-fields in England more 

 than two hundred years ago (see Parkinson, as quoted by the Rev. 

 W. T. Bree) ; which is widely distributed over the counties with a 

 chalky or limestone soil from Gloucestershire to Norfolk and Kent; 

 which grows, too, in the most upland and solitary spots, such as 

 Stonehenge and Great Ridge, in this county ; which has been received 

 without a note of doubt by Ray,* Hudson, Sir J. E. Smith, and, I be- 

 lieve, all botanists until very lately ; and which has no peculiarity in 

 its geographical range upon the Continent to make its occurrence in 

 England unlikely ; it may well be matter for surprise that an aste- 

 risk should ever have been affixed to it in an English Flora, when the 

 balance of probability inclines so very decidedly in favour of retain- 

 ing this ornament of our corn-fields upon the list of our truly native 

 plants. 



Athyrium ovatum. 



The President read a short paper intituled : — 



" Note on Athyrium ovatum. Roth, more especially in reference to a 

 Paper by Mr. Hort, published in the * Phytologist ' for February (see 

 Phytol. iv. 440) ; by Edward Newman." 



On reading the paper to which I have referred above, and which 

 was first published in the ' Botanical Gazette,' I did not perceive that 

 it contained any observations that requii'ed a reply at my hands ; I 

 regarded it only as an agreeable contribution to a favourite science ; 

 and as such 1 applied for and received permission to transfer it fiom 

 the pages of a moribund periodical to those of a journal still in the 

 prime of its green and vigorous age. I am aware that my nature is 



* Unless tlie "in Angliasponte praveuiiedicitiir sed rariiis" of R.iy be considered 

 \o imply a doubt. 



