909 



become new nuclei of British commerce and enterprize. Even at 

 home, in the immediate vicinity of Edinburgh, or, to restrict our limits 

 still more narrowly, within the compass of Arthur's Seat, there are not a 

 few very good dye-lichens, which require merely to be scraped, with 

 an old knife or similar instrument, from the rocks to which they 

 adhere, and subjected to the ammonia process already mentioned. 

 Of twelve specimens thus collected at random one morning, I found 

 no less than three yielded beautiful purple-red colours, apparently as 

 fine as orchil or cudbear ; while the others furnished rich and dark 

 tints of brownish red, brown, and olive-green." * 



Dr. Lindsay's communication was illustrated with specimens of 

 colouring matters yielded by various lichens collected in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Edinburgh, &c. 



Aspleuium germanicum, 8fc., at Kyloe, Northumberland. 



A paper by George R. Tate, Esq., ' On the Occurrence of Asple- 

 nium germanicum, Convallaria Polygonatum, and other Rare Plants, 

 at Kyloe, Northumberland,' was read. 



Mr. Tate remarked that, during a botanical excursion in the 

 autumn of last year, he had visited Kyloe Crags, in Northumberland, 

 for the purpose of gathering Asplenium seplentrionale and Conval- 

 laria Polygonatum. " These crags are chiefly composed of rudely- 

 columnar basalt, resembling the trap -range of Salisbury Crags. 

 Sandstone comes out from beneath this, and at the western end forms 

 a steep cliff. After botanizing for a short time, I had the good for- 

 tune to find the Asplenium germanicum growing sparingly upon the 

 basalt. It is not a fern easily passed by : its pale green fronds at 

 once attracted my attention ; and a closer examination readily en- 

 abled me to determine its species. The few specimens I observed 

 were remarkably luxuriant, so much so, indeed, that I counted 

 upwards of thirty fronds growing on a single root. There appeared 

 to be no possibility of the plants having been introduced. This 

 Asplenium is most nearly allied to Asplenium Ruta-muraria, from 

 which, and from the other species of the genus, it is distinguished by 

 its alternately pinnate frond, narrow, wedge-shaped pinnules, and 

 entire involucre. Some regard Asplenium germanicum as a variety 

 of A. Ruta-muraria ; but, as the latter does not occcur at Kyloe Crags, 

 or in their vicinity, the supposition is by no means probable. A. 

 septentrionale slill exists, in considerable abundance, on the high and 

 exposed portions of the crag, as well as among the debris. Many of 

 the specimens, especially those in the latter situation, are of large 



