64 BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. [February. 



]\Iay I suggest the possibility of the true Shamrock being neither the 

 one nor the other of the plants in question, but Oxaiis corrdciilata, plucked 

 by St. Patrick from the gardens of the monastery, or elsewhere, to illus- 

 trate the doctrine of the Three in One. I have two reasons for suggesting 

 this; tirst, that most Irishmen on St. Patrick's Day, wear a piece of gold 

 leaf mingled with the Trefoil, which may represent the golden flower of 0. 

 coruicidata ; and secondly, that it is hardly likely that TrifoUum repens, 

 Dutch Clover, was introduced into Ireland so early as St. Patrick's time. 



Geranium pyrenaicum. — Is plentiful in two localities in this neigh- 

 bourhood ; in one of which it is as apparently wild as any other hedge 

 plant, but in the second it is the hedge of a garden. 



G. B. WOLLASTON. 



Pale Primroses. 

 Mr. Todd's note to Milton's Poetical Works, ' Lycidas,' vol. v. p. 45, 

 on " the Primrose that forsaken dies," asks (referring to Shakspere's '' pale 

 Primroses that die unmarried,") why does the Primrose die unmarried ? 

 and then answers. Because it groios in the shade uncherished and unseen by 

 the sun, which was supposed to be in love with some sorts of flowers. 

 Would some of the readers of the ' Phytologist' inform me whether pale 

 Primroses produce seed or not ? If not, then I think the meaning of Shak- 

 spere is clear. H. B. 



Our readers will be sorry to hear of the demise of William Borrer, 

 Esq., F.ll.S., P.L.S., etc., at his residence, Henfield, Sussex, one of 

 the oldest contributors to the ' Phytologist,' and one of its most 

 steadfast friends and zealous supporters. The mournful event hap- 

 pened on the 10th instant, and the deceased was in his eighty-first 

 year. A short memoir of this eminent botanist and exemplary man 

 may be looked for in our next number. 



Notice to Correspondents. 

 If W. Ashley and lluricola of Sheffield will send their address to A. I., 

 28, Upper Manor Street, Chelsea, they will receive a private communi- 

 cation, which has been as far as Sheffield and returned undelivered, be- 

 cause the address was not sufficiently explicit. 



Communications have been received from 

 John Sim ; C. J. Ashfield ; W. Pamplin ; James Backhouse, jun. ; S. 

 Beisly; W. Wmter ; G. B. Wollaston; W. L. Notcutt ; J. S. M. ; W. 

 Ashley ; Ruricola ; P. T. 0. ; Rev. E. H. Webb ; H. Beisly ; T. K. A. 

 Brigg's ; Charles Howie ; W. P. 



RECEIVED FOR REVIEW. 



The Preston Chronicle, November 30th. Notes on Booh. 

 The Malvern News and Journal, December 4ith. 



