1859.] BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. 127 



Plants in Flotcer at Shields. — Vegetation forward. Plants in flower : — 

 Pansy, Jan. 13 ; Wallflower, .Tan. 14 ; Hepatica, Jan. 20 ; Christmas 

 Rose, Jan. 21 ; Stock, Jan. 22 ; White Rock-cress, Jan. 23 ; Rhodo- 

 dendron, Jan. 25; Red Primrose, Jan. 26; Chickweed, Jan. 31; Auri- 

 cida, Jan. 31. — From The Friend, March \st. 



Lepidium rudeuale. 



Lepidium riiderale, stated in the Report of the Greenwich Natural 

 Histoiy Society to have been growing, last year, in the lane which goes 

 out of the south-west corner of Kidbrook Common, is there in profusion 

 this year also ; and so many-seeded a plant having found a locality pro- 

 pitious to it, has every chance of remaining there till the botanist's crack 

 of doom, " a trowel ticking against a brick." 



Mentha Pulegium, another plant in the Society's general list, is flourish- 

 ing round a small pond on the eastern edge of Chiselhurst Common. 



I have had a day in Tilgate Porest, and have succeeded in finding 

 Cicendia. As it was not abundant, I was sparing of it. J, S. M. 



The Weather in the North. 



Last week a man was found frozen to death among the snow on the 

 hills near Stanhope, in Durham. In the same week some sportsmen found 

 the body of a person known as an American prophet, lying out on the 

 wilds of Northumberland, near Palstone, where he had frozen to death. 

 In the same week Cowslips were gathered near Stockton, in Durham, and 

 Wallflowers and other hardy garden-flowers were in full bloom in the 

 public parks and gardens in the towns on the coast of Northumberland. — 

 'Times' of February 10, 18.59. 



Things not Generally Known. 



I did not, in reading the notice under this title in the ' Phytologist,' 

 understand that it was taken from Mr. Timbs's book, but that the writer 

 of the notice gave this name in imitation of Mr. Timbs's title. K any of 

 your readers can tell me whether the notice was taken from Mr. Timbs's 

 book, I shall feel obliged. I can hardly think he would state such absurdi- 

 ties as facts. 



The second article in a subsequent number of the ' Phytologist,' told us 

 that the notice was taken from the ' Vestiges of Creation,' and the writer 

 referred us to the passage. I do not know why the Editor of the ' Phy- 

 tologist ' is to be censured for publishing the notice, as it enables his 

 readers to see how important it is for botanists to correct en'ors gi-avely 

 propounded as truths in popular works. S. B. 



SoLANUM, Origin or the Name. 



A celebrated author remarks on this term, " Some ingenious commen- 

 tators derive this name from solari, to comfort ;" and adds : " The deriva- 

 tion may be possible, but the application is not evident." This is not a 

 solitary example of an application which is not evident. But the Hibernian 

 who feasts on mealy praties, experiences some satisfaction, if not comfort. 



