204 Bibliographical Notices, 



genus Rubus (p. 1 22), that the Authors " are ahnost quite convinced " 

 that the modern British supposed species (of the fruticose section) 

 are all " mere varieties approaching on the one side to It. idceus, 

 on the other to R. saxatilis, with both of which many fertile and 

 permanent hybrids rnay have been formed, and are still forming." 

 Can it be that the next edition will exhibit Raspberries, Blackberries, 

 and Stoneherries (if we may coin a name) as the a, /3, and y of one 

 capricious bush ? Surely this is carrying zeal against neomauiacs 

 rather too far. In one case however we cannot refuse assent to the 

 Authors' suspicions of hybridity ; — we mean, that of the British 

 Rumex pratensis : we have met with it in many places, but always 

 sparingly, and in company with both R. crispus and R. obtusifolius. 

 It may be well to subjoin a few remarks on different species. The 

 descriptions of the " varieties " of Thalictrum 7ninus are considerably 

 amended ; but our Authors have an unhappy knack of omitting the 

 most important characters of species which they wish to combine : 

 thus in this case they do not allude to the direction of the branches 

 of the panicle. A remark about Rammcnlus hederaceus becoming 

 R. ccenosus near Glasgow through an artificial rise of temperature 

 deserves attention ; but we suspect the true R. cwnosus was not seen 

 there at all, — a solution applicable to many other cases. Of plants 

 formerly combined, Fumaria parviflora and Vaillantii, Linaria re- 

 pens and sepium (AUm.), Sparganium natans and minhnum, Triti- 

 cum jimceum and laxum are separated with greater or less degrees of 

 doubt. Poly gala austriaca, [^Ilypericiim anglicum or hircinum], 

 Achillea tanacetifolia, [Cicendia Caiidollet], Salix acutifolia, Epi- 

 pogon Gmelini, Potamogeton trichoides, Naiasflexilis, Gymnogramma 

 leptophylla, and Polypodimn alpestre appear for the first time, some 

 of them of course under a similar qualification : by some strange 

 carelessness, Allimn triquetrum and Carex brizoides are altogether 

 omitted. The confusion among the ViolcB is not yet quite removed : 

 it is satisfactory to learn that our Authors meant by V. lactea in the Gth 

 edition solely the plant which they now follow Mr. Babington in calling 

 V. stagnina ; but they are quite mistaken in supposing that what 

 that gentleman calls its ' rhizoma ' is altogether caused by the soil, 

 for the narrow-leaved var. lancifolia of the allied species grows by 

 its side with stems altered and elongated by the soil and yet quite 

 different. New but unsatisfactory arguments are introduced to de- 

 fend the misapphcation of the name V. canina : if by that name 

 Linnaeus wholly or chiefly meant Smith's V. flavicornis, its English 

 origin has nothing to do with the matter ; it would be mere English 

 obstinacy to suppose that our popular vernacular usage is to give 

 the law to continental science. We confess we shotdd not be un- 

 willing to see the name (in its Latin form) dro})ped altogether. The 

 short synopsis of Rubi, exhibiting Dr. Bell Salter's views five years 

 ago, is reprinted verbatim in the body of the work. The account of 

 the Ilieracia has been revised and enlarged with the aid of notes and 

 specimens from Messrs. Backhouse and Baker, but is still merely 

 provisional : we gladly echo the wish that the former gentleman may 

 speedily publish a full account of his views. The Authors •' think 



