280 Alexander Goodman More. 



seems to me exactly like the Holyhead plant Reichenbach's 



figure seems quite as large as Griffith's wonderful specimens. I am 

 very glad to hear you are again comfortably settled in Cambridge, and 

 I hope that Mrs. Babington has continued to gain health and strength. 

 I must again tell you how much pleasure both my sister and myself felt 

 to meet you and Mrs. Babington ; and with very kind regards I remain, 

 yours very sincerely, 



A. G. MORE. 



Mr. Griffith made his October excursion, and found, 

 though not a ripe fruit, one considerably more developed 

 than any previously met with. He sent fresh quantities to 

 Dublin and Cambridge, but disappointment still resulted. 



November 6th, 1880. 



MY DEAR SIR, It is very good of you to take so much trouble about 

 Potamogeton lanceolatus, and most interesting to examine specimens 

 gathered so late in the season. I have just been examining some of 

 the flower-heads, and I am still unable to find ripe fruit ; but lest I may 

 have made a mistake I have sent on the very same heads to Cambridge, 

 and we shall soon hear what Professor Babington thinks about them. 

 I hope you have taken care to preserve the fruit of which you speak ; 

 and it being so rare, it would be worth while mounting on a slide for 

 the microscope. Again thanking you for your kindness, I remain yours 

 very sincerely, 



A. G. MORE. 



Professor Babington's verdict did not differ from what 

 he had already predicted. "I fear there is no chance of 

 our learning any more about P. lanceolatus this year. 

 The floods have stopped that. It is singular if it never 

 produces fruit either in the Lligwy or Fens : for there is no 

 difference between the plants or their state from those very 

 different localities." 



Throughout the winter, correspondence still referred 

 largely to the critical plants of Anglesea. It seems as if 

 Potamogeton lanceolatus would pass into a perennial 

 problem. Was it a species, variety, or hybrid ? Was there 

 anything like it on the Continent ? Did it occur in Ireland ? 

 Did it ever mature its fruit ? All these questions, in various 

 ways, reacted on each other. But in 1881 Mr. Arthur 

 Bennett " succeeded in getting nearly ripe fruit," and this 

 was so unlike the fruit of any other known Potamogeton as 

 to greatly strengthen the case for holding it a true endemic 



