BihliograpUcal Notices. 427 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



A History of British Ferns and Allied Plants. By Edward Newman, 

 F.L.S., Z.S., &c. 8vo. London: J. Van Voorst, 1844. 



We had delayed noticing this elaborate work in the hope of having 

 had it in our power to study some of the controverted plants de- 

 scribed in it in their native localities ; as hoA\'ever fortune has not 

 favoured us in that respect, not having seen those which we most 

 desired to investigate during any portion of an extensive summer 

 tour, we are compelled to sit down with dried specimens alone be- 

 fore us to examine, with their aid and that of our previous observa- 

 tion, into the correctness of the conclusions at which Mr. Newman 

 has arrived. Before however we commence, it is a great gratification 

 to have it in our power most coi-dially to recommend the work to all 

 those who desire to obtain a knowledge of British Ferns, as one 

 which, in accuracy of obsen-ation, elaborateness and clearness of de- 

 scription, and beauty of illustration, does not possess its equal. 



The numerous and considerable changes in nomenclature and in 

 the rank awarded to many of our ferns in Mr. Newman's former 

 work under the above title, and the very considerable alteration 

 which he has again made in those respects in that now before us, 

 which differs so much from its predecessor as deservedly to claim to 

 be considered as a distinct work rather than an edition, have rendered 

 it difficult and somewhat presumptuous in us to venture an opinion 

 upon them ; as however we learn that such a review is expected, and 

 editors are always supposed to know all about whatever may come 

 under their critical eye, and that we feel that we really do know 

 something concerning the subject now under consideration, we shall 

 proceed boldly to the examination of the contents of Mr. Newman's 

 book in the order in which he has arranged them. It seems to us 

 that such a review is far more desirable in the present case than a 

 connected dissertation upon our native ferns, such as has been sug- 

 gested to us, than in short a history of British ferns by us, and not an 

 examination of that by Mr. Nev/man. 



We commence with the Equisetacea, including the genus Equise- 

 tmn alone, where two difficult questions occur : first, as to the di- 

 stinctness of the plants named hyemale, Mackaii (elongatum, Hook.), 

 and variegatum ; and secondly, concerning the nomenclature of the 

 other species. On the former of these subjects Mr. Newman has 

 collected together an immense mass of evidence, and we think that 

 he has clearly shown that three at least are distinct species. It is 

 nevertheless very difficult to draw up such a character upon paper 

 as shall always suffice for their discrimination, most if not all their 

 distinctions being liable to considerable variation, and probably 

 the colour of the sheaths is that upon which most reliance may be 

 placed. The shajie of the teeth which terminate the sheaths is far 

 from constant. Our author has clearly shown that E. Mackaii 

 (Newm.) is not the same as E. elongutum (Willd.), a plant apparently 

 identical with the E. ramosissitnum (Desf.), and has therefore con- 



