418 Bibliographical Notices. 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



A Monograph of the British Hieracia. 

 By James Backhouse, Jun. 8to, York, 1856. 



We have much pleasure in announcing the pubUcation of this 

 book, which cannot fail to attract considerable attention. The au- 

 thor has spent several years in obtaining the requisite information, 

 in collecting multitudes of specimens, and in cultivating most of the 

 supposed species. He has been in active correspondence with those 

 botanists in this country and on the European continent who are 

 known to have carefully studied this difficult genus. 



It is with great satisfaction that we perceive the modest manner 

 in which Mr. Backhouse introduces his book to its readers. He 

 does not pretend to have produced a perfect monograph, but hopes 

 that what he has done may "form a nucleus round which further 

 knowledge may be collected." He thinks it not unlikely that some 

 of his species may ultimately be proved to be only varieties, and 

 that some of his varieties may be considered as species by future 

 botanists, and very reasonably hopes to obtain that indulgence and 

 excuse for errors of the kind which every real searcher after truth 

 has a right to expect. Let his views be examined in the spirit in 

 which they are published, and the author is mauifestly ready to 

 submit cheerfully to the result. 



We have some shght personal knowledge of the care with which 

 Mr. Backhouse has examined all the points treated upon in this 

 hook, and have considerable confidence in the soundness of the 

 opinions formed by him. We know that he has not spared time 

 nor labour in the acquisition and arrangement of his materials. 



It will probably astonish some of ovir older readers to find that 

 there seem to be 33 distinct species of Hieracium inhabiting the 

 United Kingdom, and still more, that 11 of these are supposed to 

 be new. The wonder will be lessened by remembering that the 

 only really elaborate work upon the genus is the ' Symbolse Hiera- 

 ciarum ' of Fries ; also, that until after the publication of that work, 

 very little addition had been made to the knowledge of our native 

 species since the appearance of Smith's ' English Flora ;' most 

 collectors, and even some botanists, being satisfied if they could force 

 any plant discovered, to conform itself to some one or other of 

 Smith's species. This habit was not confined to such difficult genera 

 as Hiei'acium, but applied to the whole native flora. It is probable 

 that such a compliment has seldom or never been paid to any other 

 book treating upon natural history. That it was well deserved 

 originally we do not deny ; but we do assert, that after a few years 

 this habit became most detrimental to the advancement of science. 

 Its bad effects have hardly disappeared, and even now the know- 

 ledge of the native botany of Britain can scarcely take a position 

 of equality with that attained in several other European countries. 

 But we must return to the consideration of Mr. Backhouse's book. 

 Probably the most elaborate and novel part of it is that which 



