Bibliographical Notices. 339 



If we admit any portion of the forests he describes to be composed 

 of the true Laricio it leads to an important observation on the habitat 

 of the species. Between Tauria and Corsica there is a difference of 

 three to four degrees of latitude, which is a considerable space, but 

 is increased exceedingly by the relative climate of the two seas. 

 Accordingly, whilst the tree is placed in Corsica at an elevation of 

 2000 to 3000 feet, it descends to the shore of the Black Sea, and 

 whilst it resists the milder climate of the western slopes of Tauria it 

 is unable to face the Boreal blasts of the steppe which assail the 

 northern face of the chain. 



There is no mention made of P. taurica, and it seems clear that the 

 tree mentioned inhabiting Tauria as Laricio, is that species which 

 the author considers synonymous, but which are quite distinct. The 

 question is, are there two, or are we to consider that the P. taurica 

 is that which takes the place above the halepensis in Caucasus ? It 

 is very probable that both species exist and that the Caucasian may 

 be the true Laricio, theTaurian being our taurica or Pallasiana. In 

 case there be only one species, it takes the middle rank in this re- 

 gion and represents the Laricio and P. hispanica of the south of 

 Europe, being a little hardier than those species. I have little doubt 

 that this is the true state of the case, and it must be repeated that 

 it is next to impossible to decide a species of Pinus from specimens 

 of branches in herbals, on which testimony part of this report seems 

 to be founded. 



P. sylvestris. We have a description of two or three species 

 under this head, owing to the habit of the writer of generalizing, and 

 his reluctance in admitting species : that which he mentions as being 

 found, though rarely, on the highest summits of Tauria, the ele- 

 vation of which range is barely within its natural zone, whilst it forms 

 entire forests on the central Caucasus, appears to be our uncinata 

 of the Pyrenees. That mentioned as inhabiting the subalpine re- 

 gions of the Terek, which is also the P. sihirica of Ledebour, must 

 be referred to the same species, thus confirming our view in placing 

 it above the common P. sylvestris. The differences he mentions in 

 the foliage constantly occur in these trees, and are not sufficient 

 either to cause the removal from one, or the constituting another 

 species upon them, the only real difference being in the cones. 



A variety called by him hamata, but which he considers a P. syl- 

 vestris, appears by the description to be quite distinct from that spe- 

 cies. It has the cones three inches long, and was found by Witt- 

 man in Lasisthan, and by Nordmann in the subalpine regions of 

 Mount Adshar. 



2 B 2 



