Mr. E. Forster on Ononis antiquorum of Linnaeus. 95 



fact, we have seen the skin of another seal, from the South 

 Sea, whose species was unknown, which was dressed as a fur 

 skin, and formed a beautiful manufacture ; and the sea otter 

 skin, which is second in value only to the sable, is usually pre- 

 pared as a fur and not a hair skin. These hints at all events 

 should be sufficient to excite the attention of the trader and 

 the naturalist, as a matter which is both of commercial and 

 of scientific interest. 



XI. — On Ononis antiquorum of Linnceus, By Edward 

 Forster, F.R.S., V.P.L.S. 



Being rather surprised by a remark made to me by an ex- 

 cellent botanist, and assented to by another, that " Mr. Ben- 

 tham is mistaken in referring in the Supplement to English 

 Botany, our common rest-harrow to Ononis antiquorum of Lin- 

 naeus," I was induced to examine the Linnaean specimen, 

 when, as I expected, I immediately saw that Bentham was 

 decidedly accurate, the specimen agreeing in every respect 

 with Ononis spinosa of Hudson, the plant which at this 

 time so beautifully adorns our heaths. On turning to Sir 

 James Edward Smith's own Herbarium, I found a foreign spe- 

 cimen of the plant in question called O. antiquorum on the 

 authority of Mr. West, and it is plain that Smith so consi- 

 dered it, by his remark in English Botany, and afterwards in 

 his Enghsh Flora, though conceiving it not distinct from O. 

 arvensis, he has preferred that name. It is true that the Lin- 

 naean specimen is badly dried, but I happen to have one as ill 

 done which corresponds exactly. I have thought it right to 

 say thus much in justice to my friend Bentham as well as for 

 the information of the public. 



From looking into Reichenbach's ' Flora Germanica Excur- 

 soria,' it has appeared to me probable, that the doubt has 

 arisen from trusting implicitly to that author, who is ac- 

 quainted with O. antiquorum by seeing a specimen gathered 

 by Tournefort, yet asserts that 0. antiquorum Auctorum is 

 not that plant of Linnaeus, but O. arvensis ^, spinosa, Smith, 

 which he keeps distinct from 0. antiquorum of Linnaeus : in 

 doing so he is in error, for I must maintain that our plant is 



