PERSONAL AUTHORITIES. 591 



changed on the re-copied labels of societies, when there are two 

 or more collectors of the same surname contributing specimens 

 to the same society. The Christian name of a contributor is 

 often omitted on re-written or printed labels ; and the sex of a 

 contributor is even left to be guessed, as well as professional 

 designation, such as Mr. or Dr. When societies or individuals 

 label their specimens "Ex. herb. Smith" or " Ex. herb. Jones" 

 or " Ex. herb. Wilson," how lucidly do they distinguish between 

 the various botanists, male and female, who have borne those 

 names ! The condensed plan of this present work would have 

 shared the same defect, if the county lists had been printed 

 without the general list of Authorities or the explanations of the 

 Catalogues, as necessary adjuncts thereto. And it is scarcely to 

 be expected that no mistakes have been made in taking personal 

 names from the imperfect or half-legible labels of collectors and 

 re-distributors. 



7. Although it was made a general rule not to quote printed 

 books, on grounds already shewn and also to avoid citing per- 

 sonal authorities at second-hand, yet practically these have 

 been rules observed only with a good many exceptions. The 

 inducements to the several exceptions are mostly obvious 

 enough, and are in some instances directly pointed out ; as in 

 the instances of Berberis and Viola odorata, where it was sought 

 to shew also the opinions of various botanists on the question of 

 nativity or otherwise. The Callitriclie autuinnalis, on page 

 170, affords a different example. Two counties on the list 

 were recently ascertained habitats, considerably altering the 

 area and limits of the species, as set forth in the Cybele 

 Britannica and its Compendium of 1868. The finders of that 

 plant had not themselves communicated any information about 

 it before the manuscript was sent to the printing office, but a 

 notice of their discoveries had actually come to hand through 

 other correspondents. Accordingly " Parfitt sp." and " War- 

 ren. " were given at second-hand, as the personal authorities 

 reported for the plant in the two counties named. So, again, it 



