16 STATISTICS OF THE ORDER RANUNCULACESR. 
recorded on the 17th and 20th of March. The usual period is 
the first week of March. Both the Hellebores (Helleborus fetidus 
and H. viridis) are early flowerers: the former flowers in March 
at the latest, and the latter soon after. Like all early flowermg 
plants, these retain their flowers during a long period. 
The Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) is in flower earlier 
than the Marsh Marigold. Its registered dates, in the writer’s 
journals of floral and atmospheric phenomena, are as follow: the 
8th of March, a rare occurrence; also various intermediate pe- 
riods between the middle of March and the middle of April. 
Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) has been observed in flower 
on the 13th, 20th, and 25th of March, and its first occurrence 
has been noticed as late as the 18th, and even the 24th, of. 
April :* these last are unusually late dates ; its mean period is the 
last week of March. The earliest of the Ranunculi (Buttercups) 
is R. auricomus, which has been observed in flower on the 4th 
of April; the 11th and 29th of the same month are also noted. 
It will however be in a better state, both for study and especially 
for the herbarium, if collected not earlier than the month of 
May, when it begins to produce ripened carpels. The pure white 
flowers of R. aquatilis are conspicuous on the surface of pools 
and ponds about the same period as that given for the Wood 
Crowfoot (R. auricomus), but it requires some weeks or a month 
before it is suitable either for investigation or for the herbarium. 
R. hederaceus (Ivy-leaved Crowfoot) flowers at the very same 
time as the two last noted species. R. bulbosus (Bulbous-rooted 
Crowfoot) produces flowers by the end of April in early seasons. 
Common Buttercup (RA. acris) is somewhat later than R. dbulbosus. 
Its registered dates are the 3rd of May, the 15th and 18th of the 
same month: these latter are the more common periods of its 
appearance in this state. We have often had the Adonis autum- 
nalis from Kent in April and early in May; its extreme periods 
are April and October. The Anemones are all early flowerers, 
but they are all rare except the common one, 4. nemorosa, no- 
ticed above. The Piony, Globe-flower, Columbine, Baneberry 
(Actea spicata), and Monkshood all flower before midsummer. 
The same date may be assigned to R. repens (Creeping Crowfoot) 
and R. parviflorus. R. hirsutus, R. sceleratus, and R. arvensis 
* This very day was that on which it was first noticed, this season; a proof, 
among many others, that the present Spring is unusually late. 
