302 BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. 
Durmast.—A correspondent in the ‘Gardeners’ Chronicle’ for De- 
cember, 1855, states that he asked for an explanation of the term Durmast 
some months or years ago, but had not at the date of his above notice 
seen any reply to his query. We beg to inform the above correspondent, 
if he reads the ‘ Phytologist,’ or if not, the editor of the ‘ Gardeners’ 
Chronicle,’ that Durmast is a species or variety of Oak. Some say it is 
the Quercus pubescens of Willdenow, and others that it is a synonym of 
Q. Robur. They may possibly be all synonyms. Mast means the fruit of 
certain trees, as of Oak, Beech, etc., and dur may be a corruption of dun, 
this variety bearing a dun-coloured fruit. SYLVANUS. 
Botanical Tour over the Scottish Alps.—One of our energetic correspon- 
dents has several times suggested to us the desirableness of a botanical 
Highland tour in Scotland. We will not put @ wet blanket over this good 
suggestion. - The proposal is, that a party of botanists should be engaged, 
and provided with a guide, a tent, and portable provisions; that they 
should explore the alpine districts of Scotland, and collect, preserve, and 
record their botanical rarities; the funds necessary for the purpose above 
mentioned to be raised by subscription, and that the subscribers should 
be indemnified by the receipt of a certain number of species collected. 
We lay the proposal before our readers, and request their opinions on the 
same. Ep. 
Lotus of the Ancients (See ‘ Phytologist,’ p. 248)—The natural his- 
torian Pliny asserts that this tree is a species of Celtis (C. australis, Lin.), 
and that in his time it was naturalized in Italy. One of Pliny’s editors 
and commentators remarks that this is ome of Phlny’s errors. On the 
authority of this naturalist we learn that the Lotus-tree is the Rhamuus 
Lotus of Linneeus, or the Zizyphus Lotus of Desfontaines. It is produced 
in the North of Africa; and there its fruit is reported to be of such excel- 
lence that those who eat it lose all remembrance of their native country. 
The Lotus-eaters (Lotophag?) constituted an entire nation, celebrated for 
hospitality to strangers. In Europe the fruit is of no repute; but the 
change of climate may account for this. We have never eaten English- 
grown figs so sweet and luscious as those produced in Syria (Asiatic 
Turkey). There is another edible, a kind of pulse, Lotus edulis, cultivated 
in Greece, but not celebrated for its excellence. We know no culinary or 
alimentary substance of this tribe of plants comparable to the best kinds 
of garden Peas, such as marrowfats, Prussian blues, etc., or to the variety 
of broad Bean called the Windsor bean. We have no reason to believe 
that these were known to the ancients: they have not been long known 
among ourselves. Our plant Melilotus, of which several species grow wild 
in England, has no qualities similar to those ascribed to the Lotus of 
Africa. Pliny describes another plant called the Lotus of the Nile, 
Nymphea Loius of Willdenow, and tells us that in his time the Egyp- 
tians made bread of the seeds. We learn from this author that the root 
is eatable. ‘The Lotus,” he says, ‘‘ has a root about the size of a quince, 
enveloped in a black skin, similar to that with which the Chestnut is co- 
vered. The substance that lies withm this skin is white, and forms very 
pleasant food, but is better cooked, either in water or on hot ashes, than im 
a raw state. Swine fatten upon nothing better than the peelings of this 
