128 Druce : Hellehorine atvo-rnhens. 



be an Atherine, and was quite perfect in every respect, being 

 about five inches in length. 



I write subject to correction, but I beheve that these are 

 the only records for Yorkshire of these two species of fish, as 

 I can find no previous ones published, nor does anyone whom I 

 have asked know of others which have occurred. All three 

 specimens are now in my possession. 



HELLEBORINE ATRO-RUBENS DRUCE, 

 var. GROWTH ER/, nov. var. 



G. CLARIDGE DRUCE, M.A., F.L.S., 



Yardsley Lodge, Oxford. 



In 1909 Mr. J. Crowther of Grassington, accompanied Mr. 

 Arnold Lees and myself (at different times) to Grass wood, to 

 inspect the varied growth of Helleborines which occur there 

 under the shade of trees, in rich soil about the old lead mine 

 trench. We were too early to see them in flower, however. 

 Later on, Mr. Crowther sent me a very interesting series, as 

 well as some excellent photographs of the plants in situ. There 

 were many forms of H. media (Fries) Druce, including the 

 broad-leaved form, which is often miscalled latifolia, and to 

 which I have recentl}'* given the name platyphylla. There 

 were also some curious forms of H. atvo-rubens Druce. One of 

 these was especially interesting as it was somewhat intermediate 

 between H. media and H. atro-ruhens and, indeed, may eventually 

 prove to be that hybrid, i.e., = x H. Crowtheri. For the present, 

 however, I venture to describe it as H. atro-ntbens Druce, var. 

 Crowtheri nova var. Plant, robust 2-3 feet, stem stout, solitary 

 leaves (with internodes about i| inches), very broad, oval, 

 abruptly narrowed into a short cusp, with about fifteen strong 

 primary veins, and about thirty-six intermediate fainter ones, 

 rather suddenly diminishing half way up the stem into ovate 

 and more gradually pointed leaves and leafy bracts. Flowers 

 dark rich red purple. Labellum roundly cordate, with slightly 

 crenated margin, and two strongly plicate-rugose bosses, with 

 rarely an intermediate one. 



In habit and size it resembles H. media, and the shape of the 

 labellum approaches that species, while the leaves are like 

 those of var. platyphylla. The colour of the flowers is that of 

 atro-rubens. I may say that Mr. Cryer has sent me perfectly 

 typical H. media from the same wood. 



* Hayward's Botanist's Pocket Book, 13th edit., 1909. 



Naturalist, 



