INTRODUCTORY EXPLANATIONS. 7 



special section or part of the general subject, and each 

 being made complete so far as the single section was con- 

 cerned. By this change it was sought to lessen the chance 

 of lea\'ing only a fragment of one large work ; in which, 

 after much had been commenced, nothing might reach 

 completeness. This proposed change of plan was laid 

 before some of the author's botanical friends, by a printed 

 ch-cular, which the Editor of the ' London Journal of Bo- 

 tany ' honomed him by re-printing amid the " Botanical 

 Information " of that influential periodical. 



The change was not approved, however, by the friends 

 to whom it was thus communicated. Still, as there would 

 really be very small chance for the completion of any work 

 on the scale of the discontinued third edition, it seems not 

 advisable to fall back upon that lengthy undertaking. The 

 present, therefore, is an attempt to take a middle com-se, 

 by gi-eatly condensmg the notices of species-distribution 

 within Britain, and postponing those which relate to the 

 distribution of the same sj^ecies thi-ough other comitries, 

 until completion of the British portion ; — as also all details 

 of special locahties, wliich are equally resen-ed for a dis- 

 tinct publication. 



Havmg liimself often felt disappointed at the non-com- 

 pletion of works, the pubhcation of which had been com- 

 menced in successively issued Parts, the writer of these 

 pages has always felt reluctant to adopt that course ; ap- 

 prehending lest imforeseen cncmnstances might equally 

 come m the way to procrastinate, or even wholly prevent 

 the completion of his own. But in formerly avoiding pub- 

 lication, he fomid sufficient practical objections in the plan 

 of private distribution, to induce him now to take the more 

 usual course. Reluctance was frequently felt in offering 

 copies to individuals, lest he should only be troubling them 



