230 12. CARYOPHYLLACE^. 



though a work in which varieties are more numerously and 

 minutely recorded than in any preceding work on British 

 plants. Strange, certainly, that a plant which was put 

 forth as a true species in 1837, should not be worth men- 

 tioning as a variety in 1843 ! The creation and gradual 

 extinction of this species may be thus chronologized : — 



In 1837, — a species. 



In 1841, — a variety. 



In 1843, — a nothing. 

 Doubtless all botanists are at liberty to change their views 

 with growing experience and increased observation. But 

 I draw attention to this remarkable example of changed 

 views, for two purposes : first, to show how impossible it 

 must now be for me to trace the distribution separately, of 

 the species or varieties here gi'ouped together, while there 

 is so little of certainty about them ; and secondly, as a 

 warning to others, against that hasty species-making, which 

 distinguished Mr. Babington's earlier botanical career, but 

 the inj udiciousness of which, I suspect, that he now knows 

 and feels. I say " feels " ; because it has assuredly preju- 

 diced, in the eyes of other botanists, one who is a most ex- 

 cellent observer of plants ; and has made them receive with 

 too much suspicion every other novel species to which 

 his name is attached. 



195. Cerastium arvense, Linn. Uc />». Ul I ^go 



CeRASTIUM STRICTUM, iwJWP 



Area* 2 34 5* 7 si 10 11 12 13 14 15** [18]. 



South limit in Hants, Sussex, Kent. 



North limit in Moray, Dumfries, Man. 



Estimate of provinces 12. Estimate of counties 30. 



Latitude 50 — 58. Germanic (?) type of distribution. 



