LAWSON — NOTES ON SOME NOVA SCOTIAN PLANTS. 167 



ference, being of even thickness from the head to the tail. The 

 tail ended abruptly as if cut square off. The form was not perfect- 

 ly round, but the back and belly as well as the sides were somewhat 

 flattened, the eyes were black, in striking contrast with the colour 

 of the creature. It was not smooth, but was surrounded by raised 

 rings of about a quarter of an inch in width. The colour, however, 

 was uniform. 



Art. VIII. — Notes on some Nova Scotian Plants. Br 

 George Lawson, Ph. D., LI. D., Professor of 

 Chemistry, Dalhousie College, Halifax. 



Calluna vulgaris. 

 It may be recollected by some members of the Institute, that a 

 patch of Scotch Heather (Calluna vulgaris) was found about four- 

 teen years ago in the State of Massachusetts, and that a good deal 

 of discussion ensued as to whether the plant was really indigenous 

 to the American soil, or had been intentionally planted, or accident- 

 ally introduced. One set of American botanists held to the belief 

 that the plant was not native in Massachusetts, whilst Professor 

 Gray and others believed that the evidence was so far, in its favour. 

 This latter view was strengthened, and the favourable evidence 

 increased by a circumstance that occurred in London. The Lin- 

 n'ean Society had in course of many years accumulated in their 

 rooms a large quantity of bundles of dried plants. These were 

 cumbrous to move into the Society's new quarters, and it was there- 

 fore determined to select from them what appeared to be necessary 

 for the Society's Herbarium ; and all that were regarded as dupli- 

 cates or rubbish, were sold off at auction. Amongst these was a 

 parcel of Newfoundland plants, collected by Mr. Cormack, the first 

 scientific explorer of that Island, and that had long lain neglected. 

 The parcel was purchased, with others apparently as valueless, by 

 Mr. Hewett Cotterell Watson, a veteran botanist, residing at 

 Thames Ditton, who in early days explored the Azores, and who 

 has devoted a large portion of his life to collecting and digesting 



