SHORT NOTES 219 
CuEsHIRE LicHENs.—In a paper entitled Hepatics and Lichens 
of Liverpool and its Vicinity, published in 1860, the late F. P. 
Marrat recorded the occurrence of the lichens Gyrophora poly- 
phylla Turn. & Borr. and Umbilicaria pustulata Hoffm. on Bidston 
Hill, near Birkenhead. These lichens have not been reported 
from the localit ty in question since that time; and it was supposed 
by local botanists that the plants were either extinct, or that, 
possibly, the records were erroneous. During a recent visit to 
Bidston Hill, now one of the “lungs” of Birkenhead, I was happy 
to be able to confirm Marrat’s old record by finding both Gyro- 
‘eral ed. The occurrence of these subalpine lichens at such a 
low elevation (216 ft.) in a district like the Wirral peninsula, and, 
still more, their persistence in the immediate neighbourhood of 
a huge smoky urban area fe Liverpool and Birkenhead, are 
noteworthy facts. Alon the Umbilicaria was Parmelia 
it sh sa Ach., another ee mentioned in Marrat’s list as 
occurring on Bidston Hill.—W. G. Travis. 
REVIEWS. 
My Shrubs. ae Epen Puaiuuports. With pity: ener 
p. 132. John Lane. Price 10s. n 
Mr. EpEN ee pec whose Dartmoor novels = obtained 
for him a teacereal high reputation in the realm of fiction, will 
hardly obtain a like recognition for his book about the shrubs he 
grows in his garden. In a series of chapters he enumerates these 
in alphabetical order, with comments that are evidently intended 
to be amusing, but only succeed in being esti how silly, one or 
two ies will show—this, for instance 
ought to go to Kew in a humble ac and haunt its glades 
A glass for six months before daring to write this little book 
about shrubs. But I shall not. These are my shrubs that I am 
talking about, and not one of them came from Kew. I believe I 
have got about two that Kew has not got. If it knew of oe 
should ee them and entreat them scornfully, and send them 
ba the Royal Gardens empty- -handed. I have got my 
: vogetable-pride’ too” (p. 56). 
“The real name of M (yrtus] Luma, by the way, is Eugenia 
apiculata, but when you have once ot to the expense of a metal 
label, you ignore ae vagaries of science, and cleave to the old 
paths t doesn’t really sey to you what I call my 
shru bs, any more the it matters to me what you call your golf 
clubs” (p. 81). ; 
As might be expected, Mr. Phillpotts gets a great deal of cheap 
amusement out of the Latin names of plants. ‘ Imagination was 
needed in this matter [of giving names], but Science a no 
reason to invite the co-operation of those who possessed it. She 
