THE BRITISH MOSS-FLORA. 349 



that the two may be extremes of one variable plant? I have 

 not been able to collect satisfactory specimens this season, but, as 

 I frequently visit Folkestone, I shall hope to do so shortly. Some 

 few years ago I chronicled in the ' Journal of Botany ' the discovery 

 of A. italicum in this neighbourhood, these first specimens being 

 found mostly nearer Cheriton. The neighbourhood of Paddles- 

 worth, on the summit of the chalk-downs overlooking Folkestone, 

 requires minuter research for this plant than it has yet received, 

 the ordinary Arum being very frequent in the neighbourhood. — 

 J. Cosmo Melvill. 



East Kent Plants. — About Whitstable I gathered, this Sep- 

 tember, Polypogon monspeliensis, Agrostis nigra, Rubiis rnsticanus, 

 and, between Whitstable and Canterbury, Vicia gracilis, Epilobium 

 obscurum, E. lanceolatum, and a hybrid {lanceolatum x obscurum 

 teste Haussknecht), which were apparently additions to East Kent 

 Botany. Bupleurum tenuissimum, Peucedanum officinale, Glyceria 

 distans var. glanca, Hordeum marinum, Lactuca saligna, Vinca minor, 

 Chenopodium oliduvi, Trifolium scabrum, and Popidus canescens were 



also noted in the same localities. — G. Claridge Druce. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



The British Moss- Flora. By E.Braithwaite, M.D.,F.L.S. Part XI. 



Fam. X. Grimmiace^. I. (The Author, 303, Clapham 

 Eoad.) 8s. 



With this Part begins the second volume of the completest and 

 most beautifully illustrated work on the British Mosses that has yet 

 been published, and it fully sustains the high reputation of the 

 author. An eminent botanist has wisely said, "Good plates are 

 amongst the best means of promoting the progress of Botany. 

 When they represent the form of the plant according to Nature, 

 and especially when they develop the characters of the genus and 

 species, even to their minutest parts, they fulfil all that can be 

 desired." The work before us not only fulfils all these conditions, 

 but gives also full and careful descriptions of each plant delineated. 

 Thus it affords to the student of Bryology help such as is rarely 

 given in even the best of monographs. . 



As some guide to a proper appreciation of the contents of this 

 Part, it may be mentioned that it contains fifty-six pages of 

 analytical or descriptive letterpress, and eight plates. On these 

 are delineations of forty-five species and six varieties of the genus 

 Grinmia and its allies, giving 484 figures, which represent faith- 

 fully and in exquisite style not only the natural habit of the plant, 

 but also the minuter details. It is a complete monograph of the 

 British species and varieties of that difficult genus, Gnmmut, and 

 J ts allies. 



The part commences with a scientific dissertation on the 

 Unmmiacece as a whole, with observations on the comparative 

 distinctions of the two great genera, Grimmia and Ortliotrichum. 



