880 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



The Floivering Plants of Wilts, with sketches of the Physical Geography 



ami Climate of the County. By the Rev. T. A. Preston, M.A. 

 Published by the Wiltshire Archasological and Natural 

 History Society. 1888. Pp. lxix. 436, with map. 



The author of this book, so well known for his contributions to 

 the observation of pbenological phenomena at Marlborough, claims 

 his preface some consideration from readers and others. Having 

 made a promise to edit tbe work, he has, after having left the 

 county, been "forced to adhere" to that promise, though long 

 before he could "elaborate materials," so that instead of using the 

 title of Flora, be has " adopted without regret the unpretentious 

 title which it now bears." This is conscientious, but may cause 

 his book to be classed with the older lists, &c, by those not reading 

 it. But the work is more than this, and is a fitting precursor to a 

 complete Flora, which one may hope the author will be spared to 

 bring out as a second edition. 



The book begins with a map of the county, small certainly, but 

 giving a fair space of the adjoining counties,— an excellent idea; 

 too often the maps show the county only, and blank space around. 

 The geological and botanical divisions of the county are shown on it. 



Following a modest preface is a well-written account of the 

 topography, by the Rev. J. Sowerby, made interesting even to those 

 who may never have visited the county, by its good descriptive 

 style. "Geological features," "Drainage, &c." by Prof. Boulger; 

 "Climate," with a rainfall chart of the river basins ; " Botanical 

 districts," " Plan of the Flora," " Works and Herbaria quoted or 

 referred to," " List of Authorities quoted in the Flora," followed by 

 " .The Flowering Plants of Wilts " occupying pp. 1 to 361, but ending 

 with the Grasses, the higher Cryptogams not being given ; "Addenda," 

 consisting of a "Table of Distribution in Wilts," " Notes to different 

 species," " On the Batrachian Ranunculi," with a plate of the upper 

 leaves; " Carduus tuberosus," " On the Orcheston Long Grass," " Com- 

 parison with adjacent counties," "Additions and Index." 

 < It will perhaps from this be considered that the author's regret of 

 incompleteness is somewhat too modest. In one matter the book has 

 pre-eminence : that is, in showing the first flowering, mean time, and 

 latest date—the result of actual and continued observations in tbe field. 

 i The tables given under Climate are some of them of much 

 interest, and the given instances of great variation in limited areas, 

 which joined to the time of flowering of the plants in the same 

 places (these, however, are not collated, but must be sought in the 

 body of the work), give some interesting results, though here 

 again, local influences would have to be taken account of, such as 

 protection by hills, woods, aspect, &c, before we are prepared to 

 dogmatize too much on local climatic effects. 



The list of plants of the county follows out the usual sequence : 

 through eleven districts under the river basins, the localities 

 being fully given ; those of Mr. T. B. Flower's ' Flora of Wilt- 

 shire,' in the ' Wilts Archaeological and Natural History Magazine ' 

 being given m brackets,— a wise plan. 



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