MR. BAKER'S PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION. 



Whilst tlie fsheet wHch terminates at page 48 was passing through the 

 press, Sir W. Hooker's long career of botanical authorship was somewhat 

 unexpectedly terminated by his death. This is not the place to enlarge 

 upon the services which in many different ways he rendered to botanical 

 science, or to do more than allude to the regret which will be felt by many 

 who had waited for this long-planned work, that he was not spared to 

 complete it. I need only say that having been honoured by Dr. Hooker 

 with the request that I should carry it out, and having been entrusted by 

 him with the manuscript notes prepared by his father, and the copy of the 

 " Species Filicum '' annotated in contemplation of this work, and having 

 had fuU access to the specimens from which the descriptions in the 

 "Species Filicum" were made, I have done my best to carry out this 

 " Synopsis " to a conclusion in strict accordance with the original plan. 



The principal collection which we have received at Kew since the original 

 preface was written is a beautiful series of the ferns of New Granada, 

 gathered by MM. Lindig and Triana, for which we have to thank the 

 authorities of the Paris Museum. This contained a considerable number 

 of new species, which were described by Professor Mettenius, whose loss 

 in the prime of life we have also had to deplore since the work was 

 commenced. For other novelties we have also to thank Lady Barkly, 

 Dr. Thwaites, and Mrs. Lyell. Partly in consequence of these additions, 

 we have been obliged to extend the work to ten parts instead of nine, 

 as was planned originally. The total number of species admitted and 

 described is 2,235. 



A paper by myself, containing a summary of the leading features of 

 fern-geography, based upon this work, will appear in the part for 1868 

 (vol, xxvi. part i.) of the " Transactions of the Linnean Society." 



J. a. BAKER 



Kew, Pebrum-y, 1863. 



