458 Ill. SEGREGATES AND 
name-changing ; a procedure which has justifiably created some 
bias against his fern-books, otherwise so very recommendable. 
The ‘Manual of British Botany’ may be said to have imperfectly 
imitated ‘Newman’s History.’ In its first edition, 1843, Bree’s 
recurva is unnoticed by name; dumetorum is mentioned as a sub- 
variety of “ triangularis,” which is assumed as the first or type 
variety of dilatata; while spinulosa is made a second variety 
under name of “linearis.” In the second edition, 1847, we find 
Newman’s three species recognized, and the ‘ History’ referred to; 
but the better established names of dilatata and spinulogg, with 
Fenisecti, were kept to instead of those taken up by Mr. Newman. 
Little change has been made subsequently. 
It thus appears that Newman in 1840, Babington in 1848, 
Hooker in 1850 and later, and Bentham in 1858, were about on 
equality in their ideas concerning these three ferns, that is, they 
then alike clubbed all three into one inclusive aggregate. But 
subsequent to those dates, Mess. Newman and Babington have 
held that one aggregate to be more properly divisible into three 
true species with subordinate varieties; while Dr. Arnott, in 
dividing into two, united with cristata the form (spinulosa) which 
he severed from dilatata. The state of the nomenclature and 
division at different dates may be thus shewn :— 
Hudson, 1762. Two species, cristata and rhetica. 
Smith, 1804. Two species, spinulosa and dilatata. 
Smith, 1828. Three species, spinulosa, dilatata, dumetorum. 
Babington, 1843. One species, dilatata, with var : linearis. 
Babington, 1847. Three species, spinulosa, dilatata, Fcenisecii. 
Hooker & Arnott, 1850. One species, spinulosa. 
Bentham, 1858. One species, spinulosa. 
Hooker & Arnott, 1860. One and a half species, dilatata (in- 
cluding @mula) for one species ; spitulosa (become a portion 
of cristata) for the half species. 
Thus, through a long history, comes out again another illustration 
of the old difficulty. Writers of local Floras or other botanical 
records may profess to follow one or other of these Authors in 
their nomenclature, or to abide by that of Mr. Newman. This 
