PREFACE. Vll 



a large scientific community there is always a Society esta- 

 blished for the furtherance of such researches as have a very 

 wide-spread interest^ not confined to the branch they especi- 

 ally illustrate, nor even to the class of sciences under which 

 they rank : but researches of such importance are necessarily 

 rare, and the Transactions in which they are embodied are 

 universally accessible. 



It is the intention of the Authors to continue the ' Flora 

 Indica/ one of them in the Hookerian Herbarium, the other 

 at the Calcutta Botanic Gardens. The propriety, however, 

 of pursuing the attempt to complete the history, etc., of each 

 Indian genus and species, is, in the present state of science, 

 very doubtful. Considering how little is accurately known 

 of the outlines of Indian Botany, and how extensive our ma- 

 terials are, it may be better to ensure accuracy in the most 

 important identifications only, and to omit quoting such works 

 as are not worth referring to. In this we shall be guided by 

 the opinions of those botanists who may honour us by con- 

 sulting our labours critically. 



