OF THE HERBARIUM. 185 



whom it was received. These particulars are guarantees 

 of the genuineness of the specimen ; they also impart to it 

 considerable authority, where the collector and communi- 

 cator are known in the botanical world as accurate observers 

 and safe guides. It is usual to write these in Latin and 

 to abbreviate them thus : f Leg.' (for legit, ' collected,') 

 and ' Com.' (for communicavit, ' communicated ') ; or ' Ex 

 Herb.' (for ex herbario, l from so and so's herbarium '). 



Below is an example of a label, illustrating the various 

 points to which I have called the reader's attention. 



Diatomaeese. 



Nitzschia acicnlaris, W. Sm. 



(Synops. Brit. Diatom, vol. i. p. 43, tab. xv. 123.) 



(Synedra acicularis, Ktz. BacilL p. 63, tab. iv., f. 3. 



Ceratoneis acicularis, Pritch. Infus. p. 783.) 



B. closterioides, Grun. tab. xii. f. 19. 



Near Briinn in Moravia, in a ditch, of clean, but stagnant, water. 



Formation, Syenite. 



Leg. J. N. July 15, 1863. 



Com. (or ex Herb.) A. B. 



Any observations, which the collector has the opportunity 

 of noting down in regard to the life history of the indi- 

 vidual plant, add greatly to the value of his collection ; but 

 I need scarcely add, that they must be perfectly trust- 

 worthy, and formed on his own experience. 



There is no recognised form of label to recommend to 

 the student ; as long as he takes care that it is not too small, 

 and that it is unencumbered with finical ornamentation, he 

 can choose the size and the form that he fancies most for 

 himself. If he wishes his herbarium to have a particularly 

 neat appearance, he can have slips of paper cut, and printed 

 at a small cost, something in this form : — 



