155 
from being the actual fact. Some part of the artist’s work is already 
done to his hand; the composition is determined; what is coarsely 
rampant has been restrained ; what is awkward or needlessly obstructive 
has been suppressed. But when the art of the gardener has done his 
share Nature still puts her glorifying touch upon the whole,” 
Hyos oscyamus ticus.—Rear - Admiral Blomfield, Port House, 
Alo xan alg ‘(Decadnbet lst 1895) the following interesting 
note 
We h have lately lost (he died on December 9th) Dr. Sickenberger, a 
very valued old friend of mine and most kind-hearted and modest ; he 
was an excellent botanist. He was a victim to overwork in e etia kaa 
with analyses of poisoning cases which he had adero for the 
Tribunal when he ought to have been having a complete rest in 
Europe. 
In eonneetion with his work, I BN mention that this summer I 
observed a native gathering seeds from a large plant near some houses at 
Mex, five miles west of this, which I found to be Hyoscyamus muticus, 
The plant was three or four yards in circumference and was in full 
flower, with its handsome purple blossoms, as well as in fruit. I remem- 
bered having seen it in plenty in et queis near Helouan, south of 
Cairo, but never before here, and sent a specimen to Dr. Sickenberger, 
who told me in reply that he had e established fowr cases of family 
poisoning (nof accident) by the same seeds. 
natives call the plant *sakrán," which means “ drunken" with 
UE: o its properties, a name which at Mex is given to the 
Hi esiti albus, which is common there and used medieinally by the 
natives, How this: one plant (the only one known) of 77. muticus came 
to existence at Mex no one knows. I will send you a sample 
Chamedorea Pringlei—This species was deaeriitod by the laie Dr. 
Sereno Watson in the Proceedings of the American Academy, xxvi. 
p. 157, from. Ups obtained from the a Caíion, San Luis 
pinne, 8 in. long and 1 in. wide, acute at the apex and slightly con- 
stricted, especially on the ies side, at the base. ‘The spadix arises from 
ie the base of the crown of leaves and attains a length of 18 inches 
ameter of two Em and bears severnl distant, brownish, mem- 
RUE acute sheaths; at the apex it is somewhat thickened and has a 
segs da lateral braneh. The flowers are globose, about one line in 
and not immersed in the spadix. ‘The calyx is deeply 3- 
m tite, ay rounded lobes conspicuously edged with dark brown, The 
petals are rather larger than the sepals, orbicular, concave, and occasion- 
ally with a brown spot at the apex. The six short staminodes are 
compressed and white. The ovary is globose, three-celled and with a 
Pringle, is oblong and 4-5 lines long. ‘The spermoderm is grey, minutely 
warted and sparingly reticulated. ‘This species belongs to the section 
Chamedoropsis. 
