66 Dr Lauder Lindsay on the Flora of Iceland, 
others of his predecessors. The latest published full list of 
the plants of Iceland is that of Vahl, contained in Gaimard’s 
narrative of the voyage of “La Recherche” (1840). The 
volume of this magnificent work which treats of mineralogy 
and geology (Part I.), contains chapters on—(1.) The General 
Vegetation of Iceland; and, (2.) General Considerations on the 
Coldness of the Climate in its relation to Vegetation, by M. 
Eugéne Robert, who appears to have accompanied Gaimard in 
the conjoint capacities of mineralogist, geologist, and botanist. 
Before setting out, his attention was specially directed by M. 
Adolphe Brongniart, Professor of Botany in the Museum of 
Natural History, Paris, to such points in Icelandic botany as the 
following :—1. Is Pyrus domestica really a native? 2. Are 
there no other native amentaceous plants than those mentioned 
by Sir William Hooker ? 3. Is there no conifer save Juniperus 
communis 2? 4, What are the limits of growth on the moun- 
tains of such genera as Betula, Juniperus, Salia, Hrica, and 
Vaccinium? 5. General geographical distribution of plants 
of Iceland. 6. Presence or absence of particular plants. 
7. Collection of Cryptogams, with a view, for instance, to a more 
complete list of Alge, &c. M. Robert traversed the greater 
part of the island during the years 1835-36, and collected, he 
says, the greater number of its plants. Throughout his tour, 
he states that he paid minute attention to the points indicated 
by Professor Brongniart. At his request, too, it was that M. 
Vahl, a Danish botanist, who had resided long in Greenland, 
revised all former. published lists of Icelandic plants, especially 
that of Hooker, and drew up a fresh list corrected up to that 
date (1835-40). This list is added as an appendix to M. 
Robert’s chapters on the Botany of Iceland (p. 337). With 
Vahl’s enumeration M. Robert compared his own collec-. 
tanea, and expresses himself satisfied with the results, 
though he disclaims having added a single new plant; that is, 
I presume, one not previously found by his predecessors in 
travel. In 1846, Mr Babington of Cambridge, the well- 
known author of the “ Manual of British Botany,” visited 
Iceland, and made some botanical collections. He appears to 
have carefully revised Hooker’s and Vahl’s lists, the ac- 
racy of which he substantially confirms, adding a few plants 
OO  ——— a 
