— 22 — 



specific and common names are monotonously alike. But for 

 fear, with all these, that there might be a doubt as to the type, 

 and wishing to add the common name for further guarantee, we 

 would be justified by the new method in writing Sassafras 

 sassafras sassafras. Sassafras. Those in favor of the method 

 will argue that having three names alike already, another of the 

 same kind will not matter, but we have a suspicion that it may be 

 possible to get too much even of a good thing. 



NOTES 



— In the article entitled "Ferns Out of Place" in the October 

 number, the types made us report the oak fern as Phegopteris 

 Phegopteris. It should, of course, be P. Dryopteris. 



— Writing of the " Habitat of the Pell seas" in the Bulletin of 

 the Torrey Botanical Club for November, E. J. Hill notes the 

 dislike of P. atropurpurea for any rocks except those that have 

 undergone a long period of weathering. This fern is found on 

 many ledges in Illinois, but shuns all quarries where the rock face 

 is new. The fern's aversion to shade is also mentioned. It de- 

 lights in dry, hot cliffs. 



— Mr. William Palmer has published in the Proceedings of the 

 Biological Society of Washington, under date of September 28, 

 1899, a paper on "The Ferns of the Dismal Swamp, Virginia." 

 This is an annotated list of the sixteen species which the author has 

 found growing there. A form of Dryopteris Goldieana is described 

 as new and named D. G. celsa. A plate showing the difference 

 between the species and sub-species is included in the publication. 



— Mr. A. A. Heller, well and favorably known for his collections 

 of, and publications upon, the plants of various parts of North 

 America, has resigned his position at the New York Botanical 

 Garden and will start this month upon his second collecting trip 

 to Porto Rico. He will be gone several months and expects to 

 bring back with him a very representative collection of the Porto 

 Rican flora. Mr. Heller begins his work with probably a better 

 knowledge of the flora of this island than is possessed by any 

 other American, having spent the first half of last year collecting 

 plants upon the Vanderbilt expedition for the New York Botanical 

 Garden. He expects to have his sets ready for distribution before 

 autumn. Special attention will be paid to the ferns and their 

 allies, sets of which may be ordered through The Fern Bulletin. 



