Cash : The late Mr. William Vv^ilsox. 



203 



for some time with much success, but after his intimacy began with 

 Sir Wm. Jackson Hooker he devoted closer attention to the Musci, 

 which eventually, as we all know, became his specialty. In a former 

 paper read to this society some particulars were given of Mr. Wilson's 

 journeys to the Highlands, on the invitation of, and in company with, 

 the distinguished Glasgow Professor. Their meetings in after life 

 were not frequent, but the correspondence which passed between them 

 covers a period of nearly fifty years, and a perusal of it throws much 

 interesting light upon the history of many now familiar species. 



I propose in this communication to give some account of Mr. 

 Wilson's early explorations in his own immediate neighbourhood. 1 

 am indebted much for information to my late lamented friend, Dr. 

 Kendrick, of Warrington, who obligingly placed in my hands a good 

 deal of Mr. Wilson's botanical correspondence and private memoranda. 



For an enthusiastic bryologist some forty or fifty years ago, Lanca- 

 shire and Cheshire were by no means barren ground. I have already 

 mentioned one locality, viz., Over, on the border of Delamere Forest^ 

 which Mr. Wilson frequently visited. His family was interested in 

 property there, hence his intimacy with the place. In February, 1828, 

 on the road side between Over and Delamere he found upon the hedge 

 bank a moss resembling Fottia tnmcata, but presenting certain peculiar 

 features which in his judgment removed it from that species. He 

 named it provisionally Gymnostomum ofine, MSS., and sent specimens 

 to Sir Wm, Hooker, along with Fottia trnncota, var. /3, which grew 

 associated with 'it. Sir William replied in a letter dated Glasgow, 

 April oth, 1828, as follows : — 



" The arrival of your letter and your parcel gave me very much 

 pleasure, and not myself only but my boy Joseph,* who is highly 

 gratified by the valuable proof you have given him of your recollection 

 of him. * * You have given me, too, some interesting employment 

 in the examination of your beautiful botanical specimens. I have 

 devoted no little attention also to the Gymnostoma, and you will, I fear, 

 think me very unreasonable in not being entirely of your opinion with 

 regard to the two being distinct species. I see, indeed, all the 

 characters you point out, and your sketch is entirely faithful. Amongst 

 such minute objects as mosses and other cryptogamia, it is very difficult 

 to say what constitutes a species and what a variety ; and, perhaps, 

 had I seen only your Gymnostovium truncatnlum, var. ,3, and yt)ur G. 

 aflne, MSS., I should have agreed with you in thinking them distinct. 



* Now Sir J. D. Hooker, of Kew, for whom Mr. Wilson had sent a present 

 of naiueralogical specimens. 



