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CHANGES IN THE HALIFAX FLORA 

 DURING THE LAST CENTURY AND A QUARTER. 



C. E. MOSS, B.Sc. 



In the following- article I propose to consider the question of 

 the changes that have taken place in the flora of Halifax since 

 1775 a.d. The parish of Halifax is well adapted for such 

 a study. It possesses almost continuous records from 1775 

 until the present time : it covers a moderately extensive area ; 

 and it is a fairly natural division. 



The first list of Halifax plants, which can claim to be at all 

 representative, appeared in Watson's 'History of Halifax' in 

 1775. The list is usually attributed to James Bolton, author of 

 ' British Funguses,' etc.; but the evidence on which this idea is 

 based is not absolutely convincing. The list is a peculiar one 

 in many ways. Very common plants are nearly always omitted, 

 and yet Chickweed and Shepherd's Purse are localised with 

 great particularity- The author confines his attention to small 

 fry, there being few records for largfe shrubs, and none for 

 forest trees. Rushes and sedges are almost ignored, and the 

 grasses entirely so — because, one suspects, he was not cog'nisant 

 of these types. The records are nearly all of perennial, herbaceous 

 plants ; and of these he appears to mention all the rarities he 

 knew. Though some of his entries are startling, and others 

 erroneous, yet his bona-fides cannot be questioned, nor the 

 value of his list doubted. We must remember the limitations 

 of his time, that his flora — he used Hudson's — was itself often in 

 error, and that the occurrence and distribution of many British 

 species were very imperfectly known. At the same time, it 

 must be confessed that a little — a very little — more care in 

 examination would have prevented such mistakes as Colchicum 

 for the true Crocus and the stemless Thistle for Carlina. 



After Bolton came several workers who have contributed to 

 a knowledge of the Halifax flora, chief of whom are Leyland, 

 Gibson and King. The local Scientific Society is continuing 

 the work, and I must refer those who desire a more detailed 

 know ledge than a short paper can give of Halifax botany and 

 botanists to the flora now in course of publication.* 



* 'The Flora of Halifax,' by W. B. Crump, M.A., is now appearing in 

 Serial form in 'The Halifax Naturalist. 1 



1900 Juno i. 



