32 
EQUISETACE.E. 
repeatedly observed it on New Brighton sands on the Cheshire j 
side, and the Bootle sands on the Lancashire side : it is tolerably I 
abundant also at Southport, in the latter county. In Teesdale ] 
it has been found in several spots, more particularly at Widdy j 
bank, and about Winch-bridge. In Cumberland it is very tall i 
and luxuriant on the banks of the Irthing, above the upper 
stepping-stones at Gilsland. 
In Scotland it was first found by the late Mr. George Don, 
in 1807, on the sands of Barry, near Dundee; it occurs also 
in Rosshire, and in Kincardineshire on the banks and in the 
bed of the Dee, intermixed with the two species I have al- 
ready described. In Ireland it is abundant in several sea-coast 
localities, more particularly at Port Marnock : also in the Dublin 
canal, in a ditch at Mucruss, &c. 
For specimens from these localities, and for much valuable 
information respecting them, I have to acknowledge my best 
thanks to Dr. Greville, Dr. Balfour, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Babington, 
Mr. Gibson, Mr. Brichan, and Mr. Moore of the Dublin Glas- 
nevin garden. 
The nomenclature of this species is involved in great, and I 
fear inextricable, confusion, for although certain plants have fre- 
quently been described under the present name, I feel convinced 
that the same plant, whether it be considered a species or vari- 
ety, has not always been intended ; moreover, Vaucher and De- 
candolle combine the varieties of the present plant with E. 
ramosum and E. campanulatmn (neither of which is yet known 
to be British) under the single specific name of E. multiforme. 
Under these circumstances I adopt the nomenclature of our 
British authors. Sir J. E. Smith and Sir W. J. Hooker, a course 
which I trust will be found convenient until the synonyms shall 
be unravelled by some abler hand than mine. The name of 
variegatum was, it appears, first employed in Schleicher’s Cata- 
logue, but, being unaccompanied by a description, I think we 
are by no means bound to enquire what plant was intended by 
the author, more especially as no satisfactory result could possi- 
bly be attained. The first description which I find is published 
in the ‘Botanical Pocket-book’ for 1807, by Weber and Mohr : 
this description, representing the plant as erect and as growing 
