| 1807.] Naturalist's Monthly Report. —68BB 
curiosity of this plant lies in the seeds, which are very nearly globular, of a black colour, on 
one side of wrich, at the hilum or place o’ attachment of she seed, is a beautiful white heart- 
shapei spot, from whence the name of the genus is derived. 7. Pseonia peregrina of Philip 
Miller, here considered to be distinct from any of the Linnean species. 8. Folygala Seaega. 
The American Rattle snake roet, supposed to be a cure for the bite of that venamous serpent, 
from which it derives its name. Dr. Sims remarks, that as this plant evidently possesses very 
active powers, its virtyes deserve to be more accurately examined, than they have hitherto 
been. 
English Botany, besides six Lichens, ane Moss and one Jungermannia, contains 1. Prunus 
domestica, or wiid Pum tree, hardly a distinct Species, as the author allows, from P. ingitit ie 
2 Pyrus communis, found wild at Cuckfield, in Sussex, by Mr, W. Borret, but is very com- 
mon in many other parts of theisland. 3. Fragaria steri/’s. Most botanists have united this 
plant to Fragaria, notwithstanding its want of a succulent receptacle to the seeds. It bas 
Jately been proposed to add it to Comarum, its affinity, with which genus Dr. Smith had re- 
marked in is Flora Britannica; but the succu’ent or dry state of the receptacle does not of 
itself seem sufficient to divide the genus. From Potentilla it is distinguished principally by 
the smoothness of the seeds. Ina case of difficulty, the habit should always have great 
weight, and in this respect it is altogether a Fragaria. 4. Orobanche rubra, a new species of 
this curious genus, discovered by Join Templeton. esq. in August, 1805, growing plentifully 
on the basaltic rock of Cave hill, near Belfast, in Ireland, where specimens of it were also 
githered by Mr. Rees, of Paternoster-row, and communicated by him to Dr. Smith. The 
flowers are powerfully sweet-scented, resembling the Honey.suckle or Pink. The specfiic 
character of this acquisition to the Flora of the British isles, is as follows, Stem simple. 
Corolla tubular; its upper lip cloven ; lower in three nearly equal Segments. Stamens fringed 
on one side at the base, germen and style at their summits, Bractes solitary. ' 
' We haveto announce the first number of a new work on the Fuci or Sea-weeds, by Dawson 
Turner, esq. It contains six co'oured gngravings in royal quarto, with descriptions both in 
Lotin and English, a complete synonimy and observations on the history of each species. 
The author has paid particular attention to the physiology and the diversities of fructification, 
with a view of hereafter dividing the marine alg@ into distinct genera. he present number 
contains, 1. Fucus Barksii; found onthe shores of New Holland. 2. F. wolubilis; in the 
Mediterranean Sea. 3. F. canaliculatus, gn the British shores. 4. F. distichus. in the North 
sea. 5. F. rotundus, on the British shores. 6. F. Jumbricalis; on the British 
Shores, Instead of seeking his subjects from all parts of the world, we would advise 
the Author to confine himself at first to such species as are found on the shores of Engm 
land; or evén were his first numbers to contain such enly ds are to be met with at one of the 
principai watering places, he, or his bookseller, might find his advantage in it; for among the 
zicn inhabitants of the metropolis, who resort to these places, many pass part of their idle 
time in collecting the different sea-weeds that the shores produce ; and in an age when some 
ideas of scientific arrangement are more generally diffused than formerly, it may be expected 
that many will be pleased with'an opportunity of showing their knowledge, by being able, 
aptly to apply the proper names to their collection, which will occasion a greater demand for 
phe work than can be expected from all the Cryptogamists in Europe combined. 
See SRN AES TTL a Se RRR SERN SST AE SAE TT 
; NATURALIST’s MONTHLY REPORT, 
Ye swains now hasten to the hazel bank ; 
Where, down yon dale, the wildly-winding brook 
Falls hoarse from steep to steep. In close array, 
Fit for the thickets and the tangling shrub, 
Ye virgins come. For you their latest song 
The woodland raise ; the clustering nuts for you 
The lover finds amid the secret shade ; 
And, Where they burnish on the topmost bow, 
‘With active vigour crushes down the tree}; 
Or sliakes them ripe, from the resigning husk, 
.A glossy shower. 
URING the whole of the month, from the 19th of August to the 19th of September, the 
weather has been sezsonable. Very little rain has fallen. The harvest is entirely housed, 
except the Buck-wheat 5 and, on the whole, in a most excellent state. In the beginning of 
September we had some boisterous weather, which lasted for a few days. During the night 
of the 12th of September, the ‘rost was so seyere as to injure many of the tender garden-plants 3 
and in the following marning the tops of the potatoes were all observed to be drooping and 
‘blackened by it. In thie middle of the day the sun is yet very powerful. 
August 27. On looking at some old willow'trees, I observed, by the recently gnawed wood 
in the holes of their trunks, that the caterpillars of the goat-moth (phalena cossus of Linnzus) 
were at work in the juoteriey. These caterpillars, which are about as thick as one’s little 
jee J ‘ : BS ed iG arate : * finger, 
Se 
