who had discovered it, and who had for many years devoted the most assiduous attention to studying the Equiseta and ferns of Ireland. This was the third striking form of unbranched Equisetum which had been discovered in Ireland; and all of these had now received a name at his (the President's) hands: E. Mackaii, E. Wilsoni, and E. Moorei. He had once ventured on expressing an opinion that all the unbranched Equiseta were referrible to a single species; and he found that continental botanists were much inclined to adopt this view: but the question must eventually be decided, not by the dictum of any man, but by carefully ascertaining whether the characters supposed to distinguish them were constant or exceptional. If constant, it mattered little how apparently insignificant; and if inconstant and exceptional, it mattered not how striking. This principle was sound; it could never be antagonistic to Nature's laws. In the present

instance, we had a plant apparently intermediate between hyemale and Mackaii, but differing in the possession of certain structural characters peculiar to itself. Now, this difference, seeing that the plant had hitherto been discovered in only one station (although not in very limited quantities), might be attributed to the effects of season, aspect, or soil; but then, the stems of the older species, hyemale and Mackaii, were persistent, while those of the new species were completely deciduous; and Mr. Moore found this difference to obtain equally when the plants were cultivated together, and the same conditions observed with all. He concluded by proposing the following characters, as sufficient to distinguish the new plant from those with which we were previously acquainted; and begged to express a hope that Irish botanists would endeavour, by diligent search, to extend the ascertained range of this interesting and strikingly beautiful species.

EQUISETUM MOOREI, Newman.

Rhizome not noticed. Stems annual, completely deciduous, 20—30 inches in length, 3 or 4 united at base, perfectly erect, always unbranched, acuminate, gradually tapering throughout their length, with 12 (more or less) deep, well-marked striæ; the surface rough and hard to the touch; divided by transverse septa into 12 (more or less) internodes, the middle ones of which are longer than those of either extremity.

Sheaths loose, striated like the stem the interspaces between the striæ having a deep central sulcus, of a beautiful pearly white, with a black ring at the base, and black tips to the teeth; the

sheath of the spike black, spreading, campanulate, its teeth long, acuminate, aristate.

Teeth rigid, harsh, rounded or truncate at the apex, each having a median furrow on the back, the continuation of the intermediate furrows of the sheath; surmounted by loose, flaccid, membranous, silky, elongate, pointed awns, which are usually whitish, but occasionally black towards the apex of the stem; on the lower sheaths these awns appear evanescent, from their extreme fragility.

Spike sessile, black, composed of 35 (more or less) black, roundish scales, on which the striation of the stem is indistinctly continued; surmounted by a solid, conical, acuminate apex.

Hab. Clay-banks facing the sea at Rockfield, County Wicklow, Ireland; found by Mr. Moore, in company with Professor Melville, of Queen's College, Galway.

Herb. Moore, Newman, &c.

Mr. Luxford fully concurred in considering the beautiful plant on the table perfectly distinct from any described British Equisetum.

Enormous Plant of Osmunda regalis.

"In Merivale Wood, at the foot of Leith Hill, is a tump of Osmunda regalis, which appears to be but a single plant. It measures thirtysix feet in circumference, and has fronds at least eight feet long."William Bennett; Brockham Lodge.

Asplenium lanceolatum.

"Towards the sea westward from Penzance, it entirely puts off its shrivelled Welch character. On the road near Sennen Cove, I have seen it form the entire covering of a wall most luxuriantly; and dug up a single root, from the bank at the foot of it, on which I counted eighty fronds."—Id.

Staffordshire Locality for Potamogeton flabellatus, Bab.

"To the localities already recorded for this pond-weed, may be added the river, and ditches which drain into it, at Stafford. The plant has been known to me, as a doubtful form, for several years. Although most abundant and luxuriant in growth, it flowers very sparingly. Its fruit I have not succeeded in obtaining. This year I was fortunate enough to meet with the broader and somewhat fugitive

leaves, so characteristic of the species. A specimen forwarded to Mr. Babington has been pronounced by him to be the plant which he has described and named as P. flabellatus."-R. C. Douglas; Forebridge, Stafford, December, 1853.

Lancashire Locality for Trifolium resupinatum.

"In the Phytologist' for December (Phytol. iv. 1143), I perceive Mr. J. G. Baker gives a Cheshire locality for Trifolium resupinatum. I found two small specimens of this trefoil on the Lancashire side of the Mersey, about the year 1849, at Everton. One of these I forwarded, this year, to Mr. Babington, who kindly named it for me; at the same time observing that it was most probably introduced among ballast. From this I beg to differ, as, from the locality, it would be almost impossible. The more probable means of introduction is, I think, among foreign hay, which is brought to this port in considerable quantity, and employed for feeding cattle during the winter. This may prove the means of introduction to many exotic plants. This year a botanical friend has found it growing in considerable quantity at Fairfield, a short distance from this town. I think that, both at the Cheshire locality and here, we cannot but consider it as introduced."-H. S. Fisher; Scotland Road, Liverpool, December 12, 1853.

Lathyrus Aphaca near Liverpool.

66 I had the pleasure of finding a single specimen of the above plant at Bootle, about three miles from Liverpool, about two years since; but have been unable to obtain plants since, though I have searched for it diligently. This I believe to be the first and only time it has been found in this neighbourhood."-Id.

Gnaphalium rectum at Eastham.

"This season I obtained a plentiful supply of the rare Gnaphalium rectum from Eastham. Is this to be considered the G. sylvaticum, b. norvegicum, of the 'London Catalogue?' I enclose specimens of it."-Id.

Viola lutea at Netherton, near Liverpool.

"Viola lutea, a plant, I understand, formerly found in this neighbourhood, though many years ago, I had brought me, this season, from Netherton. The specimens were very luxuriant; some of them a foot in height."—Id.

Thymus Serpyllum and T. Chamædrys.

"Mr. Jorden's remarks on these plants fully agree with my observations, made this year. I gathered a few specimens of T. Chamædrys, for a friend, in October, when T. Serpyllum was, without exception, past flowering."-Id.

Polygala oxyptera on the Sand-hills near Liverpool.

"In the same locality, the sand-hills on this side the Mersey, I found several fine plants of Polygala oxyptera, fully agreeing with the description given by Mr. Babington in the 'Phytologist."-Id.

Rosa villosa, Viola imberbis, and V. palustris near Liverpool. "Rosa villosa, not mentioned in our Liverpool Flora, I have found in two or three places in the direction of Walton. There, also, I find the variety of Viola odorata, Viola imberbis of Leighton; and, in a boggy piece of ground in the same direction, Viola palustris."-Id. Hypnum nodiflorum, H. lycopodioides, and Bryum androgynum near Liverpool.

“The new, rare, and very pleasing addition to our British mosses, Hypnum nodiflorum, was found in June, this year, by Mr. Harrison, on the Crosby sand-hills. Here, also, in 1851, I found, for the first time, growing in great profusion, H. lycopodioides, but was not acquainted with its correct name until this year. The little threadmoss (Bryum androgynum) I found, last year and this, growing very plentifully in a sandy lane at Walton, commencing behind the church." -Id.

Filago spathulata in the Isle of Wight.

I have quite lately been enabled to add Filago spathulata, Presl, to the Isle of Wight Flora. I first gathered it in a turnip-field near Kingston; and since that I have found it to be tolerably abundant in most of the sandy stubble-fields round Brixton and Lemerston."A. G. More; Brixton, Isle of Wight, November 21, 1853.

BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF Edinburgh.

Thursday, November 10, 1853.-Eighteenth Session.-Professor Balfour, President, in the chair.

Dr. Balfour, in taking the chair, alluded to the value of the Society as a means of keeping up a friendly intercourse among those who were prosecuting the science of Botany. He alluded to the recent researches in regard to the class of plants called Diatomaceæ, which were now exciting the attention of botanists everywhere, more especially since the publication of Mr. Smith's work; stated that a large. microscopical collection had been made at the Botanic Garden, and that the specimens would be exhibited during the session; and concluded by urging the young members to communicate their observations, and by pointing out the importance of carefully examining even the commonest plants which they meet with in their walks. He announced several papers to be read during the session.

A new part (concluding volume iv.) of the Society's 'Transactions' was placed on the table, containing papers by Professor Balfour, Mr. Babington, Professor M'Cosh, Dr. Greville, Major Madden, Dr. Wilson, Dr. Macadam, and Dr. Macgowan. The Secretary stated that the price of the part had been fixed at 4s.

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Donations to the Society's library and herbarium were announced, from the Smithsonian Institution, Washington; the Cherbourg Natu1al-History Society; the Natural-History Society of Switzerland; Mr. Moore, of Chelsea; Dr. Beilschmied; M. Auguste Le Jolis; Mr. Edwin Lees; Mr. Thomas, of Bristol; Dr. Philip Maclagan; Lieut. Robert Maclagan; Professor Blytt, of Christiana; Mr. G. R. Tate Mr. A. G. More; Mr. John Sibbald; Mr. W. M. Ogilvie, of Dundee; Mr. A. H. Balfour; Mr. John Smith, of Moffat; Messrs. Veitch & Son, of Exeter; Mr. Thomas Hay, of Prospect Bank, Leith; Mr. George Patton; Mr. George Wemyss Morison; the Rev. Dr. Mitchell, of Whitburn; Mr. James Hunter, of Hafton; Mr. Baxter, of Riccarton; Mr. Thomas Cannan; Mr. Dumbreck; Professor Christison; Dr. Lindsay; Mr. W. H. Macfarlane; and the Boston Natural-History Society.

Gamboge Plant.

Dr. Balfour stated that a fine specimen of the gamboge-plant had been sent to the Botanic Garden by Dr. Christison. The specimen was about two feet in height, and had been sent by Mr. Robert Little, Surgeon, from Kampoot, the leading seaport town of Cambodia, in Siam.

Diatomaceous Lorica of the Mull Deposit.

Dr. Balfour read a note from Professor Gregory, in which he stated that he had continued the examination of the Mull deposit of Diato