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The first leaves of wall-pennywort (cotyledon umbilicus), cuckoo-pint (arum maculatum), virgin's thistle (carduus marianus), and hemlock (conium. maculatam), appear.-Hepaticas, mezereon, and crocus's, are in flower.

Hampshire.

MONTHLY BOTANICAL REPORT.

IN our prefent report we mean to give an account of the botanical part of the ninth voJume of the Tranfactions of the Linnean Society, lately published. The first botanical pa pe we meet with in this volume is the fourth in order, and from the pen of the prefident. It is what the author calls a fketch of the geuas Conchium. This genus having been characterifed by Dr. Schrader of Göttingen, and publifhed under the name of Hakea, in his Sertum Hannoverianum, before the reading of Dr. Smith's paper in the fourth volume of the Tranfactions, the latter name has the right of priority, and was accordingly adopted by Cavanilles; and the doctor allows that he might have acceded to this decifion, however sorry to part with an apt and characteristic name, were he certain that Hakea were liable to "no botanical exception." We do not exactly know what is meant by this expression, but the fact is evident, that the author very naturally feels reluctant to part with so appropriate a name in favour of one applied after a botanist perhaps unknown to him, as to us. But for this attachment to his own offspring, we do not suppose that Dr. Smith would have made any exception to the name Hakea, having been himself perhaps a little too lavish in bestowing on his friends this unicum botanicorum premium. We do not however feel at all inclined to blame this attempt at establishing his excellent name of Conchium, taken from the form of the seed vessel, which aptly enough resembles a bivalved shell, especially as the genus is not yet recorded, under any name, in Willdenow's or other systematic work; on which account no inconvenience can arise from preferring the test name to the one having only a claim of priority, and we sincerely hope that Conchium will be adopted in the next edition of the Hortus Kewensis, as whichever name may be taken up there will probably be established, as long as our present systems and nomenclature shall remain. Twelve species of this genus are here characterised with the author's usual precision.

The next paper, from the same hand, is an inquiry into the genus Abelicea cretica of Pona, the Pseudosantalum creticum of Caspar Bauhin, which the author considers to be undoubtedly a congener of Ulmus nemoralis; but whether either belong to the genus Ulmus, cannot, for want of complete fructification, be positively decided. It is here said that Rham→ nus carpinifolius of the Flora Rossica is the same tree with Uimus nemoralis, and that, from the very imperfect state of the fruit, as possessed both by Pallas and Linnæus, does uot appear very like that of an Ulmus, but it bears still less resemblance to that of a Rhamnus. We wish every botanist would follow the example of Dr. Smith, who says that he always prefers leaving things as they are, to any hasty or tash alteration.

The sixth paper is still from the same pen, and entitled an inquiry into the real Daucus gingidium, a plant which Linnæus himself, it seems, did not well understand. It is here remarked that the synonyms of Magnol and Boccone puoted by Linnæus, are very doubtful; that the Staphylinus folio latiqre of Rivinus, Pent. irr. t. 30, unquestionably belongs to Daucus gingidium, as does probably D. hispanicus of Gouan, who does not seem to have been acquainted with the true gingidium, by name at least.. In the Supplementum Plantarum the gingidium is again taken up under the name of D. lucidus, from a specunen of it which Linnæus had cultivated in the garden at Upsal in his declining years, and had preserved in his herbarium without applying any specific name to it, though it agrees perfectly with his own character of D. gingidium, and with the figure of Matthiolus first quoted by Van Royen. In the Linnean herbarium there is a specimen of Daucus (or rather Amini) visnaga, marked D. gingidium; and Dr. Smith remarks, that he had never seen an authentic specimen of the latter plant iu any collection

The seventh paper contains Descriptions of eight new British Lichens by Dawson Turner, Esq.

The next is an illustration of the species of Lycium, which grow wild at the Cape of Good Hope, by Professor Thunberg. Eight species are described, and four, viz. afrum, tetrandrum, cincereum, and horridum, are figured.

The next botanical paper is the fourteenth, and contains an account of some new species of Piper, by Mr. John Vaughan Thompson. The author has given some very sensi le remarks on this very natural genus, in which the attempt of the authors of the Flora Peruviana to separate the herbaceous species, under the name of Peperomia, appears to us to be very judiciously condemned. Representations are given of two new species, the quadrangulare and bracteatum.

The fifteenth paper is an inquiry into the structure of seeds, and especially into the true nature of that part called, by Gærtner, the Vitellus. The principal intent of this essay uppears to be to show that the organ called, by Gartner, the Vitellus, does not differ in its MONTHLY MAG. No. 182.

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nature or office from the subterraneous cotyledons, or such as do not rise out of the earth; and the author observes, that cotyledons and vitellus never occur in the same seed. Gærtner had himself remarked that there is so little difference between the subterraneous cotyledons and vitellus, that they are, in fact, united by the closest affinity, nature seeming to proceed in the formation of these organs by gradual advances from the simple texture of the albumen, to the more organised structure of the vitellus, and thence to the still more perfect cotyledons: so that, in this respect, at least, the opinion of the president does not appear to be very different from that of Gærtner. The latter, however, supposed the vitellus to be destined to afford nutriment to the young plant, at its first germination, which Dr. Smith does not allow, thinking it more reasonable to suppose that the albumen alone is destined for this purpose, whilst the vitellus and cotylédons, like the lungs of animals, appear intended for the absorption of oxygen. This is illustrated by a reference to the experiments of Dr. Priestley, showing how oxygen is absorbed in the dark by the under surface of the leaves : so the under side of the cotyledons and vitellus is always turned outwards; and those that do not ascend out of the earth may be favoured, in this operation, by exclusion from light ; for which purpose the author further observes that the testa of the seeds is frequently of a black colour. But as it is allowed that the albuminous or nutritious matter, instead of being lodged in a distinct organ, is so frequently united with the cotyledons, in which cases these organs perform the double office of supplying nutriment and absorbing oxygen; so, if we consider the vitellus in the same latitude as Gærtner has doues, it may be concluded, that, in those cases, in which it fills a considerable portion of the testa, the albuminous matter is mixed with the vitelline organization, and the double office performed as in the more perfect cotyledons. If the name of vitellus be confined to the small scale-like organ, as it occurs in grasses, where the albumen forms so large and distinct a viscus, it may safely be concluded that it does not afford nutriment to the germinating embryo, but is destined for the sole purpose of absorbing or being acted upon by oxygen. Dr. Smith's idea of a Cotyledon is that it is a vital organ, capable, as fuch, of being stimulated by oxygen, heat, or both, for the propulsion of its contents; while such an albumen is merely a repository of nutritious ve getable matter, subject to the laws of chemistry alone, and only passively resigning those contents to the absorbing powers of the embryo, to which it is attached." It may, bowever, be very well made a question, whether the first germination of the seed is occasioned by the propulsion of the fluids towards the embryo, as Dr. Smith imagines, or that the embryo by its vital principle first absorbs and propels the fluids into the cotyledon, to be there oxygenated, or to undergo the necessary changes, and thence returned to the embryo fitted for all the purposes of nutrition and the increase of the youg plant. The latter opinion may appear the most probable, if a comparison be made with what takes place in the animal system, in which the blood is propelled by the vascular systein of the foetus into the placenta or cotyledons, for the purpose of being furnished with oxygen and nutritious particles, whence it returns to the fœtus. It must be allowed, however, that this analogy is very defective, from the want of any organ similar to a heart, in the vegetable embryo. Upon the whole, while we allow the merit of an ingenious and plausible hypothesis to this essay, it is very evident that anatomical facts, many experiments, and much patient investigation, are still necessary to explain satisfactorily the physiology of germination.

The sixteenth paper, by William Hunter, esq. secretary to the Asiatic Society, determines that the little cakes or lozenges known by the name of Gutta gambir, are not prepared from the Mimola catechus as had been suspected, but from the leaves of a species of Nauclea here described, figured and named Nauclea gambir, Two other species of Nauclea, viz,” N. acida, and N. sclerophylla, are here characterized and described.

The seventeenth paper contains observations on several British species of Hieracium, by the president. It is here observed too, that Hieracium dubium, and H. auricula, were admitted into the Flora Britannica, solely on the authority of Mr. Hudson. It having been suggested to the author of that work by a learned friend that he had taken the one for the other, he has in this paper defended himself from the supposed error; and for this purpose he has critically and chronologically examined all the Linnæan synonyms of both species. It appears, by this detail, that the Linnæan names have been misapplied in the Flora Danica, the H. dubium of which work, tab. 1044, is the H. auricula of Linnæus and Dr. Smith; and H. auricula, tab. 1011, is the true H. dubium.-2. It had been suggested to the author of the Flora Britannica, that his Hieracium murorum B. was the a. of Linnæus; the mistake is here handsomely acknowledged and accounted for.-3. Under Hieracium sylvaticum, the synonyms of Ray, and Gerard emac. as well as Petiver's t. 13. f. 5. a copy of the latter, are to be removed from this place to designate a variety of Cineraria integrifolia: the tale of this decision is unfolded in an agreeable and interesting manner.-4. Hieracium cerinthoides is added to the British Flora, on the authority of a specimen gathered in the Highlands of Scotland by Mr. George Don; from whom we learn, that it is a plant of comnion occurrence on the rocks of that country.

The eighteenth paper, by the same, contains specific characters of the decandrous papiTionaceous plants of New Holland, the genera of which Dr. Smith had before determined in the first volume of the Annals of Botany. From this paper may be added to the list of

New Holland plants by Dryander, in the second volume of Annals of Botany: Pultnæa elliptica; Gompholobium scabrum; Chorozema sericeum; C. coraceum; Daviesia incrassata; D, reticulata; D. cordata; D. alata; D. juncea; Dillwynia myrtifolia; D. glycinifolia; Callistachya lanceolata; C. elliptica; C cuneifolia.

The Gompholobium macularum, only mentioned here from Bot. Repository, we are pretty certain is not a Gompholobium, nor a native of New Holland, but of the Cape. Chorozema Dr. Smith derives from xogos, a dance, and eua, a drink; supposing that La Billardiere gave his name to the plant, in allusion to the joyful finding of water at the place where it was found after the party had suffered much from thirst. For this reason Dr. Smith has changed the name of Chorozema, and altered the gender, which La Billardiere had made the feminine. This latter author has not himself given the etymology; and Dr. Sims supe posing its derivation to be from xogos, a dance, and a, a mischief, or punishment, from the inconvenience its spinous leaves must occasion to the naked-footed dancers of that country, had maintained the propriety of making it of the feminine gender. We shall not here undertake to determine whose etymology is the most probable; but Dr. Smith justifies the change he has taken the liberty to make.

The nineteenth paper is on the subject of the variegation of plants, by Thomas Andrew Knight, esq. The design is to prove, that the variegation is not always to be considered as a mark of disease or debility, although in certain instances it appears to be so: this debility appears more certain in plants variegated with white; and when they become altogether white, Mr. Knight thinks they very seldom live long. Having impregnated the flowers of the white Chasselas with the farina of the variegated or Aleppo vine, he raised many young plants from the product, every one of which was more or less variegated both in the leaves and fruit, yet all the plants were strong and vigorous. But the most important fact is, that some of these varieties of the Aleppo vine possess a more than ordinary degree of hardiness and vigour, and two of them appear much more capable of affording mature fruit, in the climate of England, than any now cultivated.

The twentieth paper contains characters of Hookeria, a new genus of Moses, with descriptions of ten species, by the president. This genus is dedicated to the author's young friend, Mr. William Jackson Hooker, of Norwich.

The twenty-second paper, by R. A. Salisbury, esq. contains remarks on the plants now referred to Sophora, with characters of the genus Edwardsia. It is here very justly observed, that the last edition of the Systema Vegetabilium.contains, at least, eight genera; very few, if any, of which will follow each other in a natural series. Lamarck detached two of these heterogeneous parcels, joining with them nevertheless some that are quite dissimilar in habit. Willdenow, strange to tell, not only re-united the two genera of Lamarck, but added to them a third, still more discordant, and nearly allied to Halodendron. One of the parcels of these plants, containing Sophora tetraptera, microphylla, and chrysophylla, a new species, is here raised into a distinct genus, and named in honour of Mr. Edwards, draftsman to the Botanical Magazine.

The twenty-third paper contains characters of Platylobium, Bossima, and a new genus named Poisetia, by the president. These three genera have a very great affinity with each other, but are distinguished by a marked difference in the structure of the legumen.

The twenty-fourth paper contains descriptions of several new Mosses from Nepal; by William Jackson Hooker, esq.

This volume bears ample testimony to the ability with which Natural History is cultivated by the members of the Linnæan Society, and to the zealous induftry of its learned president.

METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.

fbservations on the State of the Weather, from the 24th of January, to the 24th of February, 1809, inclusive, Four Miles N.N.W, of St. Paul's.

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The quantity of rain fallen fince our laft Report is equal to 5.54 inches in depth. We have had another very rainy month; on eighteen days out of thirty-one there has been

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rain, and often in great quantities. From the rapid thaw we alluded to in our laft Report the accounts from the country have been truly diftreffing; the damage done in low countries is almost încalculable; and there is reafon to fear that the havock committed by the floods among the sheep, will be productive of serious effects upon the country in general.

1

The average temperature for the current month is equal to 44° 2 about 5 degrees higher than it was during the fame month last year, and 7 degrees higher than it was in February 1807. The average height of the barometer is 29.297, which is rather lower than it was for the last month. The winds have blown chiefly from the westerly quarter, fometimes north, and fometimes fouth-weft. We may reckon, notwith anding the great number of rainy days, nine in which the fun has fhone with great brilliancy.

Astronomical Anticipations.

In the courfe of the prefent month the moon will be twice at the full; viz. on the morn ing of the 2d, at 57 minutes past three, and in the afternoon of the 31ft, at 23 minutes past three. The conjunction or new moon will be on the morning of the 16th, at 19 minutes paft four. On the evening of the 4th, will take place a notable occultation of the bright tar, of the first magnitude, in the conftellation of the Virgin, commonly named the Virgin's fpike, and by Bayer marked a. The immerfion will take place at the bright edge of the moon, 1h. 23m. after her rifing, at 20 minutes past ten, apparent time; and the emerfion 25 minutes afterwards. At the commencement of the phenomenon the star will be 15 minutes, and at the end 144 minutes, to the fouth of the moon's centre. It should be noticed, that the fun-dial is 11m. 57f. behind a well-regulated clock at the time of the occultation. Mercury and Jupiter will be too near the fun this month to be feen with the naked eye. Venus will make a very splendid appearance, every clear evening, in the weft, and towards the end of the month may be feen with the naked eye about two hours after fun-fet. On the 1ft, her elongation from the fun will be 45° 42', and on the 31ft, 44° 48'. Her greatest elongation happens on the 13th, when her angular diftance from the fun will be 46° 8. Throughout the month fhe will increase in fplendour, and will be up between four and five hours after fun-tet. About the middle of the month fhe will appear dichotomized, as feen through a telescope, after which the will become horned. Mars will be a morning ftar for the month. He will be up the greatest part of the night, and will make a fine appearante near the Virgin's fpike, towards which bright ftar he will be conftantly approaching by his retrograde motion. Saturn is ftill a morning-ftar. On the 1ft he rites at one o'clock in the morning, and on the 31ft, at 5 minutes past eleven, night. In the beginning of the month he will be 3° 32' lefs in longitude, and 6° 36' more north, than the Scorpion's heart, a ftar of the first magnitude; on the 13th, the day of Saturn's Atationary appearance, the planet will be feven minutes of a degree nearer to the ftar in longitude, and only one minute further to the north, than at the beginning of the month; and on the 31st, the difference of longitude will be 3° 30', and of latitude 6o 39. The Georgium Sidus will be above the horizon the greateft part of the night. On the evening of the 1ft he rifes at 49 minutes paft ten, on the evening of the 16th at 53 minutes paft mine, and on the evening of the 31 at 56 minutes past eight. He may be readily found with the telescope, by obferving, that on the 1ft the difference of longitude of this planet and the bright ftar of the fecond magnitude, in the fouth fcale of the Balance, will be 9° 50′, and on the 31ft, 3° 17', the ftar, in both cafes, being further to the eaft in longitude, and about 7 minutes more to the fouth in latitude. That very fingular ftar, the in the conftellation of Perteus, fometimes called Medufa's head, and fometimes Algol, was obferved to be at its least brightness on February 18, at about 8 minutes past eleven, night, clock-time, at which time it was as faint as the Perfei, of the fourth magnitude. From this datum, compared with that of Mr. Goodricke of York, which was fixed on October 25, 1783, the following times of leaft brightnets vifible to Great Britain are, with fufficient accuracy, determined to be: the 8th, at 3 minutes past four, morning; the 11th, at 8 minutes before one, morning; the 13th, at 41 minutes paft nine, night; and the 31ft, at 35 minutes past two, morning. Thofe who are curious to obferve the whole phenomenon, muft begin to examine the ftar about four hours before the time of its leaft brightness, and eontinue their obfervations for the eight confecutive hours. The vernal equinox happens on the night of the 20th, at 14 minutes paft twelve, at which moment the real centre of the fun will be rifing to all thofe places whofe longitude is 87 degrees to the eaft of the Royal Obfervatory at Greenwich, precifely at their fix o'clock; and at the fame moment it will be fetting to all thofe places whofe longitude is 93 degrees to the weft of Greenwich. But, on account of the refractive nature of the atmosphere, especially in the horizon, the fun's centre will appear to rife three or four minutes before, and to fet the fame space of time after fix. On the equator the quantity of the acceleration of the rifing, and retardation of the setting, will be 2m, 14 f. in latitude 10 degrees north and fouth, 2m. 16 f. in latitude 20 degrees, 2m 23 f. in latitude 30 degrees, 2m. 35 f. in latitude 40 degrees, 2m. 551. in Jatitude 50 degrees, 3m. 28. in the latitude of London, 3m. 3541. &c. &c. &c,

Erratum in the Astronomical Anticipations for February.--Line 3, for "nine," read “eight.”

THE

No. 183.]

APRIL 1, 1809.

[3 of VOL. 27.

"As long as thofe who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving to their Opinions a Maximum of **Influence and Celebrity, the most extensively circulated Mifcellany will repay with the greatest Effect the "Curiofity of those who read either for Amufement or Inftruction." JOHNSON.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

For the Monthly Magazine. ACCOUNT of the EMBASSY of LOUIS DE BOURBON, COUNT DE VENDOSME, JACQUES JOUVENEL DES URSINS, ARCHBISHOP of RHEIMS, and others, to HENRY VI. KING OF ENGLAND, from a Ms. in the NATIONAL LIBRARY at PARIS, mark ed 8448, by M. GALLIARD: now first published in ENGLAND.

T the epoch of the negociation, of

vour of this match, England, in lieu of demanding a dower, had yielded the province of Maine to Charles d'Anjou, uncle of the Princess. Margaret never pardoned the opposition of the Duke of Gloucester to the marriage; and landed in England, an enemy to that prince, and patroness of the party of the Cardinal. The young Suffolk, whom the Cardinal had used to negociate this marriage,

A which we are about to treat, Charles became the queen's favourite, and she

VII.reigned in France, and Henry VI. in England: the English, after a long time, lost in France all the conquests which Henry V. and the Duke of Bedford had made there. The two nations were fatigued with war, and their minds were disposed to accommodation. Henry VI. nephew of Charles VII. had the same affection for him and France, which Richard II. his great uncle, according to the British mode, had had for Charles VI. maternal grandfather of Henry. Conferences for peace were perpetually held; sometimes at Arras, sometimes between Calais and Gravelines, sometimes at Tours. The ascendancy, which the factions in France had hitherto given to the English, whether in arms or council, declined every day. The same factions then reigned in the English regency. The Duke of Gloucester, the King's uncle, and the Cardinal of Winchester, his great uncle, son of the Duke of Lancaster, father of Henry IV. were quarrelling for supremacy; and each accused the other several times of treason in various parliaments. These civil discords had the most sensible inAuence upon continental affairs. The Cardinal and the Duke were divided in opinion upon public business, as well as upon the private views of ambition. The Duke of Gloucester desired only war, and what he called the glory of the EngThe Cardinal was for France and peace. The Duke had wished to unite Henry with a daughter of the Comte d'Armagnac: the Cardinal had concluded in 1444, the year preceding, at the conferences of Tours, the marriage with Margaret of Anjou, daughter of René, Duc d'Anjou, and King of Sicily. In faMONTHLY MAG. No. 183,

Jish name.

loaded him with such acts of kindness, as to bring some stain upon her character. Henry was despotically governed by her: no other power was known than that of Margaret: she occupied Henry with a pusillanimous devotion, while he gave up the reins of government to her. Upon the whole Henry was a prince of weak mind, and Margaret a woinan of strong character; her courage and her pride destined her to great faults, great misfortunes, and great resources. The party of the Queen and Suffolk was called in England the French party. Margaret, in truth, appeared to be always attached to the interests of France, her country; and the Duke of Suffolk, in order to please her, went sometimes so far as to betray his own; for which, in the end, he was ruined; but at the time of the embassy he was in the zenith of favour.

At the conferences of Tours, they could only agree upon a truce: the object of the embassy was, if possible, to convert this truce into a lasting peace.

Four of the ambassadors arrived at Calais, July 2, 1445, and went the next day to Dover. On the 8th they all united at Canterbury, and made their entry into London upon the 14th. At about a league from the metropolis, says the MS. came the Earls of Suffolk, Dorset, Salisbury, and many others, all of whom greeted the ambassadors personally and pleasantly, and escorted them by London Bridge to their quarters. Upon the bridge were the mayor and citizens, all robed in scarlet, furred with martin-fur; about 60 in number. Before the mayor a man held a gilt sword; afterwards along the streets, were stationed the

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