A HISTORY OF KENT Tunbridge Wells, which sheds light upon some defects in the earlier book. Among the chief Kentish botanists of this period were Edward Forster, William Borrer, Joseph Woods and N. J. Winch. The Phytologist (1841—54) often refers to plants of the county. Its new series (1854-63) includes several discoveries by W. Pamplin and A. Irvine. T. B. Flower's Flora Thanetensis (1847) contains numerous errors. In his various books (1835-74) H. C. Watson brought to light several important additions, made by himself or others. Professor Babington, A. G. More and W. W. Reeves all contributed to the investigation of the county. A still more energetic explorer was J. T. Syme (afterwards Dr. Boswell). Since 1863 the recognized organ of British botanists has been the Journal of Botany. Its present editor, Mr. James Britten, has always readily given us the benefit of his assistance and advice. While preparing the Flora of Kent, began in 1872 but not com- pleted until 1899, we were fortunate in securing the aid of many willing helpers ; but we have not space to name them all here. Of those who have passed away, the following may be mentioned : W. W. Newbould, Henry Trimen, F. M. Webb, Charles Darwin, G. Dowker and G. B. WoUaston. From those who happily still survive we select : J. G. Baker, W. H. Beeby, Arthur Bennett, J. S. Clarke, G. Claridge Druce, J. F. Duthie, H. and J. Groves, E. M. Holmes, B. Daydon Jackson, W. R. Jeffrey, H. Lamb, Maxwell T. Masters, J. Cosmo Melvill, Bishop Mitchinson, W. Moyle Rogers, C. E. Salmon, C. W. Shepherd, G. C. Walton, Sydney Webb, W. Whitwell and A. H. WoUey-Dod. Instead of drawing up separate lists of rarities for each district, we propose to briefly mention the more uncommon plants in various Orders, which will give a better notion of the county vegetation as a whole. Ranunculace^. — Thalictrum favum, L. (meadow rue) is most plentiful in the Medway valley. T. collinum, Wallr. may have been found by Parkinson on Margate cliffs ; if so, it has long since disappeared. A ^/a^-flowered form of Anemone nemorosa, L. (wood anemone) grows near Tunbridge Wells. A. ranunculoides, L. is recorded by Hudson from Wrotham, and A. apennina, L. has been observed at Trottescliffe and Tonbridge ; but they are not natives. Adonis autumnalis, L. is well established in chalky fields, though apparently decreasing ; and Myosurus minimus, L. is thinly but generally distributed. Among the Batrachium section of Ranunculus, R. peltatus, Schrank ; R. heterophyllus, Weber ; R. circinatus, Sibth. ; R. trichophyllus, Chaix. ; and R. Drouetii, Godr. are all more or less frequent. (Messrs. Groves found a new hybrid, R. Baudotii X Drouetii, in Plumstead Marshes.) R. Baudotii, Godr. also abounds in many submaritime localities. R. lutarius, Bouvet (intermedius, Hiern, non Knaf ) has only been gathered near Tunbridge Wells ; and but three stations in districts 8 and 9 are known for R. Lenormandi, F. Schultz. Among the true buttercups, R. Lingua, L. and R. sardous, Crantz 50
