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88 BOTANICAL NEWS.
flora of Greenland by being requested in the winter of 1867-8, by Mr. Robert
Brown, to examine and determine the lichens collected in West Greenland in
the course of the "'West Greenland Exploring Expedition'' of 1867. On
studying in connection with tlie determination of the species so submitted, the
literature of Greenland lichenology, he was surprised to find that there was no
recorded modern list of the lichens of that country. Accordingly, the author
had drawn up a list of all the lichens which to the present day had been found,
or recorded to have been found, in Greenland, compiled from all the sources of
information accessible to him. The list included 26S species and varieties.
III. Notes on Diatomacede from Danish Greenland, collected by Mr. Robert
Brown. By Professor Dickie. No. 1. All the species recorded were British,
with the single exception of Hyalodiscus suhtiUs, originally described by the
late Professor Bailey, from Halifax ; found also on the shores of North-west
America, and now on the shores of Greenland. IV. Mosses collected by
Mr. Jenneraiid Mr. Howie in Ross-shire in July 1868. By Mr. Charles
Howie. The autlior described the parts of Ross-shire visited, and enume-
rated the different species of Mosses collected, with special reference to tlie
situations and conditions of growth. Tlie paper was illustrated by dried
specimens of the plants. Y. On the Staining of Microscopical Preparations.
By Dr. W. R. M'Nab. The author enumerated a large series of experiments
he had made by staining certain microscopical structures with acetate of
mauvine and Scale's carmine solution. He showed that by means of staining,
the high powers of the microscope can be used to bring out points of structure
not easily demonstrated without being so treated. The process of staining does
not seem to be attended with any great difficidty, and the autlior believes that
very important results may be obtained by careful study of its action on ger-
minating plants. VI. Letter from Dr. R. O. Cunningham to Professor Bal-
four. "H.^I.wS. Nassau, Valparaiso, 3rd November, 1868.—Rather more than
a year ago I wrote to you, describing our experience during the first season we
spent in the Strait of Magalhaens, and possibly you may be interested by a
few notes of our proceedings during the past year. I shall confine myself prin-
cipally, in the following remarks, to what I have observed in tlie way of botany.
We entered tlie strait on the 17th of November, 1867, and reached Sandy
Point two days later, on a lovely spring moniing, recalling the month of April
at home. T!ic fresh green foliage of Fagnx antarctica was really refreshing to
tlie eye after our sea cruise, and a considerable number of ilowering plants
were hi bloom. The Berheris empetrifolia covered the ground in many places
with its prostrate stems, thic'tly covered with blossoms which diffused a faint
perfume, and the Primula M