LES ALGUES DE P. K. A. SCHOUSBOE. LES LICHENS.

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Les Algues de P. K. A. Schousboe. Par ÉDOUARD BORNET (Masson, Paris, 1892). Extr. des Mem. de la Soc. Nat. Sc. Nat. et Math. de Cherbourg, t. xxviii. 1892, pp. 216, 3 tab. STUDENTS of Algae will cordially welcome this volume by M. Bornet, giving an account of the Algae collected in Morocco and the Mediterranean (1815-1829) by Peter Schousboe, who was Danish Consul at Morocco for some thirty years. Those who possess the valuable sets of Alga Schousboeana will be especially glad of this critical work. It is prefaced by a very suggestive, brief essay on the affinities of the marine flora of this region; but the feature of particular value is contained in the notes on the species. Their critical value is beyond estimation in this short note. It is scarcely necessary to add that the copper-plates are illustrations of the kind one sees only too seldom.

G. M.

Les Lichens: Étude sur l'anatomie, la physiologie et la morphologie de l'organisme lichénique. Par A. ACLOQUE. Paris: Baillière et fils. 1893. Pp. viii. 376, fig. 82. 3 fr. 50.

THIS is one of the last additions to the Bibliothéque Scientifique Contemporaine, of which some hundred volumes have already appeared. The type is large and clear, and commendably free from misprints. The illustrations are woodcuts intercalated in the letterpress. While approving of the way in which the publishers have got the book up, we feel it our duty to express our dissatisfaction with them for dating the title-page 1893," since the

46

book was in the hands of the public in November, 1892.

Upon opening the book we were much surprised to see the following passage:- "Le nostoch n'est pas un lichen parfait, et même, pour un grand nombre de savants, il constitue une algue." We have always accepted without question the view of the majority as to the algoid nature of Nostoc, and being lamentably ignorant of the existence of a minority imaginative enough to conceive the possibility of its being anything but an alga, we determined to search for further particulars. The result of our search is that we find M. Acloque to be disinclined to entertain the theory of Schwendener and the "hétérogonidistes," who hold that a lichen is a symbiotic union of a fungus and an alga. He has indeed a decided bias in favour of "homeogonidisme" (the theory that the gonidia are of essentially the same nature as the hypha), but is not entirely satisfied with it. So he offers us an intermediate hypothesis, in which he endeavours to reconcile the two opposed theories. We have not space for giving his hypothesis in full. Suffice it to say that in M. Acloque's opinion the two elements of a lichen develop themselves separately at first, giving rise to distinct states, imperfect so long as they remain isolated. Nostoc is an instance of the purely gonidial state, capable of indefinite growth as Nostoc, but incapable of generating hyphæ and of becoming a completely developed lichen. It must wait, as it were, until some matrimonially inclined hypha or spore comes along and offers to set up housekeeping with it; and then things just hum around, as the

Americans say. The purely hyphal state, on the other hand, is at present unknown; but, supposing it to exist, should it fail to meet with a suitable gonidial thallus, it would be capable of generating the necessary gonidia, and of arriving at the complete lichen state. We must refer those who are interested in the subject to the book itself, as we are unable to do justice to the hypothesis here.

Leaving the theoretical part, we can strongly recommend the practical portion of the work. Chapters III., IV., and V., for instance, deal with the anatomy of Lichens, and are fully explanatory of the difficult terminology employed for distinguishing the parts and innumerable states of these variable plants, and put the whole matter into clear and popular language. Succeeding chapters treat of the functions of nutrition and reproduction, of the economic uses, and of the principal systems of classification. M. Acloque does not mention the curious genus Ephebe. Perhaps he hands it over to the algologists in exchange for Nostoc.

A. G.

ARTICLES IN JOURNALS.

Ann. Scottish Nat. Hist. (Jan.). E. S. Marshall, Scottish Willows.' — G. C. Druce, Alchemilla vulgaris.' - J. W. H. Trail, 'Peziza ammophila.'

Bot. Centralblatt. (Nos. 1-4).

G. Holle, Zur Anatomie der

Saxifragaceen und deren systematische Verwerthung.'

Bot. Magazine (Tokio).—(Dec. 10). Eugenia cleyeræfolia Yatabe,

sp. n.

Bot. Zeitung (Dec. 23, 30).-H. Rehsteiner, 'Zur Entwicklungsgeschichte der Fruchtkörper einiger Gastromyceten.'

Bull. Torrey Bot. Club (Dec.).-J. K. Small, List of American species of Polygonum' (P. Pringlei Small, P. phytolaccafolium Meissn., spp. nn.). — N. L. Britton, Rusby's S. American plants (contd.).-L. H. Pammel, Phænological Notes.'

Gardeners' Chronicle (Jan. 7). Pitcher plants and Frankincense.'-(Jan. 14). J. G. Baker, Synopsis of Canna.'-(Jan. 21). Kniphofia Tuckii Hort-Leichtlin, sp. n.

Journal de Botanique (Jan. 1, 16). L. Guignard, Sur le développement de la graine et en particulier du tégument séminal.' (Jan. 16). J. Vesque, La tribu des Clusieés' (contd.).

Oesterr. Bot. Zeitschrift (Jan.). A. Kerner, Die Nebenblätter der Lonicera Etrusca' (1 plate).-J. Lütkemüller, Beobachtungen über die Chlorophyllkörfer einiger Desmidiaceen' (1 plate). - P. Ascherson, Sparganium neglectum und sein Vorkommen in Oesterreich-Ungarn.'-F. Krasser, Kleinere Arbeiten des pflanzenphysiologischen Institutes der Wiener Universität.'-E. v. Halácsy Zur Flora der Balkanhalbinsel' (concl.).

BOOK-NOTES, NEWS, &c.

DR. BRETSCHNEIDER, whose work in connection with the history of Chinese Botany has several times been referred to in this Journal, has published the second part of his Botanicon Sinicum (Shanghai: Kelly & Walsh). This is devoted to the Botany of the Chinese Classics, and is enriched with annotations and an appendix by Dr. Grush Faber. The subject is one with which only those possessing special knowledge are competent to deal; and as, to our regret, we are not among these favoured few, we must content ourselves with calling the attention of those interested to the work. From our knowledge of Dr. Bretschneider's previous undertakings, we have no hesitation in saying that this volume is a valuable contribution to the History of Botany in China.

THE sixth part of Prof. Macoun's cheap and useful Catalogue of Canadian Plants (Montreal, 1892; pp. viii. 295; 25 cents) enumerates the Mosses. It includes 128 genera and 953 species. Of these latter upwards of 160 are described for the first time, and there are more than 70 others of which the descriptions have been recently published. Thus about one quarter of the whole total are new to science. This is, without doubt, too liberal a proportion; and as time goes on many of these new species will be sunk, and the list condensed. The task of naming and classifying has been undertaken by Prof. Kindberg, of Linkoeping, in Sweden. The collections upon which the catalogue is based are principally those made by Prof. Macoun in his numerous travels about Canada during a period of thirty-one years. All species recorded from Greenland, Alaska, and Newfoundland are included.

IN the Transactions of the Eastbourne Natural History Society for 1891-92, there is a paper by the Rev. W. A. Bathurst, who gives an account of "the first real climb when rope and axes were called into requisition that [he] ever took" in Switzerland. The article is noteworthy for its extraordinary misprints and—we are afraid we must add-for the slight acquaintance with Swiss plants that it displays. Mr. Bathurst speaks of "that wide class of trifolium, oxytropis, or astragalus, which are characterized by pea-like flowers and often veitch-like [sic] form"; of "Arnica Montana, . . scarcely to be distinguished from Hieraceum, another class of plants with handsome composite flowers"; of "Sacifrage," "Eritrichium nonam," "the tube rose of our hothouses," and other curious things. But what calls for our chief censure is Mr. Bathurst's announcement that he imported plants of Linnea from "Pontorsina in the Engadine," and "set roots of it in many places" in a forest near the Saas Valley. "Call it vandalism if you like," he says; and even without his permission this is the word we should have used, unless some stronger expression had suggested itself. The almost entire absence of anything bearing upon local natural history is the chief feature of these Transactions.

THE first number of Erythea, the new "West American and general" botanical journal, contains two papers by the Editor, Mr.

W. L. Jepson, and two by Mr. E. L. Greene. The latter writer still finds room for criticism in the irregular proceedings of his fellow scientists, even those who are "governed by principle rather than by time-honoured bad precedent in the matter of nomenclature." It appears that among these excellent folk there is a lack of care as to dates of publication, and this, as Mr. Greene says, "is really important." Erythea is not to replace Pittonia, but the latter "will be likely to appear at longer intervals." The last editorial note foreshadows a new crusade, against "barbarous and ugly" and "uncouth personal" names.

THE first number of the Orchid Review, viewed from a botanical standpoint, is distinctly disappointing. No editor's name is given, and we understand that Mr. Rolfe, who was to have occupied that position, is unable to fill it, so that we have now no guarantee of the scientific value of the new venture. As an addition to the large number of horticultural journals already in existence, the Orchid Review may have its value, but on this point we do not feel competent to express an opinion. It is well printed; but the illustrations, which are to form "a special feature of the work," are by no means satisfactory.

DR. VASEY'S Grasses of the Pacific Slope, including Alaska and the adjacent islands (issued Oct. 1892), forms Bulletin No. 18 of the Division of Botany of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. It contains plates and descriptions of the grasses of California, Oregon, Washington, and the North-western Coast. These, which, in our present knowledge, number nearly 200 species, are, Dr. Vasey tells us, all specifically distinct from those found east of the Mississippi River, and also mainly distinct from those of the plains and desert, except in that part of California which partakes of the desert flora. Many of the grasses of the mountain regions of California, Oregon, and Washington reappear in the mountains of Idaho, Montana, and the interior Rockies. The dry interior of California, verging southwards into the desert, is poor in grasses, especially those forming a turf. In this, the first part of the enumeration, are figured and described the species most conspicuous in size and apparent utility, so the work will be of value not only to botanists, but "to all interested in agriculture and the raising of domestic animals." Dr. Vasey's assistant, Prof. L. H. Dewey, is responsible for most of the descriptions. There are 50 plates, including figures of 52 species and varieties illustrative of 15 genera, the series of Alopecurus, Calamagrostis, and Stipa being the most complete. The descriptions are concise and seem accurate, and measurements of the parts are freely given. The plates are well drawn and well lithographed, though a little crowded in the case of some of the larger species; and this brings us to the one great mistake in the work, the wretched allowance of margin to the plates, which drives the larger ones almost off the sheet. The size of the book is, indeed, unwieldy; had it been broader, it would have allowed a better arrangement of the plates. The dissections are often first-rate; here and there they might perhaps be a little

more extensive. Taken as a whole, the work is excellent, and shows how useful a Department of Agriculture may be; we congratulate and envy our American cousins.

We regret to announce the death of Dr. Benjamin Carrington, which took place at Brighton on the 18th of January. We hope to publish an account of the deceased hepaticologist from the pen of his friend, Mr. W. H. Pearson, in our next issue.

THE Herbarium of Mr. William M. Canby has been purchased by the College of Pharmacy of New York, and will be placed in their new building, now in course of construction. Mr. Canby's Herbarium has been in course of formation during the last thirty years, and is very rich in American collections. An account of the Herbarium by Prof. Rusby is given in the Bulletin of the Torrey Club for November last.

THE thirteenth volume (1892) of the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History Society contains two botanical papers-one by the President, Mr. J. C. Mansel-Pleydell, on Lamprothamnus alopecuroides, and the other by Mr. Arthur Lister on Mycetozoa; each is illustrated by a plate. We are glad to learn that the new edition of Mr. Mansel-Pleydell's Flora of Dorset is on the eve of completion.

We are always glad to allow the reprint of papers published in this Journal, when the ordinary courtesy of asking permission is observed, or a suitable acknowledgment made. A recent appropriation of several pages, without such permission or acknowledgment, calls for a protest on our part. This in no way interferes with the privileges hitherto extended to such as desire them, but it may perhaps serve as a check upon those who ignore the usual amenities of journalism.

OBITUARY.

WHEN the death, on the 30th of November last, of that distinguished biblical scholar the Rev. FENTON JOHN ANTHONY HORT, late Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity, was announced, few probably remembered that forty years ago he might have been styled one of the rising hopes of the Cambridge school of botanists.

Fenton John Anthony Hort was born apparently in 1828, and proceeded in due course to Trinity College, Cambridge, from which most of his botanical notes are dated. In the 2nd vol. of the Phytologist (pp. 1047-9) appear a Notice of a few plants growing at Weston-super-Mare' and a 'Note on Centaurea nigra var. radiata and C. nigrescens,' both bearing date November 5th, 1847, when the young undergraduate was not yet twenty; and in the 3rd vol. (pp. 821-2) is a Note on Alsine rubra var. media Bab.,' dated Torquay, Sept. 27th, 1848." In the 1st vol. of Henfrey's Botanical Gazette (1849), pp. 197, 200, he has a paper On Viola sylvatica