80 
senses of the word Epoch, astronomical and geological, is pointed 
out, the former being necessarily contemporaneous but the latter 
not; the epoch of Composite, for example, in South America not 
being simultaneous with a similar development in Southern Asia. 
—4, Sur les causes de [ inégale distribution des plantes rares dans 
la chaine des Alpes, by A. De Candolle, Florence, 1875. The general 
conglusion at which the author arrives is that: “The valleys and 
the groups of mountains which present the greatest number of rare 
species and the most varied flora belong to the districts in which 
the snow and the glaciers have had the shortest duration. On the 
other hand the districts poor in their flora are those in which the in- 
fluence of the snows and of the glaciers has been the most prolonged.” 
—5. Botanical contributions, by Asa Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. Arts 
and Sci. Vol. XI, issued Jan. 5th, 1876, “relating mainly to Cali- 
fornian botany, the writer having been engaged in the preparation 
of the Gamopetale for Professor Brewer’s Botany of California now 
printing.” But the first note has reference to two plants of the 
Atlantic United States which have long been confounded, viz., Sedum 
pusillum, Mebx., and Dimorpha pusilla, Nutt., both found on Stone 
Mt., Geo. Palmerella is a new genus of Lobeliacee, differing partic- 
ularly in the adnation of its stamens. We can only refer to other 
new genera and species discovered particularly by Dr. Palmer and 
in Gaudalupe Island, off Lower California. There is a conspectus 
of, the American species of Specularia, and also of Mimulus and 
Collinsia. It seems that that our four species of Specularia “may 
be well distinguished from the European, and into two sections, by 
taking account of the cleistogamous flowers, which are regularly 
produced in our species, and not in those of the Old World.” —6. 
The American Naturalist, Jan. and Feb. If any naturalist was dis- 
satisfied with this excellent publication before, certainly in its pres- 
ent more enlarged form and more general information it should be 
a welcome visitor to every intelligent household. The botanist will 
find much gratification in Dr. Gray’s “Burs in the Borage Family ” 
and in the General Notes.—7. In the American Agriculturist for 
1876, Dr. Gray contributes a series of articles, with illustrations, 
showing how flowers are (or may be). fertilized. Many matters for- 
merly obscure are here cleared up.—8. In the American Journal 
of Science and Arts, see, in particular, the notice, in the Feb. No., 
of “ Naudin on the Nature of Heredity and Variability in Plants.” 
—9. Field and Forest for Dec., 1875, contains a study of the Tulip- 
tree by Robert Ridgway.—10. Proceedings of the Poughkeepsie 
Society of Nat. Sci. Vol. I., fasc. 1., contains a paper by W. R. 
' Gerard on White Mildews or Blights, illustrated.—11, First Annual 
Report of the Chicago Botanical Garden.—12. American Journal of 
Microscopy, Vol. 1., No. 2, Jan. 1876, McAllister, 49 Nassau St., N.Y. 
Terms—One Dollar per annum beginning with the January number, 12 cents for . postage. 
For the Botanical Directory 30 cents. Supplement to Directory, 10 cents. Vols. I-V., with 
index, and photograph of Dr. Torrey, $3.75. Copies of Constitution and Ry-Laws of the Club, 
25 cents. Address, WM. H. Leceetr. 224, E. Tenth Street, New York, M Orders on 
Station D., P.O., N.Y. All subscriptions or orders filled only on receipt of the money. 
The Club -_ regularly the last Tuesday of the month in the Herbarium, Columbia College, 
atte P.M. Be are to attend. Dr. Taurnser, the President of the Club, may 
be found at 245 Broadway. 
