130 
morbosa). The wild as well as the cultivated species of Prunus 
seem to be susceptible to it, and heroic treatment by knife, axe 
and fire, is urged. 
Buffalo Berry—The. (Vick’s Mag. xiv. 87, 88, illustrated). 
Contains a figure of fruiting branch of Shepherdia argentea. 
Cnicus Hillit, Wm. M. Canby. (Gard. and For. iv. 101). 
Description of a new species, allied to C. odoratus, from the 
borders of Lake Michigan. 
Coscinodiscee—The. Notes on Some Unreliable Criteria of 
Genera and Species. J.D. Cox. (Reprint from Proc. Am. 
Soc. Micros., Thirteenth Ann. Meeting, 1890; pp. 184-204, 
illustrated). 
This article is primarily a protest against the unnecessary 
multiplication of Diatom species founded upon _ insufficient 
characteristics or hasty observations. Darwin is quoted to the 
effect that “one expert has made no fewer than thirty-seven 
species of one set of forms which another arranges in three.” 
The author gives his conclusions in regard to the genus Coscino- 
discus, which, if his views are correct, will materially diminish 
the number of its species ; although Actinocyclus Ehrenbergii is 
included. The paper is vigorously written, and some of the 
sentences are worth quoting for the benefit of others besides 
diatomists. Thus he says: “ Instead of waiting for fuller knowl- 
edge, observers have run headlong races to publish new genera 
and species upon a single specimen, or even fragment of a speci- 
men.” He also has evidently no great confidence in the arti- 
ficial keys which have been published—describing them as 
complicated and delusive—and finally says: “I venture to say 
that no living student in this department can be sure that he has 
a new species, (much less a new variety) before him. The im- 
possibility of being certain leads an observer to solve his doubts 
in favor of his own discovery, and the same object is named and 
renamed.” Coming as this does in connection with the author’s 
other paper on “ Deformed Diatoms,” we have an exceedingly 
interesting and timely contribution. Ps Ths 
Cycadinocarpus Chapinii. (Trans. Meriden Sci. Assn. iv. 62, 
illustrated). 
