166 
This prettily illustrated book is not only attractive but very 
natural and reasonable in its plan and method. The arrange- 
ment is chronologic, beginning with lessons on the familiar 
house- plants in March, succeeded by the wild flowers, trees, weeds 
and summer flowers. The drawings and studies are evidently 
made from nature, supplemented by abundant references to text- 
books and special articles, and the result will be very helpful to 
those in search of a pleasant guide to the study of botany. 
E. Gee 
Pelexia Travassii, BR. A. Rolfe. (Gardn. Chron. xi. 330). 
Description of a new orchid from Brazil. 
Problematic Organisms—On. Jos. F. James. (Am. Nat. xxvi. 
5-10). 
The author writes upon this somewhat threadbare subject, 
without contributing any new facts to the discussion. To those 
who have not had opportunity of following the controversy: 
however, between the upholders of the fucoid hypothesis, cham- 
pioned by Saporta, and the animal or inorganic hypothesis, as set 
forth by Nathorst, this article may be of interest. The author 
claims that the remains of alge are seldom preserved, and thet 
the vast numbers of markings in the older rocks, many of which 
have been referred to alge, are more probably due to tracks, 
trails and inorganic markings. 
The substance of this article was read before Sec. E. of the A: 
A. A. S., at the Washington meeting. 
A. H. 
Pyrus Ioensis. L. H. Bailey. (Bot. Gaz. xvii. 60). 
A plea for P. Joensis as distinct from P. coronaria. 
Romneya Coultert. (West Am. Scient. viii. 5, illustrated.) 
Rubus Millspaughii—A New Edible Blackberry. . H. Bailey: 
(Agric. Sci. vi. 66). 
KR. Millspaughii is reported as having been collected in North 
Carolina, in New Hampshire and in northern Michigan, 2" 
therefore a much more widely spread species than was at first 
supposed. 
The Fairyland of Flowers: A Popular Illustrated Botany: 
Mara L. Pratt. (3rd Ed. 4to pp. 219; profusely illustrated: 
Educational Publishing Co., Boston). 
