324 



reasons assigned are certainly weighty, and must command our 

 most serious attention. The writer, in common with many 

 others, has thought that the science of nomenclature would be 

 best served by stopping at some especial date, and thus obtaining 

 a fixed point from which to proceed. Linnasu's Species Plan- 

 tarum of 1753 has been quite generally adopted as this point of 

 departure by botanists; ornithologists go back a few years 

 farther. No particular reason may perhaps be assigned for 1753 

 as over the date of Rivinus, which Prof. Greene alludes to, other 

 than one of convenience as a problem widely considered as set- 

 tled. But a thorough discussion of the principles involved can 

 only be productive of good. N. L. B. 



Desmids of Maine, Wm. West (Journ. Bot, xxvi., 339-34*^-) 



An enumeration of species found in a collection made by 

 Prof Aubcrt at Orono, being 'j'^ species additional to Prof. 

 Harvey's pubhshed list.* 

 Ephedra. — The Stem of, — Walter H. Evans. (Bot. Gazette, xiii., 



265-269; one plate and cuts in the text.) 

 Figuring Against Weeds. Byron D. Halsted. (Amer. Nat, 



xxii., 774-779). Statistics of Iowa weeds, which are divided 



into 84 Annuals, 27 Biennials and 186 Perennials. As to 



origin 87 are exotics and 210 American. 



^/ 



T. S. Brandegee. (Proc 



Cal. Acad. Sci., 2nd Series, i., 201-226.) 



This includes (i) additions to the Flora of Santa Cruz Islands, 

 including about 80 species not recorded in Prof. Greene's Cata- 

 logue; (2) Flora of Santa Rosa Island, this making up the 

 greater part of the paper. No new species are described, but no 

 less than 21 of those characterized by Prof. Greene from this 

 archipelago are stated to be forms of or identical with old ones. 

 This sweeping reduction must command our wonder, and we can 

 but admire the intrepidity with which it is done. But we may 

 naturally inquire, will these species stay reduced ? 



Mr. Brandegee visited these islands to obtain wood specimens 

 of the curious trees which grow thereon, for the Jesup wood col- 

 lection at the American Museum of Natural History, brought 

 together by Prof. Sargent. Dr. Watson is recorded as assisting 



* Bulletin, this volume, pp. 155-161. 



