492 
Reviews. 
A Monograph of Lichens.*—Probably the first thought that 
suggests itself to the student on perusing this book is, Why was 
it ever published? It certainly is to be regretted that any one 
should at this time make such efforts to darkeri a field of learning 
that is so much in need of light as lichenology. Part 1. of the 
work has made its appearance. The author has attempted to 
classify the British Museum material. This in itself was certainly 
a commendable undertaking, nor can any very serious objections 
be raised against the system of classification adopted, which is 
essentially that of Nylander; but no one can now be excused for 
refusing to recognize the true nature of the lichen structure. The 
author recognizes the alge of lichens as “ gonidia ” of older 
authors, and groups them into three kinds, “ gonidia, gonidimia 5 
and “ gonimia.” Gonidia are defined as “the green cells of the 
thallus ;” gonidimia as “green cells smaller than gonidia and 
with the cell wall less distinct ;’ gonimia, “ bluish-green naked 
granules.” ‘ : 
One would naturally conclude that an English scholar would 
or could understand and use the English language, but such does _ 
not seem to be the case. To illustrate, I will cite a few more defi- 
nitions, before criticising the general phraseology of the body of 
the work. “ Applicate” is defined as “ forming the thalline border 
in many crustaceous lichens.” “ Evanescent—-Reduced to mere 
gonidia scattered over the substratum;” “Nuclear—Roundish with 
an apical: pore.” These definitions become somewhat intelligible 
after a careful reading of the text. The author's peculiar Lats 
Anglo-phraseology was no doubt the result of a long continued 
study of Nylander’s classical works on lichens. Here is@ sample. 
Of Collema leptogiela he says: “Thallus effuse, thin, minutely — 
subcoralloideo-furfuraceous, olive-brown, apothecia leptogie 
_ minute, lurid-testaceous, slightly margined, the epithecat ca os 
i ‘ eoi ongo- 
as waat impressed or at length subplane; spores CllipeOwe a ee 
Se tbr Monograph of Lichens found in Britain: being a descriptive Cat sae 
_ Species in the Herbarium of the British Museum, by the Rev. James - eee 
; M.A, F.L.S., F, G.S., ete. London, 1894. 
no- 
