244 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 



executed, that we do not wonder at the expression in the 

 "Rapport" on the work by M. Ch. Martins, when he 

 says. " l'auteur ayant a decrire des formes et des organes, 

 a plus souvent employe le crayon que la plume." M. Plee, 

 indeed, seems to be perfect master of the pencil, and the 

 drawing and colouring are equally excellent and delicate. 

 The analysis of the flowers and fruits is complete, even to 

 the embryo in a state of germination ; and there is no confu- 

 sion in the arrangement of the numerous figures. The 

 descriptive part is also .satisfactory and useful. It begins 

 with the name and character of the natural family; then of 

 the genus ; and lastly of the species, upon which follow some 

 remarks on other plants of the same order, especially of such 

 as are useful in medicine, or in domestic economy. An 

 explanation of the figures, of which there are in this instance 

 no less than nineteen, besides the plant of the natural size, 

 concludes the account of the natural order. 



Twenty Lessons on British Mosses, by W. Gardiner, 

 Dundee ; illustrated with specimens. 



We have already mentioned Mr. W. Gardiner of Dundee 

 as one of the most enthusiastic of our British Botanists, and 

 his specimens, gathered chiefly about Dundee, in the Gram- 

 pian mountains, have elicited much praise from us. We have 

 spoken favourably of his " Botanical Rambles in Braemar," 

 and we have announced his " Flora of Forfarshire," as about 

 to appear. Another and exceedingly interesting little pocket 

 volume has just appeared, his " Twenty Lessons on British 

 Mosses/' a work executed with much taste and written with 

 much good feeling, and offered at the moderate cost of half 

 a crown. After a brief preface, follows the first Lesson, which 

 is introductory. The second is on the structure of Mosses, 

 and the different external parts of a moss are illustrated by 

 a specimen itself, and a reference is made to the capsule, 

 seta, calyptra, operculum and peristome : the remaining 



