288 NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



specific limits or extension, — The author's Preface is chiefly occupied 

 hy an apology or explanation of his ''multitudinous variations*^ of the 

 comparatively few species of Ferns inhabiting these islands : — " It will 

 he apparent from the subordinate position assigned to them^ that no 

 botanical importance is claimed for most of the forms thus enume- 

 rated." Not in general we are satisfied, in Mr. Moore's own view, 

 but it is not so with less instructed minds ; and we have ourselves, 

 since the publication of this noble work, received not a few specimens 

 of these variations from young botanists, on which they have laid 

 great stress, but which are totally unworthy any marked attention ; 

 and Mr. Moore himself in many instances seems to regret that some 

 of these are not more honoured by botanists in general. 



W 



Mr 



knowledge and care and attention he has devoted to the scientific de- 

 scriptions and history. We have reason to believe the publication 

 has met with great success, and that it will ere long be found in every 

 library that deserves the name of "botanical." 



ScHOTT, H. ; Analecta Botanica : adjutoribus C. F. Nyman et Tii. 



Kotschy. Part T. 8vo. Vindobonse, 1854. 



This little work contains specific characters, often accompanied by 

 more or less extended remarks, on rather more than one hundred South 

 Austrian or Oriental plants, the greater part of them new species of 

 the authors. How far the plants may be considered deserving to rank 

 as species, we have no means of judging : but that the authors differ 

 in their views from botanists in general, may perhaps be inferred by 

 their motto, from Schmiedel, " Cum satis constet, modestum dissen- 

 sum neque veritati neque scientiis unquam nocuisse ; nemini molestum 

 erit, si ca declaramus, quae nobis magis probantur, quantumvis ab alio- ^ 

 rum placitis recedunt." The characters and notes seem to be carefully 

 drawn up, and probably from living plants in cultivation, though it is 

 not expressly stated that they are so. 



