NOTICES OF BOOKS. 319 



raents at first cohere by the points, while they separate ^t the sides, 

 thus acquiring a globose appearance, increases the doubts that arise as 

 to its being an Ornithogalum. Nevertheless, with the exception of the 

 dispermous seeds, nothing seems to warrant the separation of the plant 

 as a new genus," Dr. Lindley then suggests the subgeneric name of 

 Chlorogalum^ which the late Professor Kunth has adopted as a genus, 

 including the two supposed species, C, divaricatum ("patria ignota") 

 and C. pomeridianum ; but which must now merge into Chlorogalum (if 

 indeed the cause of botany is furthered by its adoption) pomeridianum. 

 The species would appear not to have been among the specimens In 

 the Herbarium of ^Ir, Hindes, for it is not noticed in jMr. Bentham's 

 * Botany of the Voyage of H.M.S, Sulphur,* nor indeed does there ap- 

 pear to have been one plant of the Natural Order Liliacece : — the only 

 dried specimens we have seen are of Mr. David Douglas, from Cali- 

 fornia, in Mr. Bentham*s Herbarium, now in possession of the Koyal 



Gardens of Kew. 



In regard to our having received bulbs of the same plant from China, 

 this is easily accounted for. John Chinaman is a shrewd fellow, and 

 ready to take advantage of what may benefit him in other countries as 

 well as his own : and from California, peopled of late years to a remark- 

 able degree by Chinese, he has carried back with him to his own coun- 

 try a plant that will afford him the means of washing his clothes with- 

 out the need of purchasing soap. Sir John Bowring is informed that 

 they use this bulb as soap without any artificial preparation. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS, 



TUCKERMAN, EdVAHDUS ; LiCHENES AMERICiE SePTENTRIDNALTS 



ExsiccATi. Ease. III. et IV- 4to. Bostoniae, Nov. Angl., 1854. 



These two Fasciculi form a second volume of a very valuable work, 

 iUustrative of the Lichens of North America, executed by Edward 

 Tuckerman, Esq., a gentleman of profound knowledge m this as weU 

 as in other departments of botany. The specimens are most beauti- 

 fully prepared, and attached so well and so neatly to strong paper, that 

 the volume is as manageable as if it consisted of a series of p ates m- 

 stead of specimens ; and nearly the whole of them in a splendid state 

 of fructification. The two former numbers comprised 50 species, the 



