NOTICES OF BOOKS. 61 



paratively very small indeed, and, as far as we can judge, does not ex- 

 ceed a few per cent, of the whole ; whilst, on the other hand, a copious 

 list of synonyms follows very many of the species. Of varieties there 

 are extremely few, and we consequently rarely find a species pronounced 

 as possibly or probably divisible into two, whilst we often find, espe- 

 cially in Protectees, species pronounced as dubious, and only retained in ' 

 the absence of materials sufficient to warrant their incorporation with 

 others. On the other hand are numerous, quite recent, very extensive 

 accessions to the Protectees from Australia, and Polygonece from India, 

 which have been partially examined by us, but not seen by Meisner, 

 would seem to show that there is comparatively very little to be added 

 to his labours, of available materials. 



Altogether there are in the present volume about 600 species more 

 than are enumerated in Steudel's 'Nomenclator, 5 published about fif- 

 teen years ago ; this increase is almost entirely due to the vast numbers 

 of Proteacece discovered in South-western Australia by Drummond, 

 Preiss, and Roe, and to the Eriogonece collected by the American Ex- 

 pedition across the Rocky Mountains. With regard to the future of 

 these Orders, now brought up to the present state of science, we should 

 expect some additions still to be made to the Proteacece, these plants 

 being so local that there not three species common to South-eastern 

 and South-western Australia, and there being large intermediate un- 

 explored tracts where they no doubt abound ; there are also species to 

 be discovered in New Caledonia, the New Hebrides, and other oceanic 

 mountainous islands, and possibly a few in tropical and extratropieal 

 Southern Africa. On the other hand, so many of the species described 

 are from solitary fragments of individuals, and these often of large 

 bushes and trees, which present a different foliage at different ages, 

 that a very appreciable proportion described as distinct will no doubt 

 be reduced, besides most of those of whose validity Meisner is already 

 doubtful. The Eriogonea also will be considerably enlarged, their species 

 being local and the tract of country over which the Suborder range* 

 being also extensive and very partially explored; and comparatively 

 few of the species now described will be reduced. We suspect that 

 the series of other genera of Polygonete will be vr ry largely reduced ; 

 and of this surmise more copious specimens than Meisner has exa- 



mined of the Australian Rumices and Pohjgona, and more especially of 

 the Indian ones, to which we have paid some attention in a living sUOe, 



assure us. 



