256 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



Since the announcement some time ago that Messrs. H. and J. 

 Groves were engaged in the preparation of a new edition of Babing- 

 ton's " Manual " the volume has been eagerly looked for. 



The editors explain that " it was Mrs. Babington's particular 

 wish that the text as amended by the author should not be interfered 

 with. Owing to this limitation, we have been unable to make 

 alterations in the treatment of some of the critical genera which 

 might perhaps have been desirable. These species and varieties 

 and additional characters and remarks which we have inserted are 

 printed in smaller type, and, where interjected in the text, are 

 included in square brackets." They express their indebtedness for 

 specimens and often for notes and other aid to specialists and 

 others, the critical genera being usually treated with reference to the 

 views of the recognised authority on each. 



There is much in the book to welcome gladly, and the editors 

 have done much to bring within access the chief results attained ; 

 but the regret arises that they had not been free to treat the whole 

 subject from the modern standpoint, for which the old framework is 

 far too narrow. In its general arrangement the " Manual " remains 

 unchanged, even to the retention of Gymnospermce as a ' Division 

 V of the Dicotyledones, and Cryptogams as 'Class III.,' co-ordinate 

 with Dicotyledones and Monocotykdones, and including Equisetaceiz, 

 Filices, Marsileacece, Lycopodiacecz, Characece as ' Orders ' merely. 

 To points of biological importance there are few direct references ; 

 and except in the case of very local plants distribution is briefly 

 indicated by the habitat and the letters, E., S. and I., for England, 

 Scotland, and Ireland. 



Among critical forms the treatment has not in all cases been 

 quite alike. Rubus has been left in the body of the work little 

 changed, " though it was clear that he (the author) had intended to 

 rewrite it, but, by permission, a conspectus of groups and species 

 has been reprinted, as an appendix from Rev. W. Moyle Roger's 

 " Handbook of British Rubi." Rosa has been revised and added 

 to by the editors. A " new account of the genus Hieracium has 

 been drawn up under the direction of Mr. F. J. Hanbury, from his 

 notes and specimens." It includes ninety-seven ' species ' and ninety- 

 four named ' varieties,' while under H. murorum and other species it 

 is stated that "many other varieties have been distinguished that 

 cannot be mentioned here." Euphrasia is treated as in Mr. F. 

 Townsend's 'Monograph' in the "Journal of Botany." Salix 

 remains much as before, but with notes indicating the views of Dr. 

 Buchanan White and Mr. E. F. Linton. Potamogeton has been 

 treated in accordance with the views of Messrs. Fryer and Ar. Bennett. 

 With respect to the nomenclature the editors inform us that "we 

 have adopted the earliest names as far as we have been able to 

 ascertain them, taking 1753 as the starting-point for both genera 



