352 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



that the formulation of a terminology suited to the vegetation of this country is 

 not likely to be successfully attempted except by those who are actually working 

 at the problems presented by the vegetation in question. Several terms already 

 in general use in this country have been ignored. It is highly probable that the 

 great majority of the peculiar terms of this book have been still-born ; but even so, 

 the attempted introduction into the language of a large number of clumsy technical 

 terms is to be regretted. 



An attempt is made in the introductory note to justify the very frequent 

 omission of references to recent British work ; but the reasons stated do not 

 serve to explain some rather serious mis-references. The citation of Yapp on 

 page 217 is ridiculous: the context refers to " Hochmoor," whilst Yapp's paper 

 only has reference to " Niedermoor." Similarly, the citation of R. Smith, on 

 p. 326, as an authority on pasture on cultivated soil, is plainly in error ; for 

 R. Smith was describing mainly land not under cultivation. Woodhead has not 

 described "an association of Pteris with Holcus lanatus" (see p. 146). Many of 

 the references to British papers are to points of trivial importance, and seem to 

 indicate that these papers have not been considered as a whole. Marcel Hardy's 

 interesting and useful papers are completely ignored, doubtless by an oversight. 

 Darbishire's paper on Mamillaria should have been mentioned on p. 11S; and 

 there are many other omissions of similar papers. 



Many statements in the general body of the work require qualification. The 

 following are a few such statements : pasture in the tropics " is always artificial " 

 (p. 327) ; hochmoor " is mainly formed by bog-moss (Sphagnum) " (p. 200) ; 

 "moor-soil is probably always acid" (p. 196); Hochmoor peat "is rich in air" 

 (p. 204) ; "the beech is incapable of natural regeneration" (p. 363) ; the Juncoid 

 leaf, seen in species of Juncus, "is devoid of furrows" (p. ill); " wet soil is cold, 

 and therefore physiologically dry" (p. 195). 



In spite, however, of many defects, the book must always form a portion of the 

 equipment of British ecologists, who are extremely fortunate in being placed in pos- 

 session of a book written in their own language by such a master as Prof. Warming. 

 The book contains a very lengthy index and an almost complete bibliography. 

 There are several more or less serious misprints, especially with regard to the 

 citation of British authors and papers ; and the very frequent use both of italics 

 and of the interpolation of synonyms in brackets are out of place in a book of this 

 nature. Apart from these points, the book is well got up ; and, there being no 

 illustrations, the price has been kept commendably low. 



C. E. Moss. 



