ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICEOSCOPY, ETC. 321 



tignres of their habit and structure, and analytical keys. The author 

 reduces the superfluous species to synonymy, and clears away the confusion 

 previously existing. A. G. 



Ptychomitrium subcrispatum Ther. & P. de la V. — R. Potier de 

 LA Yarde {Rev. Gener. de Botanique, 1918, 30, 65-69, 1 pi.)- A 

 description of Ptychomitrium subcrispatum, a new species of moss, 

 gathered in Natal by H. A. Wager, with a careful comparison of its 

 structural characters with those of P. crispatum (Hook, and Grev.) 

 Schimp., tabulated in parallel columns; and a discussion of its syste- 

 matic position in the genus. A. G. 



Schistosteg'a osmundacea. — G. T. Harris {Journ. Quelcett Microsc. 

 CM), 1918, 13, 361-7-1, 2 pis. and figs.) An account of the luminous 

 moss, Schistostega osmundacea, giving its history, distribution, peculiar 

 habitat (in granite crevices facing north), degree of luminosity, repro- 

 duction by means of deciduous capsules and by abundant gemmaj^ 

 (previously unrecorded), structure of the protonema with its light-cells- 

 and flask-cells. The flask-cells are the stalk-cells which have borne 

 gemmae. These and the light-cells are described in some detail, as also 

 are the chloroplasts and their grouping into rosettes for the maximum 

 photosynthetic effect. An explanation is given of the peculiar luminous 

 glow of the protonema by means of the refractive properties of the 

 obconical light-cells. A. G. 



Splachnacese. — E. Timm {Verh. naturw. Ver. Hamburg, 1916, 23,. 

 pp. Ixxxvi-lxxxviii. See also JBot. Centralbl, 1917, 135, 332). The 

 author writes on Splachnacea3. The spores are sticky and are dis- 

 tributed by insects — manure-flies in the case of Splachnum, blow-flies 

 in Tetraplodon. S. ampullaceum was first recordecl from Winterhude» 

 near Hamburg, in 1824, and since then has been often found on cow- 

 dung. Tetraplodon mnioides has been found twice in this century near 

 Hamburg, and was seen to be visited by blow-flies. E. S. G. 



Bryophyta of the Vega Expedition. — H. W. Arnell {Arkiv. f. 

 Botanik, 1917, 15, 1 111. See also Bot. Centralbl., 1917, 135, 232-34). 

 A report on the mosses and hepatics collected by F. R. Kjellman on the 

 north and east coasts of Asia and on Alaska during the Swedish Expedi- 

 tion of 1878-80. In the same report are included the collections made 

 at Waigatch, Xova Zembla, and the Samoyed Peninsula during the 

 earlier Swedish Expedition in 1875 to the mouth of the Yenesei river. 

 The author divides the area into three geographical regions, and treats 

 of the Bryophyta found in each : — (1) Nova Zembla ; (2) the Siberian 

 Ice-sea coast near Behring Strait, and north of the Arctic Circle ; (3) 

 the coasts of Behring Sea, Siberia on the one hand and Alaska on the 

 other. Five species and six varieties are new to science ; thirteen new 

 records for Siberia are noted, and twelve for Nova Zembla which do not 

 occur in Siberia. Much information is given in the critical notes. 



E. S. G. 



