24 THE PI.ANT WORLD 



uses in this country, he takes up the more than forty species that attain 

 the dignity of forest trees and describes each very fully. The character- 

 istics, climatic adaptations and uses are fully treated, the result being a 

 monograph along these lines. The book is profusely illustrated with 

 beautiful full-page half-tones, the character of each species being clearly 

 shown by photographing a spray of leaves, flowers and fruit against the 

 trunk as a back ground. There are also " keys " by which the species 

 treated may be identified, based on the bark, leaves, fruit, cores and gen- 

 eral botanical characteristics. It is a very valuable contribution to a sub- 

 ject of increasing importance. f. h. k. 



Greek and Latin in Biological Nomenclature. By Frederic E. 

 Clemejits. University Studies, Vol. Ill, No. 1, University of Nebraska. 

 December, 1902. 



Under this title Dr. Clements has presented to the working systematists 

 of the country an elaborate essay, embracing a full discussion of the 

 Latin and Greek languages as the etymological basis for nomenclature, 

 and a series of suggested rules for present and future practice in plant 

 naming. 



Those who have followed the technical publications of the past few 

 years have observed the growing carelessness of our younger authors in 

 their choice of specific and generic names. One is forced to realize, after 

 a comparison of recent with older publications, that American classical 

 scholarship, at least among botanists, is on the wane. The reason for 

 this is to be found in the much greater latitude allowed by the colleges in 

 their scientific courses, whereby the student of to-day is permitted to 

 attain his degree with a knowledge of little Latin and less Greek. Hence 

 we have in botanical science a mushroom growth of such names as 

 Parkensis, " " Yellowstonensis, " " graminoides, " " Neowashingtonia, ' ' 

 and the like, which should cause a blush of shame on the part of each 

 and every one of their perpetrators. 



Dr. Clements recommends that as the language of science is ad- 

 mittedly Latin, we should decline to admit generic or specific names that 

 are not either Latin or Latinized Greek words. This will dispose of all 

 so-called ' ' caconyms ' ' and result in a much purer and more effective 

 nomenclature. Some of his recommendations seem to the reviewer a 

 trifle too radical, for example, the rule abolishing the use of personal 

 specific names, and that declaring against the use of anagrams. Few of 

 these propositions could be effectively made retroactive ; but as rules for 

 future practice the}' should commend themselves to the attention of all 

 serious-minded taxonomists. c. l. p. 



