66 Allgemeines. — Anatomie. 



evidences for an evolution of organisms are given. Then, the influ- 



ence of the surroundings are treated of, under the following headings: 



Nutritive matters, oxygen and water; heat; light and other rays 



[Röntgen, Radium); mechanical powers (gravity, absorption, osmose, 



wind, currents, waves etc.); substantial qualities of surroundings, 



(atmosphere, water, soil are dealt with here, of the latter item a 



rather detailed and very clear account is given); poisons; mutual 



relation of organisms; geographical distribution of organisms; struggle 



for life. Under "geographical distribution" the organisms of land 



and sea are dealt with separateiy, but in both cases things are seen 



from an ecological point of view. For the land-flora the distribution 



of growth-forms is discribed according to Raunkiaer, whose biolo- 



gical types are made use of, but besides this the most important 



plantformations (deserts, forests etc.) are mentioned. Also the com- 



munities of water plants and animals are dealt with in some detail 



(Plankton and Benthos), and in a chapter on the economy of the 



sea modern theories (those of Lohmann, Pütter and others) are 



discussed. 



Under the heading ''Fundamental manifestations 01 life" the 

 organisms themselves are dealt with, and their reactions upon the 

 exterior conditions are described; in this part the following items 

 are discussed: nourishment (C0 2 -assimilation, digestion, blood etc. ; 

 change of matter and of energy, assimilation and dissimilation, se- 

 cretion and excretion; growth and movements; perception and 

 mental efforts (espeeialty the perception of plants is described) pro- 

 pagation and embryology; heredity and development. Under the 

 last point the different theories on evolution, Lamarck, Darwin 

 etc.) are discussed in a very sober manner, and the results of modern 

 research in heredity are explained. — In a concluding chapter hy- 

 potheses on the first origin of living organisms are abstracted. 



The different chapters of the book have been drawn up in 

 such a manner that one is able to read each of them without Con- 

 sulting the others but yet the tbreads running between the chapter- 

 are easjr to find being well arranged and references beingnumerous. 



The book will prove a useful one for everyone interested in 

 biology; the author suggests it might serve as a hand-book for tea- 

 chers in biology, and it will indeed be well fitted also for such a 

 use, as it contains an immense material of knowledge which is, as 

 it were prepared for use. Ove Paulsen (Copenhagen) 



Netolitzky, F., Anatomie der Dikotyledonenblätter mit 

 Kristallsandzellen. Ein Bestimmungsschlüssel auf anato- 

 mischer Grundlage. (Wien u. Berlin, Urban nnd Schwarzen- 

 berg. 8°. VII, 48 pp."l6 Textfig. 1911.) 



Die Dikotyledonenblätter mit typischen Kristallsandzellen ver- 

 einigt Verf. in ähnlicher Weise zu einer Gruppe wie er es seinerzeit 

 mit den Blättern mit Raphiden- und Drusenkristallen getan hat. 

 Der Hauptbestimmungsschlüssel umfast die Familien der Chenopo- 

 diaceen (\\ Gattungen), Amarantaceen (1 Gatt.), Caryophyllaceen (1 

 Gatt.), Rutaceen (1 Gatt.), Olacineen (2 Gatt.), Buxaceen (1 Gatt.). 

 Araliaceen (4 Gatt.), Cornaceen (3 Gatt.), Saxifragaceen (1 Gatt.), 

 Crassulaceen (2 Gatt.), Thymelaeaceen , Sapotaceen, Loganiaceen (2 

 Gatt.), Borraginaceen (2 Gatt.), Solanaceen (12 Gatt.), Rnbiaceen (1 

 Gatt.), Caprifoliaceen (1 Gatt.). 



Bei den Familien findet man je einen besonderen Bestimmungs- 



