68 NATURAL SCIENCE. July. 



Even such we advise to peruse Dr. Haacke's book. For running 

 through this warp of ingenious, but possibly perverse speculation 

 is a woof of actual observation, of shrewd criticism and valuable 

 suggestion. So far as we are concerned we do not think that this 

 theory has the slightest merit even as a provisional hypothesis. We 

 think it the purest moonshine, and regret that a man of Dr. Haacke's 

 evident ability should have published it, even as a jest. This opinion 

 notwithstanding, we think that there are very few pages in the book 

 where a biologist will fail to find a novel handling of novel facts and 

 a most suggestive and stimulating treatment of the most interesting 

 questions of biology. There are among us many given to the trans- 

 lating of strange books. If the idea of translating this book occurs 

 to anyone, we offer the following advice : Let him carefully eliminate 

 every reference to the particular theory of the gemmavia ; let him 

 curtail a few of the pages of algebraic formulaB, and the volume, so 

 trimmed and lightened, will prove as useful, attractive, and valuable 

 as any book dealing with biological theory published since Darwin 

 died. 



Flora of France. 



Flore de France, contenant la description de toutes les especes indigenes disposees 

 en tableaux analytiques et illustree de 2,165 figures representant les types 

 caracteristiques des genres et des sous-genres. By A. Acloque. 8vo. i vol. 

 of 816 pages. Paris: J, B. Balliere et Fils, 1894. Price £.12-50. 



In a laudatory preface, which takes the form of a letter to the 

 publishers, M. Ed. Buteau, professor of botany at the Natural 

 History Museum in Paris, expresses his surprise that anyone should 

 have been found sufficiently bold to undertake a work so considerable 

 as that which M. Acloque has just accomplished. Youth only, he 

 says, could have been capable of so daring an act, but audaces fortuna 

 juvat, and fortune has not failed the author in the present case, for 

 M. Bureau finds that the book answers the only sure test which can be 

 applied to one of its kind, namely, to enable the student to run 

 down to their specific names several plants taken at hazard. The 

 object cf the work is to assist the field botanist to determine his 

 plants by the aid of dichotomous keys after the manner, for instance, 

 of Hayward's botanists' pocket book, though M. Acloque's bulky 

 volume would make abouL four of these as regards size. Besides the 

 key the distinctive characters of the families are also given, arranged 

 in sytematic order. In the analytic table of the families the student 

 has the assistance of numerous figures which the author reminds us 

 must be considered as diagrammatic. They will doubtless be useful, 

 though some of them are so extremely rough that they were better 

 left out altogether. For instance, the first four, which are to illustrate 

 vascular and three forms of cellular tissue, will be more of a hindrance 

 than a help to one who is ignorant, while he who knows will scoff at 

 theni. The diagrams, however, generally answer well enough to 

 indicate the form of organs or their appearance in section. In the 

 elucidation of genera and species numerous figures are given to illus- 

 trate the habit of the plant or inflorescence, and sometimes the form 

 of the leaf, flower, or fruit. Some of these are better than others, 

 but as a whole they compare unfavourably with the plates in 

 Bentham's illustrated handbook. The mere fact that there is in 

 France no similar work will ensure the book a welcome ; the text, 

 however, is well arranged and will, except in failing light, when it 

 will be found trying to the eyes, prove a great boon to the student of 

 field botany. 



