BOOKS AND CURRENT LITERATURE 



Handbook on Algae. — In this/ the most important work of a general 

 character on algae since the appearance of Oltmanns' Morphologic unci 

 Biologic der Algen in 1904-1905, the author treats the Myxophyceae 

 (48 pp.); the Peridinieae (33), the Bacillarieae (23), and the Chloro- 

 phyceae (291). In addition 33 pages are devoted to the occurrence 

 and distribution of freshwater algae. 



After each division of the work a good bibliography is given, though 

 these extend for the m.ost part only to 1913, and in some instances to 

 1912. They indicate in a telling way the points of m.ost active algologi- 

 cal research at the present tim.e. For example, under the Akontae 51 

 references are dated prior to 1900, while only 39 are more recent. On 

 the other hand, the chapter on occurrence and distribution furnishes only 

 16 titles before 1900 and 62 of later date. It is a pity that in a book of 

 this character the treatment is not brought more nearly up to date. 

 This fault is, however, remedied to a slight extent by cursory mention 

 in the Addenda (3 pp.) of a baker's dozen of titles from 1913 to 1916. 

 A satisfactory index closes the volume. The size of the book properly 

 precludes treatment of the Phaeophyceae and Rhodophyceae. How- 

 ever, in the judgment of the reviewer it was a mistake not to attempt 

 at least a summ.ary of modern work on the Flagellates, a group the im- 

 portance of which is attested by a cloud of witnesses in recent years. 



Throughout the work the author's leaning toward taxonomy finds ex- 

 pression, so that this side of the subject is emphasized at the expense 

 of morphology and physiology. This is shown in the failure in m.any 

 cases to present cji;ological results, though their importance is freely 

 granted. As examples of such omissions, the work of Trondle on 

 Spirogijra (1911) and of Tuttle on Oedogonium may be mentioned. 



The treatment of the Blue-Greens gives a satisfactory critical sum- 

 mary of previous work. The author suspends judgment on most of 

 the familiar controversial points in this group, although on occasion he 

 speaks his mind freely, as for instance in dismissing the work of Kohl, 



1 West, G. S., Algae. Cambridge Botanical Handbooks (edited by A. C. 

 Seward and A. G. Tansley), Vol. I. Pp. 475, figs. 1284. Cambridge University 

 Press, 1916 (25 shillings). 



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