158 THE PLANT WORLD. 



Zoe for July has just reached us and contains a number of in- 

 teresting articles. T. S. Brandegee gives an account of the voyage of 

 the schooner Wahlherg^ vrhich visited various small islands off the 

 coast of California. Lists of species are given for many of the 

 islands. Miss Alice Eastwood speaks of the neglected species Aquile- 

 gia exlmia, and Mrs. Brandegee continues her Notes on Cactem with 

 descriptions of several new species. 



In Science for October 5th Mr. O. F. Cook gives an interesting 

 account of comphor secreted by a small diplopod animal known as 

 Polyzonium. Heretofore the production of camphor has been sup- 

 posed to be confined to the vegetable kingdom, being mainly the pro- 

 duct of Cinnamomum Camphora of the Laurel family, but also found 

 to some extent in plants of other families. Its presence as an animal 

 secretion is of interest. 



BOOK REVIEWS. 



Among the Mushrooms. A Guide for Beginners. By Ellen M. 

 Dallas and Caroline A. Burgin. Drexel Biddle, Publisher. New 

 York. 1900. 



Since mushrooms have been attractinof renewed attention as articles 

 of food a number of more or less popular books have appeared that 

 are designed to aid the beginner in their study. In this class belongs the 

 little book before us and which will undoubtedly be found of considera- 

 ble value. The language is thoroughly popular and understandable 

 by beginners, albeit there are some, to say the least, curious state- 

 ments. Thus on page 29, we are informed that "Mushrooms consist 

 wholly of cells." "The food of fungi must form a part of some animal 

 or plant." It is indeed "interesting to know that even before the 

 Tertary period the undergrowth consisted of ferns and fleshy fungi. 

 What a time of deliijht for the botanisti But there were no human 



