1 93 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



and 125° Cent, without injury. Dr. Koch gives directions for the 

 preparation of specimens of bacteria. 



Mr. G. Bentham has presented the Linnean Society a contribu- 

 tion containing the results of his study of the Orchidece. He groups 

 them into live tribes and twenty-seven sub-tribes. 



Francis Darwin, in a recent number of Nature gives a review 

 of Dr. Hermann Muller's work on Alpine Flowers. Of course the 

 relation of Alpine Flowers to insects is the burden of the book, which 

 must be an extremely interesting one. One of the most striking facts 

 is that in Alpine regions butterflies predominate, largely replacing the 

 Hymenoptera of the lowlands. With this change of guests must 

 come a change in structure, for a corolla that will admit a bee, will 

 by no means necessarily be fertilized by the proboscis nf a Lepidop- 

 terous insect. Thus, members of the same genus will have open 

 mouthed corollas in che lowlands, and contracted throats in the Alpine 

 regions, may be with no opening but the minute "butterfly-door." 

 The relation existing between the colors of flowers and insect visits 

 is also considered and is by no means the least readable part of the 

 book. 



Notes on Modes of Work in tlie Lalioratory of Prof, cle 



Bary in StraSSburg", Germany. I.— There are two reasons whv some 

 statements under the ab^ve heading might be of service in our coun- 

 try : first, because of the simplicity of the apyjliances used in one of 

 the most productive botanical laboratories abroad, and second, l)e- 

 cause the modes of investigation, though not entirely unknown or un 

 taught here, merit a wider diffusion. 



Taking up the first of the.se reasons, we may say that microscopy, 

 simple and pure, has done good work here in getting us instruments 

 of great efficiency at lower rales than formerly, but has proved so at- 

 tractive that it has lured to itself absolutely many who might well be- 

 stow a portion of their time on real biological investigation. Indeed, 

 it has even gone further and, by some means, induced a feeling, on 

 the part of those contemplating the purchase of a microscope, that 

 they will wait until they can obtain one of the highest grade. Tiiis 

 reminds one of a physician resolving to go on foot until he can drive 

 two horses, ignoring the fact that one might render him essential ser 

 vice, to start with, at least. There is ordinarily no objection to the 

 most costly instrument fsave its size,) and it is, beside, supposed to 

 be fitted for all manner of work ; but on the other hand, it is to be re- 

 membered that nearly all (not to say all) the best botanical work has 

 been done in Europe with extremely cheap microscopes, i. e., a mere 

 stand with good eye-pieces and good objectives. And I may also add 

 that Robert Brown's work was done in part, if not entirely, with a 

 simple microscope, and that the recent solid contribution to American 

 biological literature. Leidy's RJibopods, was made with the little Hart- 

 nach, and the Beck Econoniic Microscopes. So then I make this 

 statement at the outset, that for fifty dollars one may purchase an 

 American Microscope which will do as good work as those found in 

 European Laboratories. On my table lies a cut of a Zentmeyer in- 

 strument, named by him the American Student Stand, with i Eye- 



