362 



etc., so that we almost get a series of little monographs embodied 

 in the general work. This portion of the text is also enlivened 

 by many dainty little figures in colour, which may or may not be 

 useful for purposes of identification, but which, at any rate, give 

 a certain attractiveness to the book. 



In the fourth part, dealing with the applications of bacteri- 

 ology to hygiene, the authors give us a very excellent presentation 

 of the methods of bacteriological analysis of the air, of water, and 

 of the soil, together with two important chapters on the purifica- 

 tion of sewage and potable water, and on disinfectants. 



As becomes an important work of this character, the paper and 

 printing are all that can be desired, and there is a very full index. 

 No general bibliography is included, but numerous references to 

 papers on special points are given as foot-notes on nearly every 

 page. Considered as a whole, and remembering the youthfulness. 

 of bacteriology, we should say that it would be difiicult to find any 

 single book which would give a better idea of the tremendous 

 pace at which science has been advancing in the last two or three 

 decades than the work now under notice. D. J. S. 



European Fungus Flora — Agaricaceae. By George Massee,. 

 F.L.vS. 7| -\- 5in., vi. 4- 274 pages (no illustrations). 

 London, 1^02 : Duckworth & Co. Price 6s. net. 



Those who have collected the larger fungi at annual forays- 

 with mycological experts will readily admit the force of the 

 auth' r's remarks in the preface on the {significance of the term 

 sp cit-s. In the field, and elsewhere, when a fungus is brought 

 for verification, a few qualifying remarks are often made on some 

 exceptional local condition, so that the amateur, by reason of 

 drought or of an unusually wet and cold season, conies to doubt 

 the identity of a specimen that he imagined he knew perfectly 

 well. 



A book that will enable one to seize on a few essential 

 characters is a valuable addition to our list of fungus floras. The 

 present work, as one gathers from the title, is a European 



