460 Miecellaneous, 



Unity in Variety^ as deduced from the Vegetable Kingdom, being 

 an attempt at developing that oneness which is discoverable in 

 the habits, mode of growth, and principle of construction of 

 all plants. By Christopher Dresser, lecturer on botany 

 &c., South Kensington Museum. London : J. S. Virtue. Mon- 

 treal : B. Dawson & Son, 



Tbis work is tbe result of a somewhat protracted study of the 

 modes in which vegetable structures increase themselves by 

 growth ; the external appearances of plants during their enlarge- 

 ment being carefully considered, as well as the principles upon 

 which their enlargement is dependent. The author's aim is to 

 trace out the oneness of principle which pervades all the works 

 of the floral creation. He deems that this view of the vegetable 

 kingdom greatly simplifies the study of scientific botany in all its 

 branches. The book is not intended for mere be2:inners but for 

 those who have acquired some knowledge of the elements of bo- 

 tany; and it is believed that the consideration of its contents will 

 conduce to the rapid progress of the student. The author very 

 justly says, that, in order to the prosecution of any branch of 

 botany, nature as well as, and even more than books, must be re- 

 sorted to. The botanist must live among plants, and daily study 

 their forms, and the principle upon which their growth depends. 

 The book is a fine specimen of typography, and is most copiously 

 ilkistrated, and that, too, with an artistic skill and beauty never 

 before attempted in an elementary work on botany. We have 

 seen no wood-cut representations of botanical subjects at all equal 

 to these. They are most pleasing to look upon and leave nothing 

 further, in their own department, to be desired. For artists and 

 those who wish to study flower-drawing this book will be invalu- 

 able, and to all students of botany, even although they may not 

 agree with the authors speculations, it will yet be of interest, 



A. F. K. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



<< 



On an undescribed Fossil Fern from the Lower Coal-measures 

 of Nova Scotia."^' By Dr. J. W, Dawson, F.G.S. (Ab- 

 stract of a paper read at the meeting of the Geological Society 

 of London, Nov, Y, 1860.) 



In a paper on the Lower Carboniferous rocks of British Ame- 



