300 PllOCEEBINGb OF SOCIETIES. 



Cryptogaraic Orders. The matter has been redistribiited, and a great 

 deal that is recent added. I)e liary's curious observations on the re- 

 productipn of the Myxogastres, however, do not find a phice, though 

 they are of great interest in sliowing the vegetable nature of some 

 amoeboid forms, and tlie account of the very curious perennial axis of 

 the hoetacece gives very little information about a structure Avhich is 

 unknown in other Cryptogams. 



It would require considerable space to examine in any detail the 

 Physiology. Some notice of every important addition to our know- 

 ledge will be found, though often necessarily briefly. Herbert Spencer's 

 remarkable researches are dismissed in a few lines. Of minor points 

 it may be noted, that in tlie formula of starch Cg, Hjq, O5 (p. 573), the 

 commas are superfluous ; Ladrcea should be in many places Laslrea, 

 and Bassoine (p. 497) Bussorine. It is liable to lead to mistakes to 

 speak (p. 495) of cellulose as a constituent of starch ; part of the 

 starch granule is less soluble than the rest, but it is not cellulose, 

 though isomeric with it. The statement quoted from Nageli, that 

 " all organic substances are composed 0^ crystalline molecules" (p. 478) 

 would make them all crystalloids, and is more likely to confuse our 

 present use of words than to add to our knowledge. 



The concluding chapter of the book is, as formerly, devoted to Geolo- 

 gical Botany, but is exceedingly meagre. Stigraarias, Sigillarias, and 

 Lepidodendron are spoken of as part of the coal flora, but as none of 

 these words are to be found explained in any part of the book, or in- 

 cluded in the index, this does not teach much. The two indices might 

 in another edition be conveniently combined; the single index of the 

 Student's Flora is a good practical innovation. 



Altogether, Dr. Masters may be congratulated on Ihe completion of 

 a laborious undertaking, and botanical students on the renewed lease 

 of life of a very valuable book. 



W. T. T. D. 



IJroccebhigs of ^octeti^s. 



Edinburgh Botanical Society. — May 12th. — Sh' Walter Elliot, Presi- 

 dent, in the cliaii*. The following communications were read : — " Botanical 

 Notes of a Journey tlirough Spain and Portugal." By T. C. Archer, Esq. 

 " Botanical Notes on the Garden of Montserrat, PortLigal." By T. C. Archer, 



