126 NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



In the "Laws of Botanical Nomenclature" the two following 

 paragraphs are well deserving of notice: — "Avoid in the same 

 genus names too similar in form — above all, those that only differ 

 in their last letters" (p. 27). 



"The essential point in nomenclature is to avoid or reject the 

 use of forms or names that may create error or ambiguity, or throw 

 confusion into Science. Next in importance is the avoidance of 

 any useless introduction of new names." And yet, without any 

 assigned reason, the genus Schizothyrium Libert, is changed to the 

 more recent Schizothurella Thum. 



Another appeal to law gives us this caution : " To avoid taking 

 up names that have already been used, but have not been approved, 

 and applying them to genera different from the former" (p. 25). 

 It is undoubted that this has been done in the case of Aposplueria, 

 Fuckiiia, and Cnjptostktis (called Cyptosticis in Index). In the first 

 instance the original type- species is excluded, in the second the 

 name is already employed in Pyrenomycetes (see Grevillea, xii. 50), 

 and in the last instance the external characters, which justified the 

 name, are expunged, and half the original generic characters only 

 accepted, under the same name as the whole, in order to avoid 

 accepting another name, proposed in 1878, for the genus as now 

 adopted. "Perithecia elliptica, innata, cum rima oblongo-lineari 

 dehiscentia ; disco carnoso, excavato" — this portion is excluded, 

 and in place thereof the following is adopted : — " Perithecia 

 erumpentia, globosa vel depressa, pertusa, subinde spuria." 

 We contend, therefore, that the alteration is no more nor less than 

 the construction of a 7ieiv genus, and applying the old name ; and 

 that the name of Dochmolopha, proposed in 1878, has the precedence. 



Nevertheless we are not prepared to contest so strongly the 

 principles of classification adopted, as applied to the species 

 included in this volume, as in those devoted to the Pyrenomycetes. 

 Some exceptions might be taken, without doubt on very plausible 

 grounds, to certain of the genera which are made to include too 

 much {Phoma, for instance), and others too little. 



We observe that the Hyphomycetes are in progress, and it is 

 hoped during next year to produce the first volume of the Hymeno- 

 mycetes. With 6100 Pyrenomycetes, 4212 Spharopsidccr and 

 Melavconiecc, and the Discomycetes, the Hyphomycetes, the Hymen- 

 omycetes, and the iEcidiomycetes and Schizomycetes still to come, 

 we cannot fail to contemplate the total in prospect with dismay. 

 Perhaps after all this there may remain some work of reform to be 

 accomplished. The publication of the present work will at least 

 prepare the way, and no mycologist can consider his library 

 complete without it. M. C. C. 



New Books. — F. Hueppe, ' Die Methoden der Bakterien- 

 forschung' (8vo, pp. viii,, 174, tt. 2, Wiesbaden, Kriedel). — W. 

 Gkohmann, ' Ueber die Einwirkung des zellenfreien Blutplasma ' 

 8vo, pp. 32: Dorpat, Kriiger. — C. Mylixjs, 'Das Aniegen von 

 Herbarien ' (8vo, pp. vi., 108 : Stuttgart, Hoffman ). — J. Weisnek, 

 ' Ekmente der Anatomie und Physiologie der Pflanzen,' ed. 2 



