NOTICES OF BOOKS. 315 



Baldwin; the late Dr. W. B. Baikie ; Misses Kinahan and Shepard; 

 Kevs. E. L. Bloomfield, W. H. Smith, and W. H. Painter; and 

 Sir John Lubbock. 



Specimens of abnormal growths in plants have been presented 

 by Mrs. Pierce Butler, Joseph Hayes, Esq., Kev. George Henslow, 

 F. N. Williams, Esq., George Bullock, Esq., W. G. Smith, Esq., E. 

 Holland, Esq., Mrs. Japp, R. M. Middleton, Esq., and Dr. Masters. 



To the collection of plates and drawings of plants have been 

 added : — 46 original drawings of Fungi, by W. G. Smith ; 87 

 original drawings of Cape plants, by Francis Masson, presented by 

 Charles Lee, Esq. ; 26 original drawings of Sumatra and Java 

 plants, by H. 0. Forbes ; 22 original drawings of Indian Palms, by 

 Koxburgh ; an original drawing of Epi.po[/um Gmclini, presented by 

 Mrs. Lloyd ; 5003 plates of plants ; the volume containing the 

 drawings and technical descriptions of plants made in the East by 

 Kamel has been transferred from the Manuscript Department. 



A collection of autograph letters of John Ray and his con- 

 temporaries, amounting in all to 88 letters, together with the 

 original manuscript of Derliam's Life of Ray, has been acquired by 

 the Department. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



Dictionary of the Names of British Plants. Intended for the use of 

 amateurs and beginners, as a help to the knowledge of the 

 meaning and pronunciation of the scientific names of British 

 wild flowers. By Henry Pukefoy Fitzgekald. London : 

 Bailliere. Bvo, pp. 90. 



When the author began the study of botany, he " experienced 

 a great want in the absence of a book dealing with the names of 

 flowers." It is to be regretted that neither then nor since has he come 

 across Mr. Alcock's ' Botanical Names for English Readers ' : had 

 he done so, he would have found the work he has here undertaken 

 ah'eady accomplished, and that in a more satisfactory manner. 

 He, however, includes the names of varieties, which Mr. Alcock 

 omits : biit the mode of treatment is very unsatisfactory. To be 

 told that Bachii is "named after a M. Bach" and Bellardi " named 

 in honour of a Mr. Bellard " reminds one of the man who, being 

 asked what was an archdeacon, replied "one who performs archi- 

 diaconal functions." To render the book of interest, some informa- 

 tion — such as dates of birth and death, and some reference to 

 published works, if any — should have been given ; and this might 

 have been done, in the case of dates at least, without adding to the 

 bulk of the book. On the same page with the examples cited we 

 find " Baltici. Named after the Baltic, on the shores of which 

 this plant is abundant: Bsamvia Baltici'" ; but the name is baltica, 

 not Baltici. 



But Mr. Fitzgerald takes more daring flights than this. To be 

 told that sirviina is "from Latin scru, I scatter, probably because 

 the plants so named are widely scattered," is calculated to surprise 



