BOOK-NOTES, NEWS, ETC. 95 



pages. M. Crdpin, it appears^, objects to the strict adoption of the 

 law of priority, and to those "who wish to reconstruct imperfectly 

 or erroneously constructed names " — in which latter particular we 

 are at one with him. The Chronicle supports M. Crepin, and adds 

 the following moral remarks; — -'Botany is not for the glorification 

 of present worlcers, nor for the canonization of those that are past. 

 It is for the advancement of the knowledge of all that concerns the 

 life and attributes of the vegetable kingdom. Those who wantonly 

 put obstacles in the way incur a very lieavy responsibility." Witli 

 these statements — although we do not understand the reference to 

 canonization — we should no more think of quarrelling than with 

 the multiplication table ; but we fail to see their connection with 

 the points at issue. It will be time enough to discuss " practical 

 expediency," otherwise known as "the plea of convenience," 

 seriously when its advocates have told us what circumstances are 

 to be held as justifying the retention of more recent names, and 

 who is to be the judge in the case. 



The ladies who visit Switzerland every summer, and bring back 

 for the torment of their botanical friends scraps of plants collected 

 in their wanderings, will save themselves and others much trouble 

 if they will buy and use the little Flore Coloriee de Poche which M. 

 Correvon has lately brought out (Paris, Klincksieck) "a I'usage du 

 touriste dans les montagnes de la Suisse." It contains 180 

 coloured figures, intercalated in the text, and descriptions of nearly 

 600 plants, excluding grasses and sedges — an omission which will 

 not affect its usefulness for those for whom it is intended. It is a 

 handy little book, just the thing for the many to whom Greinli's 

 admirable Flora of Switzerland presents only a series of conun- 

 drums. It is very cheap — 6 fr. 50, or 5s. 3d. post free. The author 

 drops into poetry now and then. 



The latest issue (Feb. 5) of the Journal of the Linnean Society 

 (Botany) contains the paper on the Hepaticce collected by Mr. 

 W. R. Elliott in the British West Indies, on which Mr. Spruce 

 ■was engaged at the time of his death. The paper was left in a 

 very incomplete state, and has been edited with great care by Mr. 

 Gepp. So much, indeed, has been supplied in the way of expansion, 

 addition, and reference, that it is to Jbe regretted that the Linnean 

 Society did not make some acknowledgement in the title of Mr. 

 Gepp's share in the work. The modest statement in the prefatory 

 note by Mr. Gepp appended to the paper by no means does justice 

 to the amount of time and trouble which he expended upon its 

 preparation for the press, which included the supervision of the 

 eleven excellent plates which accompany it. The other paper in 

 the number is by Mr. Eendle, and deals with petaloid and other 

 monocotyledons collected in Eastern Tropical Africa by Dr. Gregory 

 and the Llev. W. E. Taylor, and deposited in the British Museum 

 Herbarium. A large number of novelties are described. 



The numbers for December and January last of the (Kew) 

 Bulletin of Miacellaneom Information were issued during February ; 

 the former is entirely devoted to matters of commercial interest, 



