56 THE JOUR^^AL OF BOTAT^Y 



me that if an author, for the purpose he has in hand, desires to 2^0 

 beyond the familiar and convenient terms "male" and "female," 

 in order to particularise the two kinds of individuals met with in 

 dicBcious " Seed-plants " (in which the two generations are combined), 

 as distinguished from the two kinds of gametophytes met with in 

 some of the Cryptogams, he requires for this purpose two new terms 

 denoting "male-element-bearing" and "female-element-bearing." 

 The use of a "macro" and "micro" set of terms as suggested by 

 Dr. Chui'ch is, I submit, open to objection, inasmuch as relative size 

 is incidental, and the really important distinctive element of sex is 

 ignored in them. The codification of botanical terminology seems a 

 erjdng necessity. One rarely nowadays reads a book or extensive 

 paper, dealing with original work, which does not contain some new 

 term or some existing term used in a specialized sense ; and it is not 

 unusual to find the same term applied differently by diferent authors. 

 It is quite impossible for Dr. Jackson or any other man to keep pace 

 with this constantly-growing vocabulary ; moreover, a glossary alone 

 does not meet the need. One realizes that such a codification is a 

 herculean task, but I think some attempt might be made to deal with 

 it in sections at future International Botanical Congresses. It is, I 

 suppose, only natural for anyone engaged on a special line of research, 

 when he cannot find an existing term which exactly fits the needs of 

 tlie moment, to coin a fresh one ; but the result of such action has 

 been to build up an enormous and unwieldy mass of terminology 

 and to hedge the science round with unnecessary difficulties. — 

 James Geoyes. 



Juis^cus PYGM.EIIS Rich. In the Journal for September last 

 (p. 2G0), I reported a new Cornish locality for this plant. Being 

 previously unacquainted with the plant, I referred my specimens to 

 an eminent critical botanist, now deceased : his reply was, " Your 

 Rush is Jiincua injfjmceus.''' Further examination by other botanists 

 has shown that the specimens are really J. capitatus Weigel, in a 

 rather stunted state. I believe my deceasecl friend would have 

 corrected his own diagnosis, had he lived ; as matters are, it remains 

 for me to do so, at the same time regretting that an error should 

 have found its way into print. — H. Dowis'es. 



EEVIEWS. 



Dr. John JPotliergill and his Friends : Chapters in Eighteenth 

 Centarji Life, By R. HiXGSTON Fox, M.D. 8vo, pp. xxiv, 

 434, with 13 plates : price 21s. net. Macmillan. 



IiN" this well-printed and scholarly volume, Dr. Kingston Fox has 

 made an important contribution alike to the histoiy of botany ^nd to 

 that of the period to which it relates. From the latter standpoint 

 tlie book has received a duly appreciative notice in the Times Literary 

 Supplement and elsewhere : our own remarks must for the most part 

 be restricted to its former aspect. 



The main facts of Fothergill's life are sufficientlv well known. 



