64 THE JOURNAL OP BOTAKY 



The Eev. Ethelbert Blatter, S. J., is publishing in the Becords of 

 the Botanical Survey of India ( Grovernment Press, Calcutta) a 

 Flora Arahica, on the lines of his Flora of Aden which appeared in 

 the same periodical : the first part {Records, vol. viii. no. 1) contains 

 the orders RanunculacecB to MoringacecB. The synonymy and 

 distribution are very fully given ; there are no new species, but a few 

 new varieties of well-known plants, as well as new combinations, 

 rendered necessary by the reduction of genera — two in Balanites and 

 two in Vitis. We are sorry to note that the usefulness of page- 

 headings is ignored as is too frequently the case ; " Records " &c. on 

 the left hand and *' Flora Arabica " on the right occupy throughout 

 space which might profitably be filled \)j the name of the order and 

 genus under consideration, after the fashion of all the best floras. 



The Bulletin de la Societe Royale de Botanique de Belgique 

 (liii.), which, dated 1914, has but lately come to hand, contains a 

 full biography by E. Marchalof Theophile Durand (1855-1912), with 

 portrait and bibliography. 



The New Pliytologist (xviii. no. 8 ; Dec. 4, 1919) contains a 

 paper by Dr. A. H. Church on " The Ionic Phase of the Sea " and 

 " Observations on the Perianth in Ranunculus auriconms and Ane- 

 mone coronaria " by W. B. Turrill. 



The Report of the Watson Botanical Exchange Club for 1918-19 

 has been unavoidably delayed ; it is proposed to issue this with the 

 Report for 1919-20 early in the present year. Mr. J. E. Little will 

 be the distributor. 



As a slight expression of sympathy with M. Cardot, of Charle- 

 viUe, in his losses through the occupation and destruction of most of 

 his possessions by the Grermans during the War (see Journ. Bot. 1914, 

 313), a fund is being raised to enable the Paris Museum of Natural 

 Histor}^ to purchase his herbarium of Mosses, practically the only 

 part of his belongings that remains intact. The herbarium is a very 

 valuable one, containing the types of many new species and tlie 

 material on which is based his numerous and well-known bryological 

 treatises. It is M. Cardot's great desire that the herbarium shall 

 become the property of the French nation, but unfortunately with his 

 present restricted means he is not in a position to make a gift of it, 

 while the funds at the command of the Museum authorities scarcely 

 permit of its purchase at what would be an adequate value. The 

 Museum authorities have, however, agreed to find half the price 

 agreed on — a price of 10.000 f. has been arranged — if the remaining 

 half can be raised among friends and sympathisers. Botanical friends 

 in the U.S.A. are undertaking to raise half of the balance, leaving the 

 sum of 2500 f . to be found here. This at the present rate of exchange 

 would entail a sum of between £60 and £70. Contributions towards 

 this fund will be gratefully received by Mr. H. N. Dixon, 17 St. Mat- 

 thew's Parade, Northampton, who is acting as Treasurer of the 

 fund. 



