Journal of Applied Microscopy. 369 



CURRENT BOTANICAL LITERATURE. 



Charles J. Chamberlain. 



Books for review and separates of papers on botanical subjects should be sent to 



Charles J. Chamberlain, University of Chicago, 



Chicago, 111. 



REVIEWS. 



Barnes, C. R. Plant Life Considered with This book, which is intended for use 

 Especial Reference to Form and Function. in secondary schools, aims to give an 

 xT ITl^f^^iS^^^' ^"^ Company. Pp. ^1^^^^^^^,^ ^^^^^^^^ ^f ^h^ f^rm and 



functions of plants of all groups. The 

 first part (141 pp.) shows the variety and progressive complexity of the plant 

 body. The second part (65 pp.) deals with physiology and seems rather short 

 in comparison with the chapters on reproduction (97 pp.). The Ecology 

 (61 pp.) follows the texts of Warming and Kerner. Although but few of the 

 numerous excellent illustrations are original, they are nevertheless drawn from 

 more recent sources than those of most botanical texts and will consequently be 

 new to many readers. Teachers will find the laboratory directions very helpful, 

 especially the directions for physiological experiments, which are particularly 

 clear and instructive. 



The book is logical in arrangement and literary in style ; every live teacher 

 of botany should read it. It is to be feared, however, that the average pupil in 

 the secondary school is not sufficiently advanced to read the more difficult 

 chapters intelligently. c. j. c. 



Atkinsoa, G. F. Elementary Botany. New This book is also intended for use in 

 York, Henry Holt & Company. Pp. XXn+ ^, , i i th • i 



444 ^00 ff f J f T ^-j^e secondary schools. Physiology, 



which is considered first, occupies 02 

 pages, morphology 209 pages, and ecology 12o pages. Nearly all of the numer- 

 ous illustrations are new. The best that can be said of the book is that it 

 presents an account which can be read with interest even by students who have 

 had but little botanical training. The style, however, is often careless and gives 

 one the impression of hasty writing. While both this text and that of Prof. 

 Barnes may be rather difficult for the average pupil of the secondary schools, 

 they nevertheless seem to meet the needs of the schools more nearly than any 

 elementary botany which has preceded them. c. j. c. 



Guignard, L. Sur les antherozoides et la The recent note by Nawaschini on the 

 double copulation sexuelle chez les vege- peculiar behavior of the male cells in 

 taux angiospermes. Comptes rendus des ^ .,. . , n j i. 



seances de I'Acad. d. Sci. 128: i-8, 1899. ^'^'^^''^ marta^ron has called out a more 



extended paper by Guignard upon the 

 same subject. The preliminary statements of Nawaschin are confirmed, and the 

 presentation of good figures adds to the conclusiveness of the demonstration. 



Of the two male nuclei, one fuses with the female pronucleus, while the 

 other, probably the first one to leave the pollen tube, passes on to fuse with one 



(i) Bot. Cent. 77: 62. 1899, 



