LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 29 



Under the title 'Freaks and Marvels of Plant-Life' (London, 

 S. P. C. K., 1881), Dr. M. C. Cooke gives, in i^opular form, very 

 readable and accurate accounts of the principal subjects to which 

 Mr. Darwin has devoted so much attention. The greater part of 

 the volume is occupied with the insectivorous plants ; then we 

 come to the climbing and sensitive plants, the dispersion of various 

 species, the phenomena classed under the term "mimicry," 

 observations on temperature, &c. All these, if neither aiming at 

 nor containing anything original, will nevertheless introduce the 

 average reader to a series of facts which cannot fail to interest and 

 instruct him. The concluding chapters on "Mystic Plants" and 

 "Flowers of History" are less satisfactory, and the volume would 

 have been none the worse had they been omitted altogether. 



Articles in Journals. — December. 

 Botanical Gazette. — C. E. Bessey, ' The Asparagus for histo- 

 logical study.' — G. Vasey, 'New Grasses' [Melica Hallii, Sporoholus 

 Jonesii, Foa jmrpurascens). 



Botanische Zeitung. — F. Kienitz-Gerloff, ' On the development 

 of the embryo of Isuetes lacustris' (1 tab.) — K. Prantl, 'On the 

 nourishment of the prothallus of Ferns and the separation of the 

 sexual organs.' — J. Boehm, ' On the motion of air and water in 

 plants during respiration.' — E. Zacharias, 'On Spermatozoids.' 



BotanisJxa Notiser. — B. Jonsson, ' On the development of the 

 Embryo-sac in Angiosperms.' — E. V. Ekstrand, 'Travels in 

 Nordland and Lapland in 1880.' 



Journal of Lmnean Society (Botany, xix., Nos. 115, 116). — 

 G. Bentham, ' Notes on Graminece.' — W. E. M'Nab, ' Eeport on 

 Arctic Drift Woods collected by Capt. Feilden and Mr. Hart, 

 1875-6.' 



Journal of Boyal Microscopical Soc. — L. G. Mills, 'Diatoms 

 from Peruvian Guano ' (1 tab.) 



Magyar Xovenytani Lapok. (Nov.) — F. Schaarschmidt, 'On 

 organic sphserocrystals in KujjlwrhiacecB, ButacecB, Urticacea, and 

 Palmeai.' — T. L. Holnby, 'On Puccinia malvacearum.' 



(Esterr. Bot. Zeitschrift. — L. Celakovsky, ' On some species of 

 Bupleurum.' — F. E. v. Hohnel, ' On the arillus of Bavenala.' — 

 J. Murr, ' On the Flora of North Tyrol.' — P. Sintenis, ' Cyprus 

 and its Flora' (contd.) — P. G. Strobl, ' Flora of Etna' (contd.) 



Transactions of Linnean Society (2nd Ser., vol. ii., pt. 1). — Count 

 Ficalho and W. P. Hiern, ' On Central-Ah-ican Plants collected by 

 Major Serpa Pinto' (4tt. ; Diplorhynclius (gen. nov. Apocynearum) ; 

 many new species). 



LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



yovemher 11th, 1881. — Sh' John Lubbock, Bart., in the chair. — 

 Mr. F. Crisp was elected Treasurer, and Sir J. Kirk member of the 



