324 T1I1<: .lOUllNAL OF UOIANY 



Following Saxton, Tetraclinis is assigned to the Cupressinese, whilst 

 Taiiuania, Fohienia^ and Atlirotaxis are tentatively placed in the 

 same tribe. 



After a considered statement of the pitfalls besetting the path of 

 the palaeobotanist studying coniferous material, the fossil woods 

 belonging to the Coniferales are classified under fifteen genera, of 

 which one, Mesemhrioxylon, is established for the inclusion of the 

 three genera Podocarpoxylon^ Fhyllocladoxylon, and Taraphyllo- 

 cladoxylon. New species are described in the genei'a Dadoxylon^ 

 Cupressiiioxylon and Protopiceoxylon. Cupressinocladiis is created 

 for the reception, of vegetative shoots agreeing with recent Cupres- 

 sinea? and Pityites for fertile specimens of Abietineous fossils whose 

 more definite systematic position is unknown. Two species are placed 

 in the latter, of which one is new. A chapter is devoted to a number 

 of Coniferalean genera of uncertain position and also to Podozamites 

 and Nageiopsis whose aflinity is open to doubt. 



After treating briefly of the recent G-netales the author points 

 out the lack of trustworthy'' records of Gnetaleiin plants as fossils, 

 and suggests that a careful stud}^ of the older supposed Dicotyle- 

 donous plants might reveal members of this group. The entire 

 omission of the Angiosperms will be regretted by all,but it is ex- 

 plained that a critical examination of the actual specimens, with the 

 co-operation of a trained systematist, is needed before the value of 

 the available material can be adequately estimated. 



There are two indexes whose positions might preferably have been 

 reversed — the first to the fossil genera enumerated throughout the 

 work, and the second a special index to the present volume. 



Like its predecessors, the present volume is fully illustrated with 

 numerous photographs and drawings of recent and fossil species ; the 

 typography maintains the high standard which we are accustomed to 

 look for in the productions of the Cambridge University Press. 

 Though Prof. Seward expresses, in the preface, his relief that this 

 text-book has been brought to a conclusion, the feeling must be 

 accompanied by satisfaction at the completion of a task which will 

 earn the gratitude of all English-speaking Palseobotanists. 



E. J. S. 



Lowson's Text-hook of Botany (Lidian Edition). Revised and 



adapted by Birbal Sahni, M.A., M.Sc, and M. Willis, with a 



Preface by J. C. Willis, M.A., D.Sc. London : W. B. CHve. 



Pp. xii, 610. 



Whex the first Indian edition of this text-book came under 



review five years ago (Journ. Eot. 1914, p. 343), attention was 



dmwn to Dr. Willis's preface — which re-appears in the present issue — 



remarking on the Oriental tendency to learn by rote. Recognizing 



this tendency, we are more than ever convinced that the very detailed 



completeness of Lowson's work unfits it for the Indian student, if 



real teaching and not merely success in the examination-room be the 



end in view. This is not to say that the adaptation of the work for 



India has been badly done : on the contrary, both Mrs. Willis and 



