294 THE JOUEXAL OF 350TAXY 



tlie plains o£ Western Euroi)e, those of mountains, seashores, etc. 

 being omitted. The book should be found useful by those of our 

 soldiers in France who would like to know the names of the plants 

 thev see, and especially to colonials who know none of the common 

 plants of Western Europe. By the use of simple English and the 

 aUnost complete abolition of technical terms the business of identi- 

 tication is brought within the reach of the veriest novice, who may 

 feel that the somewhat high price is worth paying for that alone. 

 AVe do not, however, think that such common technical terms as 

 "composite" should be given (p. 205) a general meaning: some 

 other word should have been found. 



Nearly half of the 700 species dealt with are figured in colour on 

 04 plates. Some of the figures are rather crude and vague, but they 

 should be quite sufficient to show whether the plant has been named 

 correctly. The main system of nomenclatm*e is in English, made 

 uniform by the use of vernacular ** generic " names with a qualifying 

 adjective obtained (usually) from the scientific name given. We are 

 afraid that uniformity is as difficult to obtain in English as in scien- 

 tific names ; made on this plan, they will be just as liable to change. 

 But it seems on the whole a good effort, and were the book a British 

 Flora suitable for general use might have a stabilising effect. The 

 suggestions for drying plants are rather primitive : ordinary news- 

 paper will serve much better than the pages of an encyclopaedia. The 

 print is good, but the woodcuts are not always clear. The book is 

 well indexed, considerable information concerning the plants being 

 given in the first index. It is doubtful how far the mere knowledge 

 of the names of plants is valuable, but as considerable observation is 

 required in working these out even on this simple plan, it will provide 

 a foundation which should serve as an introduction to a more serious 

 flora. The " simple way " itself is adequately explained and illus- 

 trated by examples, and, as M. Bonnier remarks, it is for the readers 

 to decide if he has succeeded. 



A. J. W. 



Plants Poisonous to Live Stock. By Harold C. Long, B.Sc.(Edin.). 

 lioyal 8vo. Pp. viii, 119. With Frontispiece. Cambridge 

 Agricultural Monographs, Cambridge University Press. Price (is. 



Although this little volume can scarcely be dignified by the 

 name of monograph, its author has rendered a great service in setting 

 in a certain order the principal points of an intricate subject of incal- 

 cidal)le practical importance. Above all, the indications to the 

 bibliography of the subject, contained in a list of 267 Avorks at the 

 end to which reference is made constantly throughout the text, is of 

 especial value, and goes to confirm Mr. Long's statement in the 

 Preface, tliat his task " has involved considerable labour extending 

 over several ^'ears." Considering tlie special nature of the subject, 

 the book is as readable and interesting to a general reader as it is 

 unserviceably bound, in boards ; and the type is as clear as the paper 

 is indifferent. The arrangement of the work is admirable ; with the 

 help of the clearness of tlie ]\iragraphing and the completeness of the 

 index at the end, any desired subject is readily found. The work 



