498 THE OECHIDS OF THE SIKKIM-HIMALAYA. 



same year, although it is admitted that Bergius pablished his 

 Plant. Carp, in 1767, some weeks before the appearance of the 

 Mantissa of Linnaeus. There is a scandal in connection with this 

 incident. According to an ex parte statement, the story goes that 

 while the second volume of the twelfth edition of Linnaeus' s 

 System a, to which volume the Mantissa was appended, was being 

 printed, the proof-sheets were corrected by Bergius's brother, and 

 that Bergius saw the printer, and then put his own names to the 

 genera and species of certain plants which were common to the 

 Mantissa and to the collection with which he had to deal, as if he 

 had not seen the former, and without making any acknowledg- 

 ment ; it was suggested that Bergius was too incompetent to assign 

 new genera to their right places in the vegetable kingdom, or even 

 correctly to understand floral organs. See Hall, Epist. ined. C. 

 Linn. (1880), pp. 91, 103. On this account Dr. Kuntze ignores 

 Melasma; Bentham & Hooker, in their Genera Plantariiui (1876), 

 retain it. For the same reason Dr. Kuntze prefers Mannlea L. to 

 Nemia Berg. 



The convenient practice of printing the trivial parts of new 

 names of species in a different type from those of old names has 

 been followed, with a very few accidental exceptions. The pagina- 

 tion of the preface is given as usual in Koman numerals, but thai 

 of the rest is in two series, each in Arabic numerals, differing only 

 in the thickness of the type ; this small difference is apt to cause 

 confusion, especially for the purpose of the index. 



The above remarks are not intended appreciably to detract from 

 the sohd value which properly attaches to Dr. Kuntze' s colossal 

 labours, and which any one who seriously studies the book cannot 

 fail to perceive. A correct nomenclature is of primary importance 

 to all botanists, and their thanks are due to the author of this 

 progressive step towards that end. 



W. P. HiERN. 



21ie Orchids of the Sikkim-Himalaya. By Sir George King and 

 Robert Bantling. 4to, pp. 342, tt. 448 (Annals of the Royal 

 Botanic Garden, Calcutta, vol. viii.). London : Quaritch. 

 Price m 6s. Od. plain, £9 9s. Od. half coloured. 



We have done scant justice in these pages to the important and 

 admirable work which has been published during the last ten years 

 in connection with the Calcutta Gardens, under the capable direc- 

 tion of Sir George King ; but we are anxious to call attention to 

 this latest undertaking, not only because it is the last with which his 

 name will be associated, but on account of its special interest and 

 comprehensiveness. It is fitly dedicated to Sir Joseph Hooker, 

 who monographed the Orchidacea^ for the Flora of British India, prior 

 to the pubhcation of which, as Sir George says in his modest pre- 

 face, our knowledge of the smaller and more obscure species of the 

 order had never been correlated, the descriptions being scattered 

 through periodicals, " many of which were accessible only to 

 botanical experts." 



