lxxii PROCEEDINGS OF THE 
to have done little more than supply the world with so much waste 
paper. Of DeCandolle’s Prodromus itself, which is now a series 
of monographs, a half-volume, comprising the genus Huphorbia, 
has been recently published. The remainder of the order of 
Euphorbiacez, one of the most extensive as well as the most varied 
and complex in structure and affinities of the whole vegetable 
kingdom, is now in the hands of M. J. Miiller of Geneva, who, 
besides the special difficulties of the subject, will have to collate and 
bring into concordance the works of two laborious and careful 
observers of opposite tendencies—the late Dr. Klotzsch leaning to a 
multiplication of technical genera, and M. Baillon to the adoption 
of theoretical genera without contrasted characters or systematic 
arrangement. Laurines, an order as difficult from the great simi- 
larity of its genera and species as Euphorbiacez from their diversity, 
are, I believe, nearly ready for press, from the experienced hands of 
Prof. Meisner; and M. DeCandolle himself is working out the 
Amentaces. Among the orders not intended to be included in the 
Prodromus, I must notice M. Weddell’s valuable monograph of 
Cynomorium, and the appearance of a third part of Dr. Boott’s 
beautiful Illustrations of the genus Carex. This important work, 
which at great cost of time and money its distinguished author, in 
every sense of the word, has presented to science, now brings down to 
411 the number of species or marked varieties of this difficult genus, 
whose characters are thus permanently fixed by detailed and accurate 
delineations. Graminez, which have been thrown into so much con- 
fusion by the so-called synopsis of Steudel, have been taken in hand 
by several botanists; but, whilst Dr. E. A. Rémy is indulging in 
new systems founded upon insufficient investigations of detail, and 
Dr. Ch. Miller multiplies phytogeographical species, Col. Munro is 
perhaps the only one who has devoted to them the care and research 
necessary for a good monograph. As yet, however, he has published 
but little beyond the Revision of the Grasses of the Linnean Herba- 
rium, inserted in our own Journal. 
Another class of writings by which science may be advanced by the 
descriptive naturalist comprises what are generally designated as 
Faunas and Floras; and these would claim admission into our own 
publications, or encouragement as independent works, not only 
according to their intrinsic merit, but according to the countries 
they treat of. 
These Faunas and Floras have a twofold purpose to answer :— 
Ist, as guides to the beginner or amateur, to the travelling or 
resident naturalist, in the determination and history of the animals 
