September 1898] SOME NEW BOOKS 203 
unalloyed satisfaction that Mr Hiern has stepped into the breach by 
undertaking a full elucidation of Welwitsch’s collections. In the 
second part of the memoir devoted to this object, the one we are 
here noticing, the interest aroused by the appearance of the first part 
is fully maintained, as is also the high reputation of the author. Mr 
Hiern is well known for the painstaking accuracy of all his work ; he is, 
also, a man whom, in any case when divergency of view is admissible, 
one would much rather have on one’s own side than as an opponent.. 
Moreover, the excellent judgment he displays in making full use of 
the explorer’s notes, gives him an extra claim on our gratitude. True, 
we have one objection to make in respect of this, an objection which 
may perhaps seem odd as coming from an Englishman. We think 
that too much of the memoir is written in our own language. After 
all, Welwitsch was a German, and the country he so thoroughly 
explored is a possession of the Portuguese crown. Moreover, a large 
number of those to whom the work appeals are foreigners. If, 
therefore, our objection be ruled invalid so far as concerns the 
notes themselves, we certainly see no good reason for departing 
from the time-honoured practice of describing in Latin at least the 
salient features of a new plant. By the use of Latin a person of any 
nationality at once knows what an author is driving at, and we can 
only hope that our Russian and Hungarian brethren will not resort 
to reprisals ; otherwise troublous times are in prospect. 
Combretaceae occupy the place of honour in the present part; thence 
we pass on to Myrtaceae, and so through the remaining calycifloral 
orders to the first order of the Gamopetalae, the Rubiaceae, and with 
this the part closes. We much like the pithy introductions to the 
principal orders, wherein geographical data, economic uses, and so forth 
are skilfully detailed. As regards nomenclature, we are glad to see 
that Mr Hiern does not lend himself to the extreme views prevalent 
in some quarters. To most of the changes he introduces no one who 
admits the advisability of change at all can possibly object. But we 
must confess that had the original disturber of nomenclature come to 
us for advice regarding the use to be made of his portentous know- 
ledge, we should have felt disposed to answer in the words of the lady 
at the close of Mr Austin Dobson’s delightful lovers’ quarrel :-— 
“Td say no more about it 
If I were you.” 
But a great deal has been said about it, and much more written, so 
that one begins to think the best way out of the difficulty to be the 
adoption of the change as soon as possible. We grieve, though, to see 
an old and familiar name like Psychotria disappear; a change involv- 
ing scores of species, and a large addition to the list of synonyms. 
And why does Mr Hiern refrain from attaching his name to species 
now for the first time ranged under some new denomination? Thus 
he prints Myrstiphyllum cristatum (the new name for the old Psycho- 
tria cristata, Hiern) without appending any authority, and so on 
throughout the work. ~ 
Oversights are very rare; but such a sentence as this—“ Africa is 
but little favoured with the natural occurrence of Myrtaceae” is far 
from elegant, though it is only fair to say that we have found no 
