Bihliog7'aphical Notices. 213 



Zygospores of Euastrum elegans and E. pectinatum exJiibited for 

 comparison and contrast. — Mr. Archer drew attention to examples 

 of the zygospores of two sufficiently common species of Euastrum, 

 viz. Euastrum elegans and E. i^ectlnatum. These zygospores, of 

 course, have a strong family resemblance, not only to each other, 

 hut to other species of Euastrum, yet their differences of appear- 

 ance, or tout-ensemble, were readily discernible. The zygospores in 

 the genus are globular, and beset by usually not very numerous, 

 often rather elongate, very slightly tapering, bluntly ending, semi- 

 pellucid " finger-like " spines. In the E.-elegans zygospore they are 

 more elongate, more curved, less numerous than in that of E. pecti- 

 natum, where they are thickly studded, short and straight ; hence the 

 latter makes a prettier object. 



Sections of Halisarca lobidaris. — Prof, Sollas exhibited a series of 

 sections of Halisarca lobularis, from lloskoff, Brittany, showing the 

 various stages of development of the young embryo within the 

 matrical tissue. 



Characters of Stamen-hairs of Narthecium ossifragum. — Mr. Green- 

 wood Pim showed hairs from the stamen of Narthecium ossifragum. 

 These hairs, which clothe the stamens very densely, are pluri- 

 cellular, consisting of oblong cells, each of which shows spiral stria- 

 tions, and contain numerous large globules, apparently of oil, and 

 which when fresh are of a yellow colour. 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



An Elementary Course of Botany, Structural, Physiological, and 

 Systematic. By the late Professor Arthtjk IIexfrey, F.R.S., 

 F.L.S., &c. Fourth Edition. By Maxwbll T. Masters, M.D., 

 F.E.S., F.L.S., assisted by A. W. Bennett, M.A., B.Sc, F.L.S. 



Van Voorst, 1884. 



If King Solomon had been pursuing his botanical studies, " from 

 the Cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that springeth out of the wall," 

 in England at the present day, he would probably, in stating that 

 " of the making of many books there is no end," have made special 

 reference to the text-books of his favourite science. Out of some few 

 good, some bad, and many indifferent text-books of botany. Dr. 

 Masters and Mr. Bennett are to be congratulated upon having 

 edited, and Mr. Van Voorst upon publishing, the most complete work 

 of the kind, which represents the recent progress of the science, in 

 our own or perhaps in any language. What faults we have to find 

 wiU not, as a rule, be in matters of fact or of omission ; but mainly 

 in questions of inclusion and arrangement. The present is the 

 fourth edition of a work that originally appeared in 1857, the second 



