IS11.] Imperial Institute. 455 



limits assigned to each species in that long and narrow valley by the 

 latitudes, and the greater or smaller degree of saltness or sandiness 

 of the soil. He makes us acquainted with the variations produced 

 by each soil on the plants which vegetate in several ; and he states 

 with care the species that are cultivated, and the attention which 

 each requires in consequence of the peculiar nature of that country, 

 which is perhaps unique in its kind on the surface of the earth. 



We regret much that a work consisting essentially in details 

 dees not admit of a sufficiently short analysis to enable us to intro- 

 duce it into the narrow limits prescribed to us. 



M. de Candolle has published an Elementary Theory of Botany, 

 In which he explains all the variety of form and combination of the 

 organs, as well as the terms expressing them. He establishes the 

 rule of every rational nomenclature ; and gives a general theory of 

 the methods of distribution, and particularly of that which is called 

 natural, because it is founded on the essential relations of vegetables 

 to each other. On this subject he enters into various considerations, 

 which are peculiarly his own, on the value of these relations, and on 

 the organs and the conformations of organs on which they ought to 

 be founded. He proposes new views on differences apparently very 

 considerable between certain vegetables, and which merely depend 

 upon the evcrtion or union of certain organs. Setting out from 

 species in which this eversion or union is evident to the most careless 

 observer, he proceeds with skill to those in which they may still be 

 seen, but not so distinctly, and then he has only a single step to 

 make to the eversions or unions indicated by analogy, though they 

 can no longer be recognized by the sight, and the admission of 

 which resembles those hypotheses which philosophers are obliged to 

 make when they are destitute of facts, not to leave blanks in their 

 developements. It is a method that may be dangerous in hands less 

 skilful than those of M. de Candolle, but of which he has in 

 general made an equally moderate and ingenious use. His work 

 must be verv useful, by introducing more and more a philosophical 

 spirit into a part of natural history too much given up to routine, 

 and which, notwithstanding all the progress which it has made, 

 still contains among its cultivators a great number of servile 

 imitators. 



M. de la Peyrouse, Correspondent and Professor at Toulouse, has 

 published an abridged history of the plants of the Pyrenees in one 

 volume, 8vo. This work, which botany wanted, is principally 

 owing to the numerous journics made by its author into that inte- 

 resting chain. It comprehends a short description of all the plants 

 which have been observed cither by him or his predecessors, 

 arranged according to the system of Linnceut, with the localities 

 and references to the best figures which we possess of them. It 

 constitutes an important acquisition to the French flora, and a 

 useful guide 10 those who wish to visit these mountains. 



It is not surprising that the history of sen animals is the depart- 

 ment of natural history susceptible of the greatest additions. Living 



