250 ' NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
tened on its leaves and shoots.* 4. That Royle, in reference to the 
fruits of C. Nepalensis ; Peschier of Geneva, in regard to C. myrtifolia ; . 
and other authorities in regard to other species of Coriaria, have. pub- 
lished instances of their harmless or even beneficial effects, under cer- 
tain circumstances, on man or the lower animals. Such conflicting 
statements would appear to indicate that there are peculiarities in the, 
action of the poisonous principles of all the Coriarias, or discrepancies 
in the records of instances of the said action, which discrepancies or. 
culiarities demand reconciliation or explanation at the hands of com- 
petent scientific experts— Abridged from Proceedings of British Asso-. 
ciation at Cambridge. deil 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
A Handbook of British Mosses ; comprising all that are known to be 
natives of the British Isles. By the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, M.Ay 
F.LS. London: L. Reeve and Co. 
A work written by one of our most talented cryptogamists, illustrated 
with coloured plates from the pencil of Fitch, and got up by Reeve. 
and Co., could not fail to open for itself a market generally closed 
against ordinary scientific productions. It will interest a class of 
readers, not likely to be attracted by a scientific manual,sin a tribe of 
neglected but extremely beautiful and curious plants, and its pages, 3$ — 
far as they go, will supply the materials for an intelligent acquaintance 
with them. But it is to be regretted that the author did not aim at 
something higher than the object he has had in view. Tt is a mistake t0 
suppose that to be popular a work must be free from scientific precision. 
To be used for the determination of species, it cannot be too precise; — 
and however popular the matter may be, if it is vague, the student will 
soon be compelled to seek for another guide. Mr. Berkeley does. not 
usher in his volume with great expectations. He hopes “ that it may 
be the means of calling attention of many to Wilson's ‘ Bryologia 
* ‘Medical Ti Gazette,” T 
-$ Professor Hemet Quito, dy m ur ru sa Society a letter en- 
e written with ink consisting of the juice of the fruit of Coriaria thymi- 
es ess n Ex 
ue WU TEIL KP oR A BASS eR TD NAME T Pe 
