BOTANICAL NEWS. 34? 
Though by no means up to the mark, or to be reckoned an impor- 
tant addition to the literature of Yorkshire botany, the ' Wakefield 
Flora* is likely to prove a useful guide to many persons in that town, 
who are unable or unwilling to procure larger and more expensive 
works. 
BOTANICAL NEWS. 
From Old Calabar we learn that a tragedy of a most frightful character was 
enacted there on the 12th of September. It appears that a chief named Effium 
Adam died rather suddenly, and as hi3 friends surmised that he had been the 
victim of foul play, the late chief's wives, six in number, and the entire house- 
hold were assembled, and required to go through the most savage of ordeals, 
which was that each of them was compelled to swallow a large dose of the Esera y 
or Calabar poison bean (Physostigma venenosum, Balf.), to test their inno- 
cence of being parties to the supposed murder. Eight of the unfortunate vic- 
tims had succumbed to the effects of the dreadful poison when the 'Athenian ' 
left, and the others were not expected to survive. 
M. Alphonse de Candolle writes to us the following from Geneva : — c< Je 
m'occupo dans ce moment d'une nouvelle edition de mon opuscule sur les 
* Lois de la Nomenclature.' Cette edition, renfermant les lois telles qu'elles 
ont etc votees par le Congres international de Paris, sera publiee aussi en 
anglais et en allemand. MM. Lovell Eeeve et Cie. s'occupent de Pedition 
anglaise. La traduction se fait par M. Weddell, avec beaucoup de soin. Le 
texte des ' Lois' adoptees se trouvera aussi dans le volume officiel du Congres, 
niais sans le commentaire contenu dans ma brochure, lequel explique et jus- 
tifie les articles." 
The thirty-third volume of the 'Nova Acta' contains two botanical papers 
of interest, viz. Dr. Schimper's Supplement to his monograph on the genus 
Spiridens, and Dr. Buchenau on several trees of Quercus pedunculata struck 
by lightning. Both are illustrated by plates. 
Dr. Hooker is going to continue the publication of the c Icones Plantarum,' 
of which his father published 1000 plates. 
Professor Goppert, of Breslau, has published a commentary on the valuable 
collection of Coal Plants exhibited by him at the Pans Exhibition of this 
year. 
Mr. Kunge has read before the Silesian Society an instructive paper on 
Amber and its application, which elicited some valuable remarks from Professor 
Goppert on our present knowledge of the Amber Flora. 
A new popular periodical, devoted to natural history and travel, is shortly 
to be commenced under the editorship of Mr. Andrew Murray, F.L.S. 
A "Socio lad de Ilistoria Natural" has bee n formed at Caracas, the capital 
of Venezuela J our esteemed correspondent Mr. A. Ernst being its principal 
promoter. 
