1893.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 297 



NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



Analytical Keys to the Fresh Water Algse and the Desmidias of the 

 United States. By Dr. Alfred C. Stokes. 8vo. Portland. E. P. 

 Bigelow, 1893. pp. 117. one plate. 



The mere announcement of thfe author's name is enough to 

 commend a book in England or in America. Of all the unself- 

 ish and untiring devotees to Microscopy in this country, no one 

 has given so largely of his time and with perhaps so little finan- 

 cial support as Dr. Stokes. He is always doing some good thing 

 without regard to consequences. The better things are, the less 

 money thiey command, is a paradox in scientific work as in 

 some other fields of labor. 



Dr. Stokes laid the foundations for this book in the American 

 Monthly Microscopical Journal. On pages 109-114, 125-131, 

 144-148, 163-169 of our .Journal for 1886 will be found his key 

 to the genera and species of the Desmidise. The same matter 

 occupies pages 78-110 of this volume and constitutes Part III 

 of the key. Parts I and II constitute a key to the Alga? pre- 

 pared in precisely the same manner. A spicey introduction, a 

 short glossary and an index complete the volume. These arti- 

 ficial keys are of the same sort as those found in Gray's Botany 

 and serve to initiate the beginner in the identifying of species. 

 Mills' Introduction to the Study of the Diatomaceae, contains a 

 similar key to the Diatoms. Of course, the sale of the book 

 will be limited to those wishing such a key for identification but 

 we hope that this class will embrace an ever-increasing number 

 of persons. 



An Introduction to the Study of the Diatomacese. By Fred'k W. 

 Mills. Microscopical Publishing Co., Washington, D. C. 



The following review is quoted from the Torrey Bulletin for 

 October and is evidently from the pen of Dr. Smith Ely Jelliffe. 

 As he criticises in some respects rather severely, it might be 

 thought that we should deny space to his criticisms, but believ- 

 ing bim eminently fair and just we are willing our readers 

 should have the benefit of his praises and of his censures. 



This beautifully printed book is somewhat of a disappoint- 

 ment to the reviewer, and were it not for the extensive biblio- 

 graphy it must be a " twice told tale," and to us not as well 



