188 



Dr. H. Behr ; translated from the German in SchlechtendaVs ' Lin- 

 naea,' Bd. xx. Heft 5, by Richard Kippist, Libr, L. S.' 



' Contributions to the Botany of Western India ; by N. A. Dalzell, 

 Esq., M.A.' 



' Extracts from Letters of Richard Spruce Esq., written during a 

 Botanical Mission on the Amazon.' 



' Characters of some Gnaphaiioid Compositse of the Division Angi- 

 antheae ; by Asa Gray.' 



' Botanical Information :' — Advertisement of the ' Sale of a great 

 Herbarium and extensive Collection of Drugs.' 



' The Rhododendrons of the Sikkim-Himraalaya ; by Dr. J. D. 

 Hooker. Edited by Sir W. J. Hooker. Parts I. & II.' 



' Physiognomy of Tropical Vegetation ; drawn and lithographed by 

 M. de Berg.' 



The translated paper on the South-Australian flora is highly inte- 

 resting, although perhaps not absolutely novel; and I am truly glad 

 to see so large a portion of this and other scientific works devoted to 

 the reproducing, in English costume, the labours of our continental 

 friends ; I only regret that want of space prevents my making extracts. 



Mr. Dalzell's paper contains characters of eleven new species. In 

 the order Urticese one, Pouzolzia integrifolia ; in Leguminosae one, 

 Smithia hirsuta ; and in Commelyneae nine, Aneilema ochraceum, A. 

 versicolor, A. pauciflorum, A. elatum, A. canaliculatura, A. dimorphum, 

 A. semiteres, A. compressum, and Cyanotis hispida. 



From Mr. Spruce's paper I select the following passages : — 



" On a separate sheet I have added a few notes respecting the 

 articles I am sending for your museum, especially as to the use of the 

 Guarana. I would gladly have visited the Guarana country, which is 

 six days journey or more from here, but it would seem to be not very 

 promising to a botanist, and the Guarana plant is already perfectly 

 well known. Respecting the bow I send you, I may add that the 

 manufacture of such a one occupies an Indian three months; not 

 exactly of continuous labour; but it must be borne in mind that it is 

 made of the intensely hard heart- wood of the Pao cVArco, and that his 

 only tool is a shell. The wood which he intends to fashion into a 

 bow is first smeared with oil, to soften it ; he then scrapes it down 

 with his shell as far as the oil has penetrated, when he anoints it 

 anew, and betakes himself to the chase. Returned from hunting, he 

 again falls to work to scrape his bow; and soon, until it is com- 

 pleted ; and no joiner can make one so symmetrical, so nicely poised, 

 as these which are made by the Mcmdrucuu and Mauhe Indians. 



