July 4, 1889] 



NATURE 



219 



ing genus" of this class. It is inferior to most Siphoneae 

 in every respect except the heterogamous reproduction. 



In the class Coenobiete the orders Pandorineae and 

 Volvocinea; should, we think, have been united, or at least 

 placed in juxtaposition. 



A few words on fossil Alga; conclude this section. 

 The fifth subdivision, Fungi, is very clearly described, in 

 general agreement with de Bary's views. The Fungi are 

 •divided into Phycomycetes and Sporocarpeas, the former 

 including the Oomycetes and Zygomycetes, the latter the 

 Ascomycetes, Uredinea;, and Basidiomycetes. We may 

 note that the Ustilagineae are included among the Zygomy- 

 cetes, de Bary's opinion as to the sexuality of the cell- 

 fusions in the former groups being adopted, while Brefeld's 

 opposite view is severely criticized. The phenomena in 

 question are really on the confines of sexuality, and both 

 opinions are tenable. It may be, however, that we 

 have a definite test in the fusion of nuclei, and if Fisch's 

 observations are to be trusted this test goes against the 

 sexuality of the Ustilagineae. 



The account of the Ascomycetes is essentially based 

 on de Bary's work. Due stress is laid on all the cases 

 in which it is possible to find any indication of sexual 

 reproduction. Perhaps it would have been better to point 

 out that there are two sides to the question, and that the 

 views of Brefeld, van Tieghem, and Moeller also have to 

 be taken into account. 



The statement that a nucleus has not yet been demon- 

 strated in yeast-cells shows an excess of scepticism. The 

 evidence afforded by Zacharias's observations is as 

 convincing as in the case of any other fungal cells. 



The Uredineae are rather curtly disposed of. In tracing 

 their relationship to the Basidiomycetes, the authors 

 regard the teleutospores and basidiospores as correspond- 

 ing structures. Several facts may be adduced in support 

 of this view, but on the whole we prefer de Bary's 

 ingenious interpretation, according to which the teleuto- 

 spores are homologous with the basidia, the promycelium 

 with the sterigmata, and the sporidia with the basidio- 

 spores. This comparison rests on very strong evidence, 

 as an inspection of Figs. 130 and 140 in de Bary's 

 •' Fungi " will show. 



The next subdivision is that of the Mycetozoa. If, as 

 the authors, in agreement with most authorities, state, 

 " we are justified in placing the Mycetozoa outside the 

 limits of the vegetable kingdom " (p. 406), it seems to be 

 time that these organisms were excluded from botanical 

 hand-books. 



The last subdivision, Protophyta, is a most hetero- 

 geneous group, including the Protococcoideae, Dia- 

 tomaceas, Cyanophyceas, and Bacteria. In our opinion, 

 the two first-named groups would have been much better 

 placed among the Algas, and the same probably applies 

 to the Cyanophycese, though here there is more room for 

 doubt. This would only leave the Bacteria, and these 

 must eventually accompany the CyanophyceEe, from 

 which they seem to differ in nothing except the usual 

 absence of chlorophyll. It must be mentioned, however, 

 that the authors themselves fully recognize that the 

 Protophyta are not a natural subdivision. 



The work as a whole is a useful summary of Crypto- 

 gamic morphology, but there is room for very material 

 emendation. Many inaccuracies occur, some of which 



have been noticed above, and though these mistakes 

 are no doubt largely due to oversights in revision, they 

 are none the less misleading to the reader. We think 

 also that in some cases, especially as regards the Vascular 

 Cryptogams and the Protophyta, the authors have not 

 made sufficient effort to render their classification as 

 natural a one as possible. 



It is especially to be regretted that so few good new 

 figures have been introduced. Nothing adds so much to 

 the freshness and interest of a hand-book as good and 

 original illustrations, while the constant reappearance of 

 familiar text-book figures, however well selected, has 

 become very wearisome, and is unworthy of a living and 

 active science. 



We hope that opportunity may be found in a second 

 edition to render this book in every way a satisfactory 

 account of flowerless plants. It should be mentioned 

 that there is a very good and complete index. 



D. H. S. 



AN ENGLISH RAILWA V. 

 The Working and Management of an English Raihuay. 

 By George Findlay, General Manager of the London 

 and North-Western Railway. (London : Whittaker 

 and Co., 1889.) 



TO write a good book on the working and management 

 of an English railway is no easy matter. The 

 author of such a work must have an intimate knowledge 

 of his subject, and be in a position to take one of our best 

 Enghsh railways for his pattern. It Would be quite pos- 

 sible to name more than one railway in this country, the 

 management of which would, if described in a book, serve 

 to illustrate how such a task should not be fulfilled. This, 

 however, does not apply to the present volume. It is a 

 pleasure to read a book on the subject by Mr. Findlay, 

 the General Manager of the London and North-Western 

 Railway, for where would it be possible to find a better 

 managed line than the North-Western Railway ? 



In a volume of 270 pages, divided into sixteen chapters, 

 the author treats departmentally the various sections of 

 staff and plant necessary for the efficient working and 

 control of this vast system of railways. Chapter ii. deals 

 with the management of the line, and it is evident that 



j this is most thoroughly carried out by means of a system 

 of devolution of responsibility. The author says, " It 

 will thus be seen that the chain of responsibility and 



I supervision is a very complete one, and, in fact, the secret 

 of organizing the management of a great service, such 



; as this, is nothing more than a carefully arranged system 



i of devolution combined with watchful supervision." The 

 staff consists of about 55,000 men, including all grades in 

 the service. It is interesting to note that promotion 

 does not depend on seniority, but solely on merit, the 

 best man for the particular post being chosen ; and this 

 no doubt is the only way of getting work well done. 



In the chapter on the " Permanent Way" the subject 

 is treated historically. The old cast-iron rails laid on 

 stone blocks are illustrated as a relic of the early days of. 

 railways, and the reader is gradually led through the 

 various changes and improvements made therein, until 

 he reaches the standard road of the North-Western of 

 to-day, which is as nearly perfect as it can be made with 



