December 21, 1899] 



NA TURE 



7Z 



presented, are five in number. Barometric pressure of 

 necessity plays the principal part in the arrangement 

 and subdivision of the section. The maps are constructed 

 to exhibit the pressure conditions which obtain in 

 abnormally hot and cold seasons and months in diflferen 

 regions, those which produce recognised types of wind 

 and weather, or accompany typical storms of all 

 kinds. To these are added maps showing the tracks of 

 storms and the distribution of storm frequency, with a 

 final series showing typical distributions of deviations 

 from the normal monthly pressure, upon the study of 

 which the forecasting of the probable weather for a 

 season will be based, as well as the distribution of the 

 mean deviations from these normals. From this descrip- 

 tion of the contents of the two sections, it will be seen 

 that the atlas is essentially a book of results. It sum- 

 marises what has been already accomplished by patient 

 effort and long-continued observation, and the result is 

 encouraging. Mr. Buchan, who signs the introduction in 

 his capacity of editor, contends — 



" If the present state of the science [of meteorology] 

 as regards the geographical distribution of results be 

 compared with that of the other sciences, such as 

 geology and the biological sciences, it stands second to 

 none. None of these sciences can show such a world- 

 wide distribution of precise results as are collected in 

 this .\tlas of Meteorology in illustration of the 

 geographical distribution of temperature pressure, 

 humidity, cloud, rainfall and movements of the atmo- 

 sphere, with illustrations of their influence over, and 

 inter-relations with each other." 



How far this remark is justified must be left to the 

 individual judgment of those who it is hoped will read 

 and digest this first instalment of the Physical Atlas. 



W. E. P. 



THE NORTH AMERICAN SLIME MOULDS. 



The North American Slime Moulds. By Prof. T. H. 



McBride. Pp. xvii -f- 231, and plates. (New York: 



the Macmillan Company. London : Macmillan and 



Co., Ltd., 1899.) 



THE group of organisms known as Myxomycetes, or as 

 Mycetozoa of De Bary and Rostafinski, has of late 

 years received much careful study in the United States. 

 In 1834 Schweinitz published his "Synopsis of North 

 American Fungi,'' and his large collection of Myxo- 

 mycetes has been recognised in that country as the 

 standard authority for reference. In 1848 Curtis con- 

 tributed articles to journals on the subject, and both he 

 and Ravenel made extensive gatherings in the south- 

 eastern States. Since that time American investigators, 

 conspicuous among whom should be mentioned Prof. 

 Peck and the late Dr. G. A. Rex, have done excellent 

 work : new species have been discovered, and large 

 collections have been made in different parts of the 

 States. The professors of botany have brought the 

 Myxomycetes into their course of instruction, and a 

 literature has sprung up founded to a considerable 

 extent on local research. 



Prof .McBride, of the University of Iowa, has made an 

 important addition to this literature in the work under 

 notice. In an interesting preface he pays a well- 

 NO. 1573, VOL. 61] 



deserved tribute to the labours of Rostafinski, and we are 

 glad to see that he founds his classification on the lines 

 laid down in Rostafinski's monograph of the Mycetozoa, 

 but he prefers the older name Myxomycetes for the de- 

 signation of the group. In this he follows Dr. Scott in 

 his admirable book on structural botany ; at the same 

 time, Prof. McBride fairly discusses, from a botanist's 

 point of view, the claims that have been advanced for 

 including them in the animal kingdom, and sums up by 

 saying — 



" Why call them either animals or plants ? The 

 Myxomycetes are independent. All that we may attempt 

 is to assert their nearer kindred with one or other of 

 Life's great branches." 



From this standpoint, however, we do not think that 

 the adoption of the name "slime moulds" is a happy one- 

 If, as the professor remarks, their position is "a matter of 

 uncertainty, not to say perplexity," and in the face of the 

 high authority of Rostafinski, under De Bary's super- 

 vision, for the name Mycetozoa, an English translation of 

 either word seems to be hardly needed. 



The question of nomenclature is perhaps a more burn- 

 ing one in the States than it is with us, where De 

 Candolle's law is very much accepted in practice. 



Prof. McBride speaks warmly on the subject on p. 10 

 of the preface. Instead of adopting the earliest published 

 specific name of a species in the genus in which it now 

 stands, and giving as the authority the name of the 

 person who first placed it in that genus (leaving the 

 history of the first describer to be traced in the un- 

 fortunately necessary list of synonyms), he aims at giving 

 the earliest published specific name, under whatever 

 genus it appeared, giving as the authority the name of 

 the first describer in brackets, followed by the name of 

 the placer in the present genus. If an important object 

 in appending the authority were to commemorate the 

 name of the first recorder, we should agree with the 

 professor, and as a matter of sentiment there is much to 

 be said in favour of his view ; but if the object in quoting 

 the authority be solely to establish the identity of a 

 species, apart from personal considerations, De Candolle's 

 rule has the advantage of simplicity. The ideal con- 

 ception of a uniform system of classification universally 

 accepted appears to be unattainable, at least in the 

 present generation, considering the strongly-held and 

 diverging views which now prevail ; but Prof. McBride 

 has devoted much labour to searching the oldest records, 

 short and incomplete as many of them are and compiled 

 with the aid of imperfect instruments, and we cannot but 

 admire the thoroughness with which he has endeavoured 

 to carry out his principle. 



When we bear in mind the wide variation which we 

 find in many species that offer abundant material for 

 observation, as, for example, in Physaruni nutans Pers., 

 the adoption of a main centre as the type and the de- 

 scription of diverging forms as varieties appears to be 

 in accordance with the actual facts, and is of assistance 

 to students. Prof. McBride, however, avoids the intro- 

 duction of varieties, and therefore multiplies the species 

 recorded in his work to an extent which may not meet 

 with universal approval ; but it is fair to note that in 

 many cases he leaves the specific value an open question. 



