180 REVIEWS. 



feet in height, and it was three feet in length. The stem of a 

 Pea, ascending by its tendrils would, on the other hand, have 

 been but little longer than the height gained. That this sav- 

 ing of stem is really an advantage to climbing plants I infer 

 from observing that those that still twine, but are aided by 

 clasping petioles or tendrils, generally make more open spires 

 than those made by simple twiners." — (p. 110.) 



The gradations between one organ and another, and their 

 special endowments, and the great diversity of their move- 

 ments, are illustrated at length ; and the very large number 

 of natural families which exhibit these endowments, in some 

 of their members, is indicated ; and it is noted that two or 

 three genera alone have those powers in some of the largest 

 and best defined natural orders, such as ComiDositce, Ru- 

 hiacece, Liliacece, Ferns, etc. ; from which he infers " that 

 the capacity for acquiring the revolving power, on which 

 most climbers depend, is inherent, though undeveloped, in 

 almost every plant in the vegetable kingdom " (p. 117). 



Mr. Darwin somewhere throws out the remark that the 

 larger number, and the most perfectly organized climbing 

 plants, as of the scandent animals, belong to one country, 

 tropical America. 



In abruptly closing these extracts and brief commentaries, 

 we would add, that the Linnsean Society has issued a sepa- 

 rate reprint of this charming treatise, thus opening to it a 

 wider circle of readers. 



WATSON'S BOTANY OF THE 40TH PARALLEL. 



We propose to notice this volume ^ particularly : indeed it 

 well deserves a more thorough examination and more ex- 

 tended review than our time and space will now allow us to 

 devote to it. It is published " by order of the Secretary of 

 War, under the authority of Congress," as one of the Engi- 



1 United States Geological Survey of the 40th Parallel. V. Botany. By 

 Sereno Watson. Washington, 1871. (American Journal of Science and 

 Arts, 3 ser., iii. pp. G2 and 148.) 



