304 HE VIEWS. 



ume, " Preuves cles Descriptions ; " wliich is principally de- 

 voted to herbaria, their history, formation, and management ; 

 — a most important chapter, the analysis of which would 

 form an article by itself. Last in order and not least in im- 

 portance, a full enumeration is given of botanical collectors 

 and authors who have formed herbaria, with an indication of 

 the place where their herbaria or collections are preserved. 



DARWIN'S POWER OF MOVEMENT IN PLANTS. 



First let us congratulate the scientific community, no less 

 than the author, that Mr. Darwin's experimental researches 

 are seconded, and are we hope long to be continued, by the 

 son whose name appears upon the title-page, and whose in- 

 dependent papers already published approve his worthiness 

 for that honor. This volume-^ is from beffinninof to end a 

 record of a series of researches and of the inferences which 

 they directly warrant. Naturally it will not fascinate the 

 general reader after the manner of "The Origin of Species" 

 and some of the volumes wdiich succeeded that epoch-marking 

 production ; nor has it the fresh charms of the treatises " On 

 the Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants," and of 

 " Insectivorous Plants," of which it is the proper continuation 

 and supplement. 



The organs of plants take certain determinate positions 

 and execute certain movements, some of them universal or 

 general, some of them special, some of them very striking and 

 seemingly strange, most — but not quite all of them — evi- 

 dently advantageous to the plant or essential to its wellbeing. 

 Roots point toward the earth ; stems point away from it ; 

 young stems bend toward the light, and the upper face of 

 leaves is presented to it. Stems that twine " circumnutate " 

 (a capital term), i. e., bend successively to all points of the 



^ The Power of Movement in Plants. By Charles Darwin, assisted by 

 Francis Darwin. With illustrations. London and New York, 1880. 

 (American Journal of Science and Arts, 3 ser., xxi. 245.) 



