80 Bibliographical Notice. 



elucidation of the Fauna and Flora of Finland than from the work 

 of Karsten, which, however, has had the effect of leading him to a 

 careful examination of those species. He remarks that it is of much 

 importance to science generally, as well as to the Finnish flora, that 

 everything vague and uncertain should be eliminated, and more 

 clearly defined notions acquired. Dr. Nylander considers the genus 

 Peziza to have been more neglected than other genera of fungi, 

 owing particularly to the difficulty of determining species, from 

 the loose and unsatisfactory way in which they have been hitherto 

 described. 



The only existing monograph is that contained in the second vo- 

 lume of Fries's ' Systema Mycologicum,' where all microscopic ana- 

 lysis is omitted. Other difficulties arise from the rarity of many of 

 the species, some occurring only in particular years and seasons, 

 others in places difficult of access, many of their more marked cha- 

 racters being also lost in the process of drying for the herbarium. 

 Hence arises, says the Professor, a necessity for more satisfactory 

 definitions than at present exist, to enable the student to recognize 

 the plants he meets with ; and he hopes that the treatise under 

 consideration may furnish descriptions which will aid the inquirer 

 in overcoming the difficulties inherent in the subject, so far as the 

 species contained in the ' Observations ' are concerned. After 

 stating the number of species contained in Karsten's Synopsis to be 

 100, viz. 92 Pezizce and 8 Ascoboli, several of which are not present 

 in the Finland Museum, he notices some which are given by Karsten 

 under wrong names, and adds others, from the collection in the 

 Museum, omitted by that writer, giving figures of a few of the 

 sporidia. 



The chief value of Dr. Nylander's work consists in accurate mea- 

 surements of the fruit of each species, with notes of the fonns of 

 ths asci and paraphyses, and the appearances they present when 

 treated with iodine. He also gives a few synonyms, remarking on 

 the difficulty attending this part of the subject from the cursory way 

 in which names have been assigned to the various forms, and shows 

 the detriment arising to science from characters carelessly and 

 loosely drawn up, and unaccompanied by minute analysis, and, on 

 the other hand, the great value of clear and exact definitions of the 

 various types. The Professor divides his materials into two grand 

 series — the first containing the larger terrestrial species (Aleuria, 

 Fries), the second the intermediate and minute forms. His first 

 series is subdivided into such as have cylindrical asci with simple, 

 elliptic fruit, showing no reaction under iodine, and others having 

 globose fruit. Then follow those whose asci turn blue with iodine, 

 which also present two sections, characterized by the form of their 

 fruit. To these succeed the moderate-sized and minute kinds, 

 subdivided into those having simple curved fruit (Encoelia and 

 Dermatia, Fries), and others with elliptic sporidia and cups either 

 naked or setose and sessile (Humaria, Fries) ; a third section fol- 

 lows, with spherical or subglobose fruit ; to these succeed such as 

 have pilose or villous cups and oblong or fusiform sporidia (Lachnea, 



