1857.] REVIEWS. 91 



sprung from the acknowledged want of some recent enumeration 

 of the species of Ferns^ embodying the modern principles of clas- 

 sification. Such an enumeration required, in order to reuder it 

 fully intelligible, that a synopsis of the genera of Ferns should 

 be prefixed. It seemed also necessary to its utility, that the 

 Catalogue itself should indicate, under the adopted species, the 

 following particulars, viz. (1) references to the most useful gene- 

 ral publications, as well as to those detached Memoirs in which 

 they may be classified or described ; (2) an enumeration of their 

 synonyms; (3) references to Figures; and (4) a summary of 

 their known habitats sufficient to illustrate their geographical 

 range. ^^ 



Of late years this order of plants has been more investigated 

 than the vegetable kingdom in general. Some of our most emi- 

 nent systematic and practical botanists have laboured both at 

 the classification and the description of Ferns. The growing 

 taste for elegant forms has been met by numerous publications, 

 which, in all, would constitute no small portion of a botanical 

 library. The scheme of publishing an index to the great mass 

 of recent and modern as well as ancient information on this 

 popular subject, is certainly a good one, and will doubtless be 

 approved and encouraged by all lovers of the most elegant of 

 nature's productions. The well- won reputation of the author is 

 an ample guarantee that the plan will be carefully and -success- 

 fully carried out in the execution of the work. 



Monograph of the Genus Abrothallus (De Notaris and 

 Tulasne emend.). By W. Lauder Lindsay, M.D., Perth. 



The author of this elaborate paper premises that the above 

 genus has long been known, though under a variety of designa- 

 tions (names), although the true structure of the species and 

 their proper place in the series were quite misunderstood till the 

 recent investigations of De Notaris in Italy and Tulasne in 

 France. Both of these eminent lichenologists have published 

 memoirs on this subject ; and the object of Dr. Liadsay in his 

 communication is to correct some of their errors and to supply 

 their defects. In stating the untenable views of Sch^erer and 

 others, Dr. Lindsay informs us that " It has been too much the 



