May 15, 1902] 
NATURE 
51 
ORGANOGRAPHY AND ITS RELATIONS TO 
BIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. 
Organographie der Pflanzen insbesondere der Arche- 
goniaten und Samenpflanzen. Von Dr. K. Goebel, Pro- 
fessor a.d. Universitat Miinchen. Zweiter theil, Heft 2 
(schluss) ; mit 107 Abbild i. Text. (Jena: Gustav 
Fischer, 1901.) 
HOSE who have read the parts of Prof. Goebel’s 
“Organographie der Pflanzen” which have pre- 
viously appeared will welcome the volume now before 
us, although perhaps with mixed ‘feelings, in that it 
marks the conclusion of an interesting and suggestive 
work. 
The present part is mainly devoted to a consideration 
of the shoot in relation to the reproductive functions, 
and the author has succeeded in presenting his subject 
in an admirable form. Many new observations will be 
noticed by the reader, and much besides of what is now 
familiar to botanists represents the outcome of original 
investigations conducted in the Munich laboratory. Some 
of the questions touched on are of a rather thorny nature, 
and Prof. Goebel is to be congratulated on the generally 
fair and judicious attitude which he preserves in regard 
to controversial issues thus incidentally raised. 
As might have been anticipated, the account of the 
varied adaptations for the protection of sporangia, as 
well as for their dehiscence and the dispersal of the 
spores, is full of interest, and not less so is the treatment 
of the annulus regarded from a slightly different point 
of view. The diverse aspects of the same problem, 
when looked at from the standpoint of phylogeny or of 
utility, are well exemplified by the discussion based on 
the structure in question. The physiological stimulus 
which evokes what may turn out to be an adapted 
structure can only operate on and through the particular 
mechanism of the organism which can respond to it. 
And it is just this consideration which gives the clue 
that may enable us to understand the hereditary nature 
of a character which at first sight appears to be merely 
adaptive, and to see also how its importance asa criterion 
of toxonomic value is determined. 
The vexed question as to the homologies of the 
structures met with in the female cone of the Coniferz 
is briefly discussed, especially in relation to the abnor- 
malities which have in the past played an important part 
in this connection, and the author well indicates the diffi- 
culties in correctly appreciating both the value and the 
cogency of this kind of evidence. 
The chief deviations from the primitive character of 
a simple flower are also dealt with, and provide a good 
summary of our knowledge of the more salient facts. 
Some will probably hesitate to fully accept: the case! of 
Pyrus malus as representing a vea/ transition from the 
perigynous to the epigynous form of gynecium. The 
mature structure, as well as the developmental evidence, 
indicates {it may be argued) that this isa case of true 
perigyny, only somewhat obscured by the. circumstance 
that the original and widening floor of the carpels has 
been tilted up instead of forming a horizontal expansion. 
It may be remarked in passing that the ovary of 
Primula is regarded as formed of five “ paracarpic” 
carpels, and that the placenta is considered in this plant 
NO. 1698, VOL. 66] 
to represent a new formation, 7.e. it consists of neither 
axis nor leaf as morphologically distinguishable. It is 
also remarked that the evidence which has been derived 
from a study of the distribution of the vascular strands 
is apt to prove ambiguous ; the strands themselves are 
extremely variable and depend entirely on the physio- 
logical requirements of the ovules. 
In dealing with the sporangia, the author makes the 
interesting suggestion that a feature of great diagnostic 
importance in separating angiosperms from gymno- 
sperms may be found in the epidermal character of the 
cells which effect dehiscence in the microsporangia of 
the latter, whilst they are of hypodermal origin in the 
angiosperms. 
Finally, the volume is brought to a close by an excel- 
lent account of many of the recent investigations on the 
biology of the embryo sac, in the elucidation of which 
Prof. Goebel’s own pupils have taken an act:ve part. 
The book, as a whole, is characterised throughout by 
a freshness and vigour which is the outcome of a first- 
hand knowledge of the facts upon which it is based. 
Furthermore, whilst marking a definite advance as 
containing a large number of new facts, and especially 
as emphasising new points of view, it is a work which 
cannot fail to stimulate further research in many new 
directions. J. B. FARMER. 
OUR BOOK SHELF. 
The Hurricanes of the Far East. By Prof. Dr. Paul 
Bergholz. English Translation, revised by Dr. 
Robert H. Scott, F.R.S. Pp. xvi + 271. (Bremen: 
Max Nossler ; London: Norie.) 
THIS book is a translation of Prof. Bergholz’ ‘ Orkane 
des fernen Ostens,” and is intended as a seaman’s guide 
to the typhoons and hurricanes of the China seas, of 
similar type to Eliot’s ‘‘ Handbook of Cyclonic Storms 
in the Bay of Bengal.” It is, in fact, a digest of the 
results of the work of Vinez, Eliot, Doberck, Faura, and 
more especially of the recent papers of Algué, in much 
the same way as Eliot’s “ Handbook” is a digest of the 
elaborate “Cyclone Memoirs.” 
Prof. Bergholz divides his manual into four sections. 
The first deals with the general aspects of cyclonic 
phenomena—the structure of the cyclone itself, and the 
seasonal and geographical variations in its progressive 
movements. The typical cyclone is divided into four 
concentric zones, A, B, C, D ; the zones A and B belong 
to the “outer whirl,” C and D to the “inner vortex.” 
Zone A extends from 120 to 500 miles from the centre, 
and is characterised by a slow fall of the barometer 
which does not seriously modify the diurnal curve of 
pressure. In zone B the centre is distant 60 to 120 
miles, and the barometer shows a “distinct fall,’ which 
does not obliterate the daily curve, but displaces the 
hours of maximum and minimum. Zone C is a belt of 
“rapid fall,’ 10 to 60 miles from the centre ; in it the 
diurnal curve disappears altogether. Zone D is a circle 
extending to 10 miles from the centre, within which the 
fall is ‘‘ very rapid.” 
The classification of the cyclones runs along two lines, 
according to either the seasonal distribution or the 
course of the track followed by the system. The first 
becomes in effect a basis for subdivision of the main 
headings of the second, which are four in number :— 
(1) Cyclones of the Pacific, subdivided into cyclones of 
Japan and cyclones of the Magalhaes, (2) Cyclones of the 
China Sea exclusively, (3) Cyclones of the China Sea in- 
cluding the typhoons of Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon, 
