BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 33 
he says: ‘The contents are so perfectly colorless that they are quite imper- 
ceptible in water, unless it be charged with suspended matter, and then only 
show their presence by displacing this matter from the space which they oc- 
cupy themselves.” 
THE WRITER READ recently an article, written by some enthusiastic convert, 
which was considered to contain some startling proofs of the doctrine of evolu- 
tion. It isnot worth mentioning, except that it represents a class of dabblers in 
science who, through gross ignorance, misinterpret discoveries and spring their 
startling deductions upon a gullable public. As it is this class that courts the 
daily press, and especially infests the weekly, the public mind is generally in an 
abused condition. The “mycologist” referred to had evidently read Dr. Cooke’s 
little book on fungi, and at once became an ardent theorizer. He now claims 
that he can prove evolution off hand, for his reading of fungi literature assures 
him that it is a common thing for one genus to turn into another, and even for 
neighboring families to lose their identity in each other. Uredo, Aicidium, et al., 
doctrine of evolution. To all this an agriculturist remarks: “Ii these things 
are so, can we stand out longer against the ‘wheat and cheat’ idea?” With 
such enthusiastic expounders, mycology, evolution and agriculture ought all to 
flourish, and the public mind be kept in a feverish state of excitement. 
Iy Tus pay of hasty publication of new species, when every collector feels 
competent for this difficult work, it is refreshing to read in the Naturalist some 
Suggestions by Prof. Bessey in regard to the publication of new species. There 
is no doubt that the right to describe stimulates the study of Systematic Botany, 
but such stimulation too often results in utter confusion. As cautious as the 
editors of this journal have been in this respect, and they are conscious of hav- 
ing frequently given offense to contributors, they have published species that 
ad no right to stand, and they are perfectly willing to adopt either of the fol- 
lowing suggestions of Prof. Bessey : 
. Every description to be accompanied by the statement that type speci- 
mens were deposited in this or that established herbarium. aes 
_ 2. Every description to be accompanied by specimens to be distributed by 
the editor of the journal giving such publication. 
The third suggestion, that specimens should be deposited in the National ; 
Herbarium, is too restricted when we consider the present relative importance 
of our herbaria. We consider the first suggestion as the most feasible, and the 
second as most complete, but impracticable. 
CURRENT LITERATURE. 
Notes on the Oryptogamie Flora of the White Mountains. By W. @. Farlow. Extr. 
is an important contribution to the flora of a district of which the 
ge and fungi 
is 
eri ut the 
hich have been almost totally neglected. As a contribution to a knowledge 
