9) Current Literature. 433 
7 ‘totany” but a series of sketches “beginning indeed with some of the 
"strangest forms and processes of the vegetable world [which] it is not 
ploposed to exhibit merely as a vegetable menagerie of rarities and 
Wonders, but for use as a convenient means of reaching .. . 
sme general comprehension of the processes and knowledge of the 
forms ofvegetable life . . . [and] some intelligent grasp of the 
‘perimental methods and reasoning employed in their investigation.” 
__ These “chapters” treat therefore of pitcher plants and other insec- 
tyorous plants, movement and nervous action in plants, the web of life 
(the relation between plants of different groups), the relations between 
Plants and animals, spring and its studies, leaves, and finally sugges- 
llons for further studies. 
Those who have read from Professor Geddes before need not be 
tld that the style is charming and his expressions apt and striking. 
,. ai not begin to quote these; there isno end. We can only say 
lhatno teacher or lover of botany can in justice to himself fail to 
‘Tad these pages. We would also that this book might come into the 
ds of all the multitude to whom botany is yet mere herborization 
~ the botanist a harmless gatherer of simples. To all it is most 
“rdially commended as fully reaching its declared purpose. 
. Minor Notices. 
IX connection with the botanical exploration of Costa Rica (Prim- 
an Flore Costar icensis, Durand and Pittier), Dr. F. W. Klatt has just 
rulshed the Composite. Like other Central American states, the 
PMtoriaceze afford the most abundant display, the genus Eupatorium 
“8 Tepresented by thirty species, ten of which are described as new. 
Sg other species are described as new, distributed among Sene- 
i Mikania, Viguiera,and several other genera. The total number of 
list is 165. : : 
: THOSE interested in Diatoms, the volume by Mills and Deby 
) be Welcome. Some seventy-five pages are given to general infor- 
i about diatoms, which might be much better without being 
sig followed by analytical keys of families and genera (species 
~~ Considered), and rather incomplete directions as to collect- 
“sMounting, and photographing. The rest of the book (about 165 pp-) 
se at the most important, indeed the indispensable, part of it, 
= the bibliography of the group, by Julien Deby. 
HI of John Donnell Smith’s “Enumeratio Plantarum Guat- 
4 Ten F. W. and Deny, Jutien.—An introduction to the study goad 
Washi a with a Bibliography. 8vo. pp XI. +243: London, Iliffe 
: » The Microscopical Publishing Co., 1893. 
: Part 
