CURRENT LITERATURE. 
A text-book for advanced students. 
It was with pleasure increasing page by page that we read Dr. Vines’ 
latest book! which is intended as a general survey of the whole field 
of botany with suitable presentation of its salient features for students. 
Finding it necessary to revise the English edition of Prantl’s Lehrbuch 
der Botanik, Dr. Vines wisely decided that it would be better, while 
retaining the form of the previous book, to extend it sufficiently to 
' make it suitable for advanced students. This meant complete rewrit- 
ing. The first half of the book was issued by the publishers in Janu- 
ary, in response to numerous requests, and the second half, treating of 
the classification of seed plants and of physiology, is promised within 
the year. 
The portion before us treats of the morphology, the anatomy and 
histology, and the classification of plants through the pteridophytes. 
The first of these topics was the one most in need of thorough and log 
ical treatment, having in mind all members of the plant kingdom, 
and it is gratifying that it has received just such treatment. 
It is really refreshing to have the special morphology of plant mem 
bers discussed in such a broad and consistent way as Dr. Vines has 
done. We have long felt that the discussion of these matters 1D even 
the best books was obscured by the constant reference of structures 
to an arbitrary phanerogamic norm. It is beyond doubt that the tel 
minology in common use has been contradictory and confusing ~ | 
last degree, largely because we have approached the simpler plants ‘ 
from the direction of the most complex ones. No one book can ge 
to work a revolution either in ideas or terminology, but this on¢ © 
. ee) 
wrought out ideas for the most part logically and consistently: 
the matter of terminology there has been as little change as 
ws of ho 
ble, we think, consistent with the statement of modern views 
mology. Yet to those who are unfamiliar with these homer” 
the changed terms already proposed we can well understand ast his 
book would seem almost revolutionary in this respect. eye 
has been made the basis of severe criticism in the Journal of ned bis 
We observe with gratification that Dr. Vines has 9 
earlier usage of the words dorsa/ and ventral as applied toa : ate: 
was the reverse’ of their ordinary application. ‘This recalls TE 
_ Vines, S. HA. oar first half). 8v0. PP-¥ “9 Cp. 
sa 279 °Yondon! Swan Pathe bio e &, New York: Macmillan & 
; man 5 4 
