CURRENT LITERATUR. 
BOOK REVIEWS. 
Fossil plants. 
MorPuovoeists have made but little use of the work of paleobotanists, 
both on account of the nature of the material and because paleobotanists too 
often have not been trained morphologists. The time for this feeling, how- 
ever, has passed, and some of the most striking extensions of our morpho- 
logical horizon have come from the work of paleobotanists. What was 
needed more than any thing else was the critical sifting of the vast accumu- 
lation of paleobotanical data from the standpoint of modern botany. a 
1891, Count Solms-Laubach published his admirable Fossé Botany, which 
has ever since remained a standard work for botanists, although more 
destructive of previous claims than constructive. Very recently, however, 
r. A. C. Seward has begun his great work on Foss¢Z Plants, but it has bags 
yet included the vascular plants; Professor R. Potonié has published his 
Lehrbuch der Pflanzenpaleontologie, a very compact presentation of the sub- 
ject; and M. R. Zeiller’s Eléments de Paléobotanique has just appeared. All 
of these books stand for the newer paleobotany, which is to reject uncertaln 
evidence and rest upon a foundation of morphology. chil 
What the morphologist wishes, however, is the omission of details w 
are not pertinent to him, and the compact presentation of what paleobotany 
has definitely contributed to morphology. This has been done, and appar 
ently well done, by Professor D. H. Scott, in a book which has just gi - 
His purpose has been “‘to present to the botanical reader those res fous 
paleontological inquiry which appear to be of fundamental pavenrere™ 
the botanist’s point of view.” Since the important results have related gr 
entirely to pteridophytes and gymnosperms, the Studies are ect gee 
them. It is certainly true that Professor Scott has presented in eee 
ably clear way just what botanists wish to know, but his data must be on 
paleobotanists. The book must be read for details, but some of the 
Striking suggestions for the consideration of morphologists are as 
e remarkable elaboration of Equisetales and Lycope ological 
Paleozoic is fully set forth, and should form a part of every morp”. 
presentation of these groups, the living representatives being sees 
quate for such a purpose. The most suggestive conclusion in t 
tion, however, is that these two groups, which seem to be S0 far a 
J 
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*Scott, DUNKINFIELD HENRY: Studies in fossil botany. eae 6d. 
with 151 illustrations. London: Adam and Charles Black. 1900. 7% [rovemBe® 
352 
