282 



the whole body of meteorologists over the globe, of the 

 •establishment of such a system of weather observation 

 across this continent ; and, moreover, the establishment 

 of an efficient system of stations with their necessary 

 equipment of instruments and observers, could not be in 

 better hands than his whose resolute will and organising 

 genius girdled Australia with the telegraph. 



ALGAZ^ 



PROF. J. G. AGARDH has taken advantage of the 

 leisure afforded by his retirement from the Chair of 

 Botany which he has filled so successfully for many years 

 at the Lund University, to compose another work on 

 algology. This very interesting volume, which embodies 

 the results of observations made by the Professor 

 during a long course of years, on the Morphology of 

 the Florideae, has just appeared in the Transactions of 

 the Scientific Academy of Stockholm. It is written in the 

 Swedish language, and is illustrated by thirtj -three 

 coloured plates of rare and little-known alga?, and of 

 microscopic details of many others, beautifully executed 

 by Swedish artists. It treats the subject in an exhaustive 

 manner, as will be seen from a specification of the 

 contents. The work is divided into three parts, each 

 part being copiously illustrated by reference to the plates, 

 and to descriptions of different genera and species. 



Part I. treats of the general aspect and outer part of 

 the Florideae — their development and growth; of the 

 root and its different forms ; of the stem, branches, and 

 .leaves. 



Part II., treating of the structure of the Florideae, 

 describes the nature of the cell-membrane and of the 

 cuticle ; the contents of the cell under different con- 

 ditions of development ; the various layers or strata of 

 which the thallus is composed ; the connection between 

 the different cells, and the manner in which this connec- 

 tion is effected ; the various ways in which the cells are 

 formed ; their different positions, and the manner in which 

 they are grouped and united with the several strata. 



Part III. describes the reproductive organs, namely, the 

 antheridia, the sphaerospores, and the capsular fruit and 

 cystocarp, and concludes with remarks on the so-called 

 " double fructification." This third part will doubtless 

 attract the attention of algologists who may be desirous of 

 knowing whether the views of the Professor, in regard to 

 the fertilisation of the fruit in the manner recorded by 

 MM. Bornet and Thuret, have undergone any change 

 since the publication of the " Epicrisis " in 1876. It will be 

 seen from the present work, that although Dr. Agardh 

 has made multitudes of microscopic observations on 

 British and exotic algae, at all periods of growth, and 

 especially of the species which formed the subject of 

 Bornet and Thuret' s experiments, he has not materially 

 changed his opinion. He says that the observations 

 hitherto recorded are too few in number to determine the 

 question, and that, as yet, he has seen nothing confirmatory 

 of the views of the French algologists. For his reasons 

 and remarks we must refer the reader to the work itself. 

 It is to be regretted that Dr. Dodel-Port's very interesting 

 observations on the fecundation of the Florideae by 

 Infusoria, of which an "abstract was given in Nature, 

 vol. xx. p. 463, were not published before the completion 

 of Prof. Agardh' s work. 



Among the verbal descriptions and illustrations are 

 many which are especially deserving of the attention of 

 British algologists. Among them will be found micro- 

 scopic representations of the fruit, hitherto imperfectly 

 described and figured, of many British algae. The cysto- 

 carpic fruit of Callithamnion criiciatum is now, it is be- 

 lieved, figured for the first time. Among the whole figures 



1 " Florideemes Morphologi." af J. G. Agardh. Kongl. Svtnska 

 Vctenskaps Ahademiau Handlingar, Bandet 15. No. 6 (1879). 



" De Algis Novse Zelandise marinis." In supplementum " Florx 

 Hookeriana:," scripslt J. G. Agardh. Lunds Univ., ArsikKft. Tom xiv. 



NATURE \Jan. 22, 1880 



of algae is one of a species which, although found on ou 

 southern shores, is almost unknown to collectors. Thi 

 species is Nitophyllum litteratum [Plate xxvii. Figs. 1-4]' 

 which may — but very rarely — be seen in collections under 

 the name of A^. Hillice. From this last-mentioned species 

 it differs in form, being more lobed, and also in the fructi- 

 fication. The sphaerospores, instead of being scattered 

 over the disc as in N. Hillia, are located between the 

 numerous veins which mark the lower part of the frond. 

 Minor differences are shown in the microscopic details. 

 The capsular fruit of this species does not appear to be 

 yet known. It therefore adds another instance to the 

 long list of Florid/eae which hitherto have been found with 

 sphaerosporic fruit only. 



There is some diversity of opinion as to the place in a 

 general system of classification of certain algae of a red 

 or purple colour, namely, Porphyra, Bangia, and Ba- 

 trachospermum. By some of the later algologists they 

 have been placed among the Florideae, but Prof. Agardh 

 is of opinion that they do not belong to the red sea- 

 weeds. 



There is another group of algae, which really belongs to 

 the Florideae, whose position in the system still appears 

 to be uncertain. We allude to the family, Corallinea. 

 We remember to have noticed that it is not included in 

 the classification of the Florideae in the Epicrisis. We 

 are, therefore, the more disappointed that there is no 

 notice of this interesting group in the present work. Dr. 

 Agardh' s observations with regard to it would be most 

 welcome. Had the present very valuable work been 

 written either in Latin or English, it would undoubtedly 

 have been more serviceable ; as it is, however, algologists 

 who do not understand Swedish may learn a great deal 

 from the carefully-executed plates. Should the work be 

 republished, it would be desirable to add a table of con- 

 tents and an index. 



The "List of New Zealand Algae" is a useful supple- 

 ment to the "Flora Novae-Zelandiae" of Hooker and 

 Harvey. It consists chiefly of species which have been 

 brought home by Dr. Berggren. The names of Hooker 

 and Harvey have been generally adopted ; but all the 

 species described have been re-examined by Prof. Agardb, 

 and many of them re-named in consequence of such re- 

 examination. The new species and varieties are about 

 sixty in number. Descriptions are given of new species, 

 and copious notes on such of the already known species 

 as require this addition are appended. M. P. M. 



GAS AND ELECTRICITY IN PARIS 



SINCE the Jablochkoff light was established for the 

 first time in the Avenue de V Opera, it may be said 

 that there has been in Paris a regular competition be- 

 tween gas and electricity. The " Compagnie Parisienne 

 d'Eclairage et de Chauffage " by gas is certainly one of 

 the largest in existence, as it possesses every gas-work in 

 Paris, and almost every one in the vicinity. A system of 

 subterranean pipes and valves connects all these estab- 

 lishments, so that gas generated in Courcelles can be sent 

 to any part of the city and suburbs if required. All these 

 different works were conducted as separate establish- 

 ments before the fusion which took place in 1854, under 

 the auspices of the then existing Imperial Government. 

 Two of these establishments are worthy of note — La 

 Villette, as being the largest, the site of experimental and 

 chemical work, and Vaugirard, where the retorts are 

 warmed by the Siemens' heat-generating process. 



Each of the twenty arrondissements of Paris has its 

 special gas office. The Company also sells gas-engines, 

 and makes great efforts to develop the use of gas as fuel 

 for warming and cooking in private houses and shops. 

 The price of gas is dearer in Paris than in any other 

 capital of Europe, and the arrangements are difficult to 

 understand without an explanation of the French munici- 

 pal institutions. 



