348 REVIEWS. 



give a convenient summary of our local Flora, unembarrassed by the 

 Southern forms which Dr. Gray has had occasion to include, and 

 arranged according to Lindley's system, but with analytical tables 

 adapted specially to our convenience. 



Professor Brunet has the reputation of being an enthusiastic botan- 

 ist, particularly well acquainted with the historical botany of Lower 

 Canada, and zealous in promoting the science, so that with the aid of 

 other earnest labourers that we know to be found in Quebec, the flora 

 of that district ought to become well known. Considering what has 

 been done at Montreal and Kingston, at Toronto, Hamilton, London, 

 Belleville, and some other points, we must be steadily advancing towards 

 a degree of knowledge of the vegetable productions of the country, 

 which, with a little combination and intercommunication of obser- 

 vations would ensure a good national Flora. 



W. H. 



Synopsis of Canadian Ferns and Filicoid Plants. By George Law- 

 son, Ph. D., LL.D., Professor of Chemistry and Natural History 

 in Dalhousie College, Halifax, Nova Scotia. 



{From the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal for January and 



April, 1864). 



We have been favoured by the author with a copy of this Synopsis, 

 and we are anxious for several reasons to direct to it the attention of 

 Canadian Naturalists. We need not say here that Dr. Lawson, whilst 

 Professor at Queen's College, Kingston, made great exertions to pro- 

 mote Canadian botany, and that to him chiefly we owe the Botanical 

 Society of Canada, which, though not perhaps very fortunate in its 

 locality, and assuming too much in its origin, as if first promoting 

 botanical pursuits in Canada, was in many respects well devised, and 

 will, we hope, permanently promote and encourage a science which 

 well deserves the attention of the more cultivated portion of our 

 people. We wish it were extended to British North America, with 

 the various portions of which our intercourse may soon be greatly 

 facilitated, in which case Dr. LawsOn, in his new sphere of action 

 might continue to be amongst its most active members. All lovers of 

 science in Canada regret that his connection with this Province was 

 so soon broken, and heartily wish him success in his new field. The 

 paper which we now notice is in some respects more adapted for 



