150 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXIX. No. 734 



their natural or planted range a height of at 

 least eight feet, and in diameter of not less 

 than two inches." This definition is not, 

 however, allowed to exclude unbranched 

 cactuses, yuccas and palms. The uniform 

 recapitalization of all specific names is greatly 

 to be commended, as also the clear tjTpe (of 

 two sizes) and the exact illustrations. Two 

 good maps of the region covered and a good 

 index complete this altogether admirable 

 publication. 



FUNGUS NOTES 



In a recent number of Bhodora (January, 

 1908) Dr. W. J. Earlow begins the publication 

 of " Notes on Fungi," which promise to yield 

 critical discussions of much value. He shows 

 that what has been known as Corticium tre- 

 mellinum var. reticulatum is in the first place 

 not a Oorticium, but a Tremella, and that the 

 variety is a distinct species, to be known here- 

 after as Tremella reticulata. He shows that 

 what has been known as Synchytrium plurian- 

 nulatum (a parasite in species of Sanicula) 

 is in reality Urophlyctis pluriannulatus, and 

 that a uredineous parasite of Bubus neglectus 

 and B. strigosus, hitherto known as, or con- 

 fused with, Phragmidium gracile is Puccini- 

 astrum arcticum var. americanum. He is 

 further of the opinion that the Pucciniastrum 

 on Potentilla hidentata is P. potentillae. 

 Further notes from this source will be eagerly 

 looked for by mycologists. 



In Anruiles Mycologici (V., No. Y, 190Y) 

 Professor F. L. Stevens figures and describes 

 " Some Eemarkable Nuclear Structures in 

 Synchytrium." The paper is a record of 

 facts, and the author does not attempt to base 

 any conclusions upon what he has yet seen. 

 Other recent fungus papers by the same 

 author are " An Apple Eot due to Volutella " 

 and a "List of New York Fungi" in the 

 March and May numbers of the Journal of 

 Mycology (1907), and " The Chrysanthemum 

 Eay Blight " in the Botanical Gazette (Oc- 

 tober, 1907). The fungus which causes the 

 ray blight on the chrysanthemum appears to 

 be new and is described as Ascochyta chry- 

 santhemi. 



Heinrich Hasselbring's paper on " The 



Carbon Assimilation of Penicillium " in the 

 Botanical Gazette for March, 1908, is a con- 

 tribution to our knowledge of the chemistry of 

 the assimilation of some of the simpler com- 

 poundis by plants. Among the results noted is 

 the fact that " alcohol, acetic acid and the sub- 

 stances from which the acetic acid radicle 

 CHjCOO — • is easily derived are assimilated 

 by Penicellium glaucum." 



Mention should be made here of Scott and 

 Eorer's paper " Apple Leaf -spot caused by 

 Sphaeropsis malorum" in Bulletin 121 of the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry of the U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture; of W. H. Lawrence's 

 record of " Some Imported Plant Diseases of 

 Washington," in Bulletin 83 of the Oregon 

 Experiment Station, and Cook and Home's 

 " Insects and Diseases of the Orange," in 

 Bulletin 9 of Estacion Central Agronomiea 

 de Cuba. 



Here also may be mentioned Professor 

 Harshberger's paper " A Grass-killing Slime 

 Mould " in the Proceedings of the American 

 Philosophical Society, Vol. XLV., recording a 

 case in which the Plasmodia of Physarum 

 cinereum killed the blades of grass over which 

 they had grown. 



Chaeles E. Bessey 



The UNrvEESiTT of Nebraska 



SPECIAL ARTICLES 



SOME REMARKS ON THE CULTURE OF EASTERN 

 NEAR-ARCTIC INDIANS 



During the past summer, 1908, the writer 

 undertook an ethnological expedition into the 

 James Bay region of Canada, for the Depart- 

 ment of Anthropology of the American Mu- 

 seum of Natural History of New York. The 

 original intention was to journey to Moose 

 Factory and thence to the eastern coast of the 

 bay, touching at Eupert's House, Eastmain 

 Eiver and, perhaps. Fort George, at which 

 posts it was supposed access might possibly 

 be had to the Naskapi Indians of Labrador, 

 who, it was thought, might come down to these 

 points during the summer, for the purpose of 

 trade. On arriving at Moose Factory, it was 

 learned that the Naskapi could not be reached 

 via the west coast of Labrador, usually known 



