Apbil 9, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



581 



more of tke structure and development of 

 these curious entomogenous fungi. About 

 twelve years ago he brought out "a stately 

 quarto volume of two hundred and forty-two 

 beautifully printed pages and twenty-six 

 plates crowded with six hundred and seventy- 

 two elegantly drawn figures," which the pres- 

 ent writer reviewed in the American Naturalist 

 (1897, p. 513). In this volume, which bore 

 the same title as the one now before us, 28 

 genera and 158 species were recognized. And 

 now in the second volume these niunbers are 

 increased to " more than fifty genera," and 

 " about five hundred species and varieties." 

 And we are told that since the completion of 

 the plates " considerably more than one him- 

 dred additional new species have already ac- 

 cumulated," of which it is the author's ex- 

 pectation to publish figures and descriptions 

 "with as little delay as possible." 



The present publication adds to our knowl- 

 edge of the structure of these plants in an 

 instructive introductory chapter. In a brief 

 and cautioua discussion of their relationship 

 Dr. Thaxter says: 



They are more surely Ascomycetes than many 

 forms included in this group, and the writer sees 

 no sufficient reason why they should not be placed 

 in the Pyrenomycetes, as a group coordinate with 

 Perisporiales, Hypocreales, etc. 



In the systematic portion of the work the 

 genera are arranged under two groups 

 (orders?) viz., (I.) Lahoulbeniineae, in which 

 the antheridia are composed of "specially 

 differentiated cells or groups of cells," and 

 (H.) the Cer atomy cetineae, in which the 

 antheridia are composed of " more or less un- 

 differentiated cells of the appendages or of 

 their branches." In the first three are two 

 families (?) viz., (1) Peyritschiellaceae (of 

 19 genera), with compound aatheridia, and 

 (2) Laboulbeniaceae (of 28 genera), with 

 simple antheridia. The second order (?), 

 which is composed of mostly aquatic plants, 

 contains eight genera. The 44 plates are, if 

 anything, better even than those in the previ- 

 ous volume, and enable one to get some idea 

 of the structure of these very curious plants. 



Dr. Thaxter asks his correspondents to com- 

 municate any additional material they may 



have, and it may be well to repeat here the 

 suggestions he made in his earlier contribu- 

 tion in regard to the collection and prepara- 

 tion of Laboidbeniaceae for study (pp. 

 248-249). 



The collection of Laboulbeniaceae involves little 

 more than the collection of a sufficient number of 

 the proper hosts, although their presence on the 

 latter is not always easy to ascertain in case of 

 the smaller forms. In so far as concerns the col- 

 lection of hosts my own experience . . . indicates 

 that the most favorable localities in which to 

 search for infested beetles is along the margins 

 of small streams or of ponds. . . . Traps deposited 

 in such situations, and made by raking together 

 a heap of decaying grass, algae, etc., often yield 

 large numbers of interesting specimens. Many 

 forms may also be obtained by leaving bundles of 

 hay or grass in cultivated ground for a few days 

 and examining them over a sheet. Water beetles 

 are in general best obtained by sweeping the 

 margins of ponds or ditches witn a dip-net. . . . 

 Having obtained a number of hosts which are 

 liable to be parasitized, it will be found that from 

 about five to fifty per cent, will bear parasites. 

 In order to obtain them for examination the host 

 should be killed and impaled on a fine needle, care 

 being taken that the surface of the insect re- 

 mains perfectly clean and dry, and then examined 

 over a dull white, and then over a black surface, 

 with a hand lens magnifying about eight or ten 

 diameters. . . . Every portion of the Insect should 

 be examined in different positions. . . . 



Here is an opportunity for botanical collect- 

 ors to exploit a new field near home, with the 

 probability that new species or new hosts may 

 be discovered. Any beetles on which these 

 minute plants are found should be carefully 

 packed, wet or dry, in clean cotton and sent to 

 Dr. Thaxter, Cryptogamic Laboratory, Har- 

 vard University, Cambridge, Mass. 



Charles E, Besset 



The Univeesity op Nebeaska 



The Loose Leaf System of Laboratory Notes.. 

 By Theo. H. Scheffer, A.M. Philadel- 

 phia, P. Blakistoa's Son & Company.. 

 1908. 



It fell to the lot of the present writer to 

 review in Science of December 28, 1906, the 

 first edition of this manual. The publishers 

 have recently issued a " second edition, re- 



