September 18, 1903.] 



SCIENCE. 



375 



Tliis line of separation is supported l)y tlio 

 arj^uiuents of Strasburger, but even Stras- 

 l)\irger has been known to chanjro his opiuions. 

 To begin the gametophyte with the germina- 

 ting spore certainly gives us a nnioh clearer 

 conception of the alternation of generations. 



Tlie history of the megasporangiuin is like- 

 wise terminated by the formation of the 

 mother-cells, for their division is a reduction 

 division, which is used as the basis of separa- 

 tion of sporophyte and gametophyte. 



In the history of the male gametophyte tlie 

 view that the tube-cell is the antheridium wall 

 that develops a tubular outgrowth, ' while the 

 generative cell and its products is the sperma- 

 togenous part of the antheridium ' is given 

 the preference. A careful reading of the 

 i-hapter on the female gametophyte shows that 

 the germination of the megaspore and forma- 

 tion of the gametophyte is not such a uni- 

 form process as most of our standard texts 

 describe. In dealing with fertilization, 

 * double fertilization ' is given due prominence, 

 and the authors object to the use of the term 

 as they consider it far from established that 

 a real fertilization takes place; hence they 

 jirefer to speak of it as ' triple fusion.' The 

 <lisputed centrosome question is touched upon 

 and the authors' views may perhaps be gained 

 from the following quotation : ' To say that 

 all the figures that have been drawn have been 

 mere products of the imagination would be a 

 radical statement and one doubtless very far 

 from the truth.' In the discussion of the en- 

 (losperm its morphological character is touched 

 ui)on, and while its exact nature is not con- 

 sidered established, the view that it is ' belated 

 vegetative tissue of the female gametophyte, 

 stimulated in a general way to develop by 

 the act of fertilization,' is held as the most 

 probable, although the possibility that it is a 

 second sporophyte is admitted. Partheno- 

 genesis and polyembryony are treated in the 

 chapter on the embryo, and recent investiga- 

 tions seem to indicate that both are much more 

 common than was formerly supposed. 



In connection with each chapter there is a 

 bibliography of the most important literature. 

 An idea of the number of original papers 

 consulted may be gained from the literature 



cited in the chapter on the female gameto- 

 pii.vte, which includes 122 separate articles. 

 The masterly way in which the vast amount 

 of chaotic nuiterial has been handled is a 

 conuuendable feature of the work, and we are 

 inclined to thinlv that the authors of some of 

 our standard texts might consult it with 

 proiit. 



Several chapters are given on classifica- 

 tion, and it is encouraging to note that the 

 authors have not found it necessary to develop 

 a classification of their own but have been 

 contented to adoiJt the classification of Engler 

 anil Prantl as given in ' Die Naturlichen 

 PHaiizenfamilien,' as ' the best expression of 

 o\ir present knowledge, as applied to the whole 

 of the Angiosperms.' The fact that ' this 

 has not been pressed to the dreary details of 

 minor groups,' but that general principles have 

 been emphasized, makes these chapters of 

 special value to the morphologist. 



Separate chapters are given to geographic 

 distribution, fossil Angiosperms and phylogeny 

 of Angiosperms. The work closes with two 

 chapters on the comparative anatomy of Gym- 

 nosperms and Angiosperms contributed by 

 Professor E. C Jeffrey, of Harvard Univer- 

 sity. Only a brief outline of the subject is 

 attempted and perhaps some students will 

 feel that a more extended treatment would 

 have been advisable. 



The whole work is illustrated with some- 

 thing over a hundred figures taken in large 

 part from the original articles cited. The 

 book is an admirable presentation of the sub- 

 ject and should be in the hands of every work- 

 ing botanist. F. D. IIe.\ld. 



University of Nebraska. 



IXVESTIOATIONfi IN PHOGRESH AT THE 

 imiYERfilTY OF CBICAOO* 



In a former Convocation Statement I en- 

 deavored to point out in a general way that the 

 officers of the University were engaged very 

 directly and earnestly in the prosecution of 

 special investigations. It was my purpose 

 to show that a great share of the strength of 

 the University was given to research and in- 



* From the last quarterly statement of Presi- 

 dent Harper. 



