37 



suggests that the interpretation in terms of unit factors may be 

 a rather gross analysis. 



A. B. S. 



Two works have just appeared of interest to taxonomiscs and 

 some other botanists. The last supplement of Index Kewensis 

 brings this indispensable work down to the end of 1910, and in- 

 cludes citations to thousands of species and near species described 

 during the four years that have elapsed since the previous 

 supplement. There are more than two thousand species of 

 Hieracium cited, and as to Crataegus and other prolific genera 

 an equally astonishing number of new names are listed. A new 

 departure is the failure to italicize what the authors of the work 

 consider untenable names, in the present volume, although they 

 have indicated their preferences in this regard. 



A supplement has also been issued by Dr. Carl Christensen, 

 of the Index Filicum. 



N. T. 



NEWS ITEMS 



We quote in part, from the following letter of Dr. E. D. Merrill 

 in regard to the death of Dr. C. B. Robinson, noted in Torreya 

 for January: "Dr. Robinson was murdered on December 5, 1913, 

 about 8 miles from the town of Amboina by six Mohammedan 

 natives of the island of Boeton. The island of Amboina is 

 entirely pacific, and there has been absolutely nothing to fear 

 from the inhabitants of that island. Dr. Robinson's voluminous 

 progress reports make no mention whatever of any difficulties 

 with the natives, and the idea that harm might result has never 

 been entertained by ourselves in Manila, by Dr. Robinson him- 

 self, or by the Dutch officials in Amboina. The coincidence of 

 these six Mohammedans coming from the distant island of 

 Boeton, their meeting with Dr. Robinson on one of his botanical 

 excursions, and his resulting murder were matters that could 

 not be foreseen and could not be guarded against. . . . The results 



