45 



tions end and the less reliable remarks of the author commence. 

 As a work intended for practical use it is a clumsy product of the 

 bookmaker's art * as wretchedly adapted to its purposes as any 

 botanical work that the past century produced. 



The other two works however are the ones between which the 

 mycophagic public will be more likely to choose, for at this pub- 

 lic it is evident that their respective authors have clearly aimed. 

 Of the two, Professor Atkinson's work f is more technical, for it 

 is not easy for the professional botanist to lay aside the techni- 

 calities of his office in appealing to a popular audience. Yet a 

 mixture of too technical science and recipes for cooking jars one's 

 sensibilities of congruity, seeming to bring the kitchen in too 

 close proximity to the laboratory. The work is admirably illus- 

 trated with photographs in half-tone and seven colored plates. 

 The cover ill accords with the contents and the paper used is of 

 the glossy clay-covered form so common in our time, which 

 serves to bring out the halftones well, but ill comports with fine 

 bookmaking and lessens the prospect of durability. The descrip- 

 tions are very complete and accurate, giving details that were 

 evidently drawn from long and close acquaintance with the speci- 

 mens in their native haunts. 



The work by Miss Marshall { is a practical well-written text 

 shorn, as far as possible, of technicalities, prepared to accompany 

 reproductions of what are without question the finest series of 

 fungus photographs that have been produced. These were made 

 by Mr. J. A. Anderson, of Lambertville, New Jersey, and colored 



* In quoting titles of books hitherto it has usually been sufficient to mention the 

 superficial area of the cover. As these works ought to be such that they can be used 

 afield, it is thought desirable to add the third dimension so that bulk may be com- 

 puted, as well as the important consideration of weight. 



f Atkinson. Studies of American Fungi. Mushrooms, edible, poisonous, etc. 

 io X 6.5 X x m - Pp- vi -}- 2 75- Illustrated with 223 figures, 76 of them full-page 

 plates, seven colored. Weight, 38.5 oz. Andrus & Church, Ithaca. 1900. Price, 

 $3.00. Reviews of this book by its own author appear in Science, 23 N. 1900, and 

 in Popular Science Monthly, F. 190 1. 



\ Marshall. The Mushroom Book. A popular Guide to the Identification and 

 Study of our commoner Fungi with special Emphasis on the edible Varieties. 1 1 X 8 

 X 1-25 in. Pp. xxvi -f- 167. Illustrated with forty eight full-page plates, twenty four 

 of them in colors, and numerous text illustrations. Weight, 42 oz. Doubleday, 

 Page & Co., New York. 1901. Price, $3.00. 



