252 



and is written by Fred K. Butters. It is based on observations 

 made in the dense coniferous forests of that region during four 

 summers spent in the vicinity of the Minnesota Seaside Station. 

 Thirteen species of conifers are known to occur spontaneously 

 on the island, none of them being endemic. The author dis- 

 cusses their distribution and associations, and adds technical de- 

 scriptions of families, genera, and species, and keys to the genera. 

 A peculiarity of the taxonomy is that the genus Abies is taken 

 in the broad ancient sense of Tournefort and Adanson and in- 

 cludes the Picca, Tsuga, and Pscndotsiiga of nearly all modern 

 writers. The relationships of these groups are so complicated 

 that their recognition as genera is considered unsatisfactory. 



The third paper is by Alexander W. Evans and is on the 

 " Hepaticae of Vancouver Island." The first Hepaticae known 

 from the island appear to have been those collected by Dr. David 

 Lyall in 1858 and 1859. Later, important collections were made 

 at three different times by Professor John Macoun and smaller 

 ones by Dr. G. W. Dawson, Professor William Trelease, and 

 Mr. J. M. Macoun, and in the summers of 1901, 1902, and 

 1903, further collections were secured in the vicinity of the Sea- 

 side Station at Port Renfrew by Miss Gertrude Gibbs, Mr. S. A. 

 Skinner, and Miss Daisy Hone, respectively. These last-named 

 collections were studied by Professor Evans and included two 

 species elsewhere described as new under the names Odonto- 

 scJnsvia Gibhsiac and Scapania aiiicricaiia. The list which the 

 author now gives embraces seventy-one species, this being an. 

 increase of fourteen over the number recognized for Vancou- 

 ver Island in Macoun's " Catalogue of Canadian Plants," after 

 making allowances for some necessary revisions in Macoun's 

 list. 



The fourth paper of the series is on " Some Western Helvel- 

 lineae," by D. S. Hone. This is based on specimens collected 

 in the western United States and Canada during various expeditions 

 to the Minnesota Seaside Station. Seven species are mentioned 

 and described, representing the genera SpatJiularia, Mitinla, 

 Qidonia, Rhizinia, Helvclla, and Gyromitra, none of the species 

 being regarded as new. 



