146 



REVIEWS 



West and West's Monograph of British Desmidiaceae. Vol. Ill* 



In their third volume of the British Desmidiaceae, W. and G. 

 S. West have nearly completed the genus Cosniariiini, fifty spe- 

 cies of which were already taken up in the latter part of volume 

 two. In this third volume one hundred and seventy three spe- 

 cies with their several varieties are taken up and illustrated by 

 thirty plates (65—95), partly colored. The general plan of the 

 earlier volumes is followed : synonymy, description, distribution, 

 and general notes under each species. One new species, Cos- 

 mariiini entochondruni, is described, also thirteen new varieties. 

 In addition several new forms are described and a number of 

 changes of rank and position made. 



The figures are excellently drawn and in many cases show 

 front, vertical, side, and basal views of the same specimen. The 

 colored figures show the arrangement of the chloroplasts and 

 pyrenoids in a number of species. In a very few cases varia- 

 tions of ornamentation are definitely shown. 



The volume shows our great lack of knowledge of the sexual 

 phases of the life history in this group, the number of species 

 with zygospores being but i 5 per cent, of the total and in some 

 of these the zygospores are not mature. In a group as variable 

 as the Desmidiaceae this lack of the sexual characters is all the 

 more felt in determining the true relationships of apparently very 

 similar forms. 



This volume will do much to help the study of this genus, 

 which has been difficult on account of the great number of spe- 

 cies and the scattered literature. 



Joseph A. Cushman 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE CLUB 



May II, 1909 



The meeting was held at the American Museum of Natural 

 History with Vice-president Barnhart in the chair. Ten persons 

 were present. 



* West, W. and West, G. S. Monograph of British Desmidiaceae. Vol. III. 

 1908. Ray Society. Dulau and Co., London. 



