186 _ SOME BOOKS ON GRASSES. 
So far as Mr. Hodgson’s own observations are concerned—his 
references to local names and uses, and the incidental information 
by which he is enabled to throw light upon the introduction or dis- 
ey of certain plants—the book is, as we have said, both 
seful and interesting. He has given us an excellent biographical 
aa eretietion, which, like Mr. Goodechild’s seni on the Soils of 
Cumberland, is of just the right length. The bibliographical refer- 
ences are sais satisfactory ; ; and the proofs might have been more 
earefully read. The printers have, for some reason, almost invari- 
ably used a small instead of a capital initial for. generic names 
when occurring incidentally in the text; and there are puzzling 
abbreviations, such as ‘‘ Web. ex-P.” as the authority for Ranunculus 
heterophyilus ; the oddest slip i is Piet ‘« Mentha requiem,” for M 
Requienii. Mr. Hodgson’s volume, which is arranged in accord- 
ance with the ei hth edition of the London Catalogue, will find a 
place on the shelves of all those who collect British Floras; and 
nb dagh it will not take rank among the best examples of that 
class of Seatainae: it goes some way towards supplying a gap in our 
list. Had the author, when dealing with certain groups of plants, 
consulted those authorities who are always Ww sige to impart to 
produced a more satisfactory ‘bh: iS jen Hoseean, 
Some Booxs on GRassEs. 
A Manual of the. Grasses of New South Wales. By J. H. Mawen. 
-  Byo, pp. 199, with 20 plates. Sydney: ‘Guilick. 1898. 
Price 4s. 6d. 3 
Synopsis der se Aa aE Flora, Von P. Ascuerson & P. 
GrarBy Lief. 6, 1898; Lief. 7, 1899. Leipzig: Engel- 
mann. Price 2 m. na part. 
Graminées. Descriptions, figures et usages des Graminées, spontanées et 
cultivées, de re Belgique, Iles Britanniques, : uisse. Par 
usnot. Livr.3. Folio, pp. 49-72, tt. 18-24. Cahan : 
ice 6s. 
THE paper-covered book on New South Wales Grasses, by Mr. 
J. H. Maiden, Government Botanist and Director of the Botanic 
Gardens, Sydney, is a Government publication issued by authority 
of e Minister for Mines and Agriculture. It is gre 
experience ae a cea tings of practical agrostologists. Thus 
copious references occur to such works as Duthie’s Hodder Grasses 
of Northern India, F. M. Bailey’s Monograph of Queensland Grasses, 
Vasey’s Agricultural Grasses of the United States, and others. 
