MUTATION ET TRAUMATISMES 201 
ScILLA ENSIFOLIA, comb. n 
Drimia ensifolia Bok. i in. we Afr. Quart. Journ. 1. 364 (1830). 
D. Ludwigit Mig. in Bull. Sc. Phys. Néerl. 1839, "39. 
Idothea ? Ludwigit Kunth Enum. iv. 681 (1843). 
Scilla Ludivigie Baker in Saunders Refug. Bot. iii., appen nd. 
9 (1870); in Journ. Linn. Soc. xiii, 248 (1872) ; and in Fl. 
Cap. vi. 488 (1897).—JAMEs BRITTEN. 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
Mutation et Trawmatismes: Etude sur lV Evolution des Formes 
végétales. By L. Seamer: 8vo, pp. 228. 8 plates. 
Price 10 fr. Alcan, Par 
THis is a very import ork on experimental teratology, 
shaidistesteed by com phat sees thoroughness, and careful 
carrying out of detailed experimentation. It is an extension of 
much of the work of De Vries on the same subject. The treatise 
satis 
The { first part consists of a Sime oe of the causes 
biota provoke abnormal changes xual organs of the 
The same t: of chi sts wed ltiar rved to occur in bot 
the male panicle and the female “spike.” Variations in the mode 
of nutrition oo growth as the result of the application of artificial 
i he direct cause of the changes. Asa result of the 
latter, the Jorerfrea characters of the male and female inflores- 
m 
the nature of the eventual development of which can be determined 
the nature of the injury applied. os lattes consisted in 
transverse and longitudinal cutting, and torsion of the stem suffi- 
ciently violent to involve the death of a considerable number of 
plants. e number of abnormal plants was in direct: ee ea 
to the degree of seccnsbasicat It was also found that the period at 
whieh mutilation was applied is an important factor. The later the 
period at which the injury (e.9., eutting off the main axis) is made, 
the more pronounced is the change of sex w hich is induced ; the 
a it is made, the ves feebly is the abnormal change mani- 
es 
The second part contains an exposé of the facts which show 
that pom beloagitis to many widely different species behave in 
the same general way as does the Maize under traumatic amet 
ment. Forced adaptation to scoot mana conditions as a result 
of excision or torsion of the main axis of the plant is the a 
laciniate leaves, virescence of floral members, &e. I was _per- 
sonally pleased to find that the author affords a rational explana- 
