THE ORIGIN OF FLORAL STRUCTURES. 313 



Helianthemum polifolium Pers. in N. Somerset. — As this very 

 rare plant lias been regarded hitherto as exclusively confined in 

 N. Somerset to the southern slopes of Brean Down, it may, perhaps, 

 be worth recording that I have found it plentifully during the 

 present month (Sept.) at another locality in the same vice-county, 

 namely, Purn Hill, Bleadon, an elevation of the carboniferous 

 limestone situated inland at a distance of between two and three 

 miles from Brean Down, and to the S.E. of that promontory. 

 Considering the extremely-narrow limits previously assigned to 

 this species in N. Somerset, its abundant occurrence at Bleadon 

 marks a somewhat important extension of its range. — David Fry. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



if 



By 



the Bev. George Henslow. Kegan Paul, Trench & Co. 8vo, 

 pp. xx. 350. Price 5s. 



This last volume of the International Scientific Series is of 

 much interest to English botanists for several reasons. It will 

 help them to see, for one thing, what a misnomer is the popular 

 term " Darwinism," when used as absolutely convertible with 

 "Evolution." It is not sufficiently recognised by those who use the 

 word in this crude fashion, that there is an increasing number of 

 men of science who are thorough evolutionists, and who yet reject 

 partially or wholly many of the most important Darwinian hypo- 

 theses. Professor Henslow, for example, is a well-known upholder 

 of the principle of evolution ; but in the present work he vehe- 

 mently combats two of the theories which are most closely asso- 

 ciated with the great name of Darwin. Asa Gray wrote in 1874, 

 11 The aphorism, 'Nature abhors close fertilisation,' and the demon- 

 stration of the principle, belong to our age and to Mr. Darwin. To 

 have originated this, and also the principle of Natural Selection, . . . 

 and to have applied these principles to the system of nature, in such 

 a manner as to make, within a dozen years, a deeper impression 

 u Pon natural history than has been made since Linnaeus, is ample 

 title for one man's fame." The two principles here selected as 

 ■Darwin's chief titles to fame are in the work before us severely 

 criticised. In Chap. xxxi. Prof. Henslow sums up the arguments 

 which he had brought forward on various previous occasions in sup- 

 Port of the belief that self-fertilisation is per se in no wise injurious. 

 * he facts that he adduces are weighty and well arranged, the obser- 

 vations by Messrs. Forbes, Ridley, and Veitch, on the self-ferti- 

 lisation of Orchids, being of special interest and value. In Chap. 

 **xii Natural Selection itself is boldly attacked. Prof. Henslow 

 points out that in the case of plants, the "struggle for life is 

 Mainly during the early period of growth, before any varietal or 

 specific characters of the flowers have put in an appearance at all;" 

 and he asks, if that is so, how can a plant be selected " because it 

 uassouie floral structure more appropriate than others." He regards, 



