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genus Bryum. In his opinion we have thirty-eight native species, 

 of which thirteen are described in the present part. A comparison 

 with Hobkirk's Synopsis (Ed. ii.) yields the following results. B. 

 gemmiparum retains specific rank. At the time of preparing the 

 plates, Dr. Braithwaite had referred it to B. aljrinum {cf. Jameson, 

 Illustrated Guide, p. 69), but upon subsequent reflection he found it 

 to be nearer to B. Muehlenbeckii. "It is substantially a plant of the 

 Mediterranean region," and to the best of our knowledge is quite 

 sterile in this country. B. Schleicheri var. latifolium is shown to be 

 a variety of B. turbinatum. B. cyclophyllum Br. et Sch., recorded 

 from the Grampians by the Rev. J. Ferguson, is an addition, as is 

 also the rare Cornish species B. juliforme Schimp., which belongs 

 to the section Sclerodictyon described in Part xiv. B. obconicum is 

 held to be not specifically distinct from the variable B. capiUare, and 

 accordingly takes rank as a variety. Similarly, B. origanum is 

 united with the very variable B. pallens. The genus Bartramidula 

 is suppressed, and its only species, B. Wilsoni, is transferred to the 

 section Philonotula of the genus Philonotis, which appears to be a 

 sufficiently natural position for it. Bryologists will view with regret 

 the disappearance of such familiar names as Bryum roseim, Bar- 

 tramia Ualleriana, and Breutelia arcuata. Dr. Braithwaite follows the 

 practice of maintaining the oldest specific designation irrespective 

 of genus, and it is in accordance with this that these names 

 disappear. This hardly applies, however, to the restoration of 

 Bryum proliferum Sibth. (1794) in place of the prior name B. roseum 

 Schreb. (1771). Linnaeus is the only author who used the name 

 proliferum, and he used it only as a varietal name. He called the 

 plant Mnium serpyllifolium y. proliferum. The other two cases are 

 awkward changes in the light of the fact that Bartramia Halleriana 

 Hedw. and Breutelia arcuata Schimp. were the names employed by 

 the authors of the two generic names, and have been almost 

 universally adopted ever since. Bartramia and Breutelia contained 

 each but a single constituent species, to wit, the two plants in 

 question. Each case, however, can readily be tested with the help 

 of the carefully dated bibliography supplied with each species. 



In conclusion, attention may be called to Dr. Braithwaite's note 

 on p. 212, as to the valuable character afforded by the form of the 

 bracts of the male infloresence for the discrimination of closely 

 allied species of Philonotis. A. G. 



La Conquete du monde vegetal. Par Louis Boubdeau. Paris: Felix 

 Alcan. 1893. 8vo, pp. 374. 

 M. Boubdeau has undertaken, and has gone some way towards 

 accomplishing, a herculean labour which few writers of the present 

 day would have attempted. This is no less than a history of the 

 development of the useful arts in eight octavo volumes. The 

 volume before us is the third of these, and judging from it M. 

 Bourdeau seems admirably equipped for his task. Though he 

 nowhere exhibits the critical discrimination in botanical matters 

 of a DeCandolle, he has consulted a multitude of authorities and 



