318 THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 



recognized is two hundred and seventy-four; and these are grouped 

 in seventy-three genera. SimpUfied keys to the genera and species 

 are provided ; and the work of identifying specimens is further 

 facihtated by the use of itahcs for emphasizing the most important 

 characters in the descriptions, and by the supplementary notes 

 appended to the species. 



The book is a companion volume to Mr. Dixon's well-known 

 Students' Handbook of British Mosses, wdth the difference that 

 the illustrations are intercalated with their respective species in 

 the text, and not grouped on plates at the end of the W'Ork. These 

 illustrations give for each species the habit, leaf-shape, areolation 

 and other distinctive characters. They are reproduced from 

 drawings by the Rev. H. G. Jameson, whose accurate draughtsman- 

 ship has been well knowm since the publication of his Illustrated 

 Key to the British Mosses. It is interesting to note (p. 89) that 

 the key to the Jungermanniacese Acrogynse was arranged by 

 Mr. Jameson. 



The descriptions are written on a uniform plan and are 

 evidently based upon a thorough knowledge of the genera and 

 species. The wide grasp which Mr. Macvicar has of the subject 

 is further shown by the illuminating notes appended to all the 

 species and to some of the genera. These provide practically an 

 epitome of all that is knowm of the species, their affinities, distribu- 

 tion, &c. — all in the clearest language and in an interesting form. 



To sum up, British botanists have good reason to congratulate 

 themselves upon possessing in their o\vn language two model 

 handbooks — Mr. Dixon's Mosses and Mr. Macvicar's Hepatics — 

 elaborated by experts on similar lines, with thorough workman- 

 ship and in the clearest fashion. Books such as these cannot fail 

 to give a powerful stimulus to the study of their subject. That 

 is what Mr. Dixon's book is doing, and what Mr. Macvicar's will 

 do. And just as Mr. Dixon's has received a hearty welcome in 

 North America and on the Continent, so, too, wall Mr. Macvicar's ; 

 indeed, the latter may possibly find a still bigger demand, inas- 

 much as the need of an adequate book on the Hepatics is so 

 pressing. 



It is to be regretted that the intercalation of the illustrations 

 in Mr. Macvicar's text has led to the use of a paper wdth so heavily 

 mineralized a surface. The book is thereby rendered uncomfort- 

 ably w^eighty, and would be burdensome if taken into the field. 

 Perhaps in a future edition it may be found possible to substitute 

 a lighter and purer paper, heavily rolled to produce the smooth 

 surface requisite for the illustrations. * ^ 



Die Orchidaceen von Dcutsch-Neu-Ouinea. Von De. Rud. 



ScHLECHTEE. Heft 1-7, 8vo, pp. 1-560. Fedde, Reper- 



torium, Beiheft. Bd. i. Berlin : Wilmersdorf. 1911-12. 



De. Schlechtee's botanical exploration of German New 



Guinea, or Kaiser Wilhelm's Land, has produced a wonderful 



harvest so far as Orchids are concerned. His systematic account 



