Geology and Natural History. 473 
fri 
Islands, and sec analy in the Malayan perce terion ” But t 
search for original ere ei as he intimates, leads only througlt 
hazardous conjectures into t obscurity. Our notice is con- 
fined to the few prefatory ‘adie: on account of their general in- 
terest. As to the monograph itself, it is a model, in —— and 
substance. The nominative specific characters make vag 
orable presentation of that mode. Still, where cent 
important, the single sentence and the ‘prevalent ablative case 
A. G 
10. Flora of British Satie, ‘by J. D. Hooker, C.B., etc., 
assisted by various botanists, Vol. I, pp. 740, 8vo. Reeve & 
Co., London. 1872-1875.—The third part, issued at the close of 
the past winter, brings this important work up to the close of the 
own hands, is otherwise mainly the work of three or four English 
della bees chia who have been enlisted in it, Messrs. Bennett, Hiern, 
and Lawson, and also Dr. Masters, the latter a botanist of no 
little experience. ‘The a botanists at all capable of this 
kind of work are few; accessions _ the number are heartily to 
be welcomed. By their ides under Dr. Hooker’s efficient — 
Vision, we may hope that this st undertaking will - fe uly 
carried through. 
Migrs, On the Lecythidacee.—A splendid memoir, ey 64 
pages and 33 plates, large quarto, forming the second part of the 
30th volume of the Transactions of the Linnean Societ ety, ote a 
wonderful piece wed work for a man of Mr. Miers’ great a: He 
r he Lecythide 
pendent order. The plates illustrate the floral structure ‘of the 
twelve genera which the author recognizes, and the fruits of most 
of them. It is a remarkably interesting group, consisting of huge 
trees, all tropical American, with singular flowers and large woody 
ke seeds, 0: 
which Brazil-nuts (from Bertholletia excelsa) and Sapucaia-nuts 
from a species of Lecythis) are well-known examples. Few botan- 
ists have had the opportunity of properly studying these noble 
plants, and no one has devoted to them so much nssmeaibe as fe 
veteran Miers. 
“12. 
