Botany. 431 



rocks. The book is illustrated and is a thoroughly readable book 

 for general students interested in the scientific discussions of the 

 day. 



III. Botany. 



1. Flora of Mount Desert Island, Maine, A Preliminary 

 Catalogue of the plants growing on Mount Desert and the adja- 

 cent Islands / by Edward L. Rand and John H. Redfield. 

 Cambridge: John Wilson & Son. 1894. — The territory covered 

 by this catalogue possesses no special botanical interest except 

 that which attaches to its proximity to the sea, and to the reten- 

 tion of some of the characteristic glacial plants. But these two 

 features have attracted the attention of a group of assiduous 

 explorers who now embody in this convenient and pleasing vol- 

 ume some of the results of their studies. , 



With the exception of the Fungi and some other Cryptogams, 

 the catalogue is considered by the authors to represent fairly the 

 existing knowledge regarding the species in their limits. The 

 authors have had the assistance of collaborators who have worked 

 up special genera, and they have made extensive use of local notes 

 of a trustworthy character contributed by many observers. To 

 add to the value of the handbook, an interesting article by Prof. 

 W. M. Davis, on the geology of the region, has been given. 

 This article is remarkable for its vigorous and attractive style. 



At the outset, the authors declare their position with respect 

 to proposed changes in nomenclature. After expressing the 

 belief in which all must share, that a catalogue ought to be made 

 as useful as possible to all who employ it, the joint authors waive 

 certain personal preferences and adopt substantially the names as 

 given in Gray's Manual. They then state with great force their 

 reasons for not accepting the so-called Rochester and Madison 

 codes. These reasons are essentially two : (1) these codes do 

 not in themselves possess elements of permanency, and (2) they 

 disregard the principle that ex post facto legislation is inherently 

 wrong. As a clear and judicial charge to the jury of botanists 

 who have not yet prejudged the case, the communication made 

 by the authors of the catalogue may be cordially commended. 



G. L. G. 



2. Researches in regard to the respiration of Muscinece. — B. 

 Jonsson (Comptes rendus, 20 Aug., 1894). — The following is a 

 summary of the results. In mosses there is a wide range of varia- 

 tion as regards the intensity of respiration and chlorophylline 

 assimilation, and this variation depends largely on the content of 

 water. Specimens of the same species taken from a very wet 

 place emitted more gas than did those selected from dry places. 

 Reddish color diminishes both respiration and the activity of 

 assimilation. G. l. g. 



3. On the Constitution of the Atmosphere (Comptes rendus, 20 

 Aug., 1894). — T. L. Phipson adds further suggestions to his 



