502 Scientific Intelligence. 



Dr. Hillebrand's death occurred shortly after the first proofs 

 had been received and corrected, so that the task devolved upon 

 his family of presenting to the world this Flora as a memorial. 

 The task was one of considerable difficulty, inasmuch as certain 

 portions of the treatise had been left in a form which appeared 

 to demand modification. The work has, however, been most 

 skillfully done, and reflects credit on the judgment, learning 

 and good taste of those to whom it was entrusted. In the face 

 of serious difficulties the undertaking has been carried through 

 to a successful completion. 



The descriptive part comprises the flowering plants and the 

 vascular cryptogams ; 884 species of the former, distributed 

 through 335 genera, and 155 species of vascular cryptogams, in 

 30 genera. It is thought that 115 species of the above enumer- 

 ations have been introduced since the discovery of the islands by 

 Cook in 1779. Concerning the geographical relations of the 

 islands and their general features, the lamented author has given 

 a clear and concise account, and he has added some comparisons 

 of the vegetation with that of other countries. The most striking 

 point is the number of varieties in all the leading genera. The 

 occurrence of these varieties is a source of embarrassment to the 

 systematist, but it affords abundant material for the biologist who 

 seeks to determine the range of variation in recent times. The 

 attempt to discriminate between the species connected thus 

 by innumerable intermediate forms has resulted in giving us a 

 work which is unique. The author says : " the descriptions will 

 be found to suffer from want of brevity, of terseness, which the 

 student is inclined to expect in a work of this kind. As an apology 

 I can only plead that my constant endeavor has been to be faith- 

 ful to nature, that I have thought necessary in order to bring out 

 the general transitions from one form to another to enter upon 

 characters which often are considered of small importance." But 

 no apology is needed. The descriptions though not brief are not 

 prolix. Moreover, in the case of larger genera, analytical keys 

 with emphasis on the more obvious characters, make the treatise 

 an easy one to use. 



To the volume is prefixed the sketch of Botany which was 

 employed by Mr. Bentham in his British and Colonial Floras. 



From the author's notes, which though somewhat fragmentary, 

 have been wisely added with little if any change, we take the 

 following statements : " Nature here luxuriates in formative 

 energy. Is it because the islands offer a great range of conditions 

 of life ? Or is it because the leading genera are in their age of 

 manhood, of greatest vigor ? Or is it because the number of 

 types which here come into play is limited, and therefore the area 

 offered to their development comparatively great and varied ?" 



Such suggestive questions as these are scattered throughout 

 Dr. Hillebrand's preliminary paper; similar enquiries arise when 

 one examines almost any page of this work, which is his monu- 

 ment. G. L. G. 



