82 Scientific Intelligence. 



still further, Mer anther idiees and Holantheridi'ees. After point- 

 ing out the slight inadequacy or, perhaps, inappropriateness of 

 these latter terms, the author proceeds to a consideration of the 

 place which Gymnosperms occupy in the order of development. 

 It is at this point that he states unequivocally his belief that it is 

 incorrect to regard Gymnosperms as standing lower in the scale 

 than the Angiosperms. For his reasons we must refer the reader 

 to the memoir. 



On page 924 is given a synoptical table of the highest inter- 

 est. In this the Seminees are exhibited in their new relations, 

 and here the strangest collocations result- One feels, in looking 

 at them, much as he does in reviewing Agardh's pages in which 

 Lentibidarieoe, Droseracece, JVepenthece, Cephalotece, etc., are 

 brought near together. The Monocotyledons (with the exception 

 of the excluded Graminece) stand next to Nymphazaceoe, and so 

 on. Without a transfer of the table itself to our pages, it would 

 be useless to dwell on the singular and suggestive juxtapositions 

 and parallelisms. One lays down the treatise with the convic- 

 tion that the author has done a great service in calling attention 

 once more to the too much neglected field of embryogeny and 

 correlated development. 



While examining Professor van Tieghem's interesting treatise, 

 it is impossible to avoid thinking of the difficulties which beset 

 his classification, on palaeontological grounds, and also, of the excep- 

 tions which occur at different points. Among these exceptions 

 are some which the author candidly calls attention to, such as the 

 genus Helleborus in JRamaicidacece, Lupinus in Leguminosw, etc. 

 The fact that these genera, which have plants with ovules pos- 

 sessing only one integument, belong at present in Natural Orders 

 characterized by ovules with two integuments, is extremely inter- 

 esting, and should lead to a reinvestigation of the plants in ques- 

 tion with a view to ascertaining whether they may not possess 

 temporarily the missing integument. Many such inquiries will 

 naturally suggest themselves. 



As a necessary conclusion of his work, Professor van Tieghem 

 insists that structural characters drawn from the corolla and the 

 relations of the pistil to the verticils of the flower are generally 

 invoked too early in the systematic classification of Phanerogams. 

 He thinks these have their place only after more important matters 

 have been settled ; and these questions he finds in the ovule, 

 seed and fruit. g. l. g. 



IY. Miscellaneous Scientific Intelligence. 



1. On the Cause of Secondary TTndidations Registered on 

 Tide Gauges. — In connection with the observations described in 

 the article on the " Seiches V of the Bay of Fundy, by A. W. 

 Duff, in the May number of this Journal, it is interesting to note 

 that a paper was read by Napier Denison, of the Toronto 

 Observatory, before the Canadian Institute, on January 16th, on 

 the secondary undulations found upon self-recording tide gauges. 



