346 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [VoL. XXXIII. 
fused to be of much significance to a beginner. A few of the draw- 
ings, as, for example, Figs. 44, 119, 189, 191, 192, 231, 232, 452, and 
433, fall decidedly below the general standard of the book. Fig. 431 
lacks the lettering necessary to make it significant. 
Given a teacher well trained in physiological and EE 
work and a good school laboratory well equipped with modern though 
not expensive apparatus, this book will be found helpful and stimu- 
lating to both teacher and pupil. The student, however, if a be- 
ginner in botany, will frequently require the aid of such a teacher 
to make clear the meaning of passages which assume a knowledge of 
botanical matters dealt with only in a later chapter or not included in 
the book at all. Moreover, technical terms are often used before 
they have been explained, and sometimes different forms of the same 
word are used without explanation in a confusing way, as, for example, 
“chloroplast” and ‘“chloroplastid ” (p. 67), also “ pollination ? and 
“pollenation.” It seems unfortunate and entirely unnecessary that 
the phrase carbon conversion should be substituted for the well-estab- 
lished term photosyntax. 
It needs hardly to be said of a book from Professor Atkinson’s pen — 
that it abounds in information which is at once accurate and up to 
date. The only slips on matters of fact which the reviewer has noticed 
are the references to Trillium as having compound leaves (p. 313), to 
the “coral-root” orchid as having roots (p. 320), to the common 
bed-straw as having several leaves in a whorl (thus ignoring the 
stipular character of four of the leaf-like organs), and an incorrect 
floral formula on p. 254. 
There are many evidences of hasty preparation and careless proof- 
reading. Slips in English are not infrequent. Thus “ shall” and 
“will” are continually misused, and one meets with such loose 
expressions as “alike in substance” for homogeneous (p. 5). One 
is rather surprised, too, at finding the peristome of a moss described 
as “frazzled.” 
In spite of its defects, the book is one of unusual interest and will 
doubtless hold an important place among advanced school books on 
N: F. L. SARGENT. 
Microscopic Technique.’ — As the author states, the writing of 
“ Practica” is to be considered a somewhat thankless task, — it 
might be well, indeed, were it more generally so considered, — and a 
1 Meyer, A. Erstes mikroskopischer Practicum. Jena, Fischer, 1898. 100 
Pp, 29 figs. 
