894 General Notes. [December, 
BoranicaL Notes.—In the prospectus of the Botanical Gazette 
for 1881, the editor takes strong ground in favor of more physi- 
ological ‘work, and “would gladly devote half of its space” to 
papers and notes in this department of Botany. It is to be hoped 
that the editor may succeed in his laudable undertaking. It cer- 
tainly is high time that we have a botanicai journal in this coun- 
try devoted entirely to such work. A very useful “ Synoptical 
Table for the Determination of Fibers of Vegetable Origin” is 
published in the August-September number of the Botanical Ga- 
zette. It is from Vetellart’s work, “Sur les fibres employes dans 
lindustrie.”’ In the September “ Torrey Botanical Bulletin,” 
John Williamson contributes a readable account of the “Ferns 
on the Cumberland.” The discovery of Adiantum capillus-vene- 
ris in Southern Kentucky was confirmed. A new and enlarged 
edition of Rattan’s “ Popular California Flora” e just appeared, 
from the house of Bancroft & Co., of San Francisco. It will 
prove quite valuable to the beginners in botany in central Cali- 
fornia. Many of the more difficult orders, as for example, the 
Coniferæ, Gramineæ, Cyperaceæ, Salicaceæ, Composite, ete. 
are entirely omitted as toò hard for the beginner. The second 
volume of the “ Botany of California,” by Sereno Watson, has just 
appeared. It will be noticed more fully hereafter. In the 
American Fournal of Science and Arts for October, Dr. Gray 
briefly notices two recent Swedish contributions to Pomology. 
ne of these records the results of trials made of varieties of apples 
and other fruits, with a view to determining the northern limit of 
their hardiness. More than eight hundred varieties were tried, 
the investigation extending over a period of twelve years. Our 
American fruit growers would doubtless do well to acquaint 
themselves with these works ——The more important articles in 
Caruel’s Nuovo Giornale Botanico Italiano for July, are by Jatta 
on the lichens of Central Italy; D on the periodical spon- 
taneous movements of the stamens of Ruta bracteosa and Smyr- 
nium rotundifolium and Cugni on the germination of oily seeds. 
The “ Catalogue of Pacific Coast Fungi,” by Dr. Harkness — 
and J. P. Moore, published under the direction of the California 
Arey of Sciences, is a most -creditable one. The only other 
in the country (for this catalogue is practically confined to 
Can. whose fungi have been as fully catalogued is North 
Carolina, Dr. Curtis having done for his State in 1367, what the 
: Lance of she present catalogue have in 1880 done for theirs. 
ZOOLOG Y.! 
= ` Tue METAMORPHOSIS oF Actinorrocua2—Schneider first 
tonal that the larva (Actinotrocha) of the Gephyrean, Phoronis, 
1'The departments of tiveness and Mammalogy are conducted by Dr. ELLIOTT 
Cours, U. S. A., Wa shi t D, C. 
2 Abstract of a paper poi parte the American Association for the Advancement se 
= uf Szience, in Boston, — 1880. 
