810 The American Naturalist. [September, 
num Wang.); and Acer negundo L. (instead of Negundo aceroides 
Moench.). A title page and an excellent index to Fascicles I and II, 
which are to be bound together, close this interesting part. The third 
Fascicle is now in preparation by. Dr. Robinson. 
—CHARLEs E. Bessey. 
Britton and Brown’s Illustrated Flora.”—Last August the 
first copies of Vol. I of this work were distributed, and about the mid- 
dle of June of the present year copies of Vol. II reached the botanists 
of the country. The good opinion of the work formed from an exami- 
nation of the first volume is confirmed by even a glance through the 
second. The outline figures continue to be most useful, and while not 
always absolutely distinctive, they are often fully as much so as the 
actual specimens. We have now and then seen criticisms of these 
figures by those who forget that it is impossible to show striking differ- 
ences between species which nature has not separated widely, especially 
when the figures must be made as small as they are in this work. e 
feel that the artists who made these illustrations are deserving of much 
praise for the success with which they have done their work. 
As to the text there remains little to be said beyond what was said 
in our notice of Vol. I (Narura.istr, October, 1896). The selection 
of type is so good that the eye catches without loss of time the 
items sought. The consistent use of the modern rules of nomenclature, 
readily familiarizes us with the comparatively small number of new 
names made many by the “ reform movement.” 
The families of most interest in this volume are Ranunculacee, 
Cruciferex, Saxifragacez, Rosacee, Pomaceæ, Drupacese, Mimosacez, 
Cæsalpiniaceæ, Papilionacese, Euphorbiacex, Violaces, Cactacese, Ona- 
graces, Umbellifere, Ericaceze, Vaccıniaceæ, Oleaceae and Gentiana- 
æ. 
We notice that a list of metric units and equivalents is given at the 
end of the table of contents. Of what service it can be in a volume in 
which no metric measurements are used is difficult to make out. Tt 
only serves to call attention to the anachronism of ancient units in a 
modern text. The concluding volume will be looked for with great 
‘interest by botanists everywhere.—CHARLEsS E. BEssEY. 
10 An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States, Canada and the British 
Possessions, by Nathaniel Lord Britton, Ph. D., and Hon. Addison Brown. 
three volumes. Vol. II, Portulacacee to Menyanthaċeæ. New York, Charles 
Seribner’s Sons, 1897. 
