78 General Notes. (January, ` 
length and adds that the pellucid pedicels are jointed (\.c., p: 297). 
As these spores have considerable resemblance to those of many f 
Puccini, and although but one-celled are quite opaque, we caf 
almost make ourselves believe that, assuming the relationship 
from their general appearance, he easily persuaded himself that a 
septum must be present although not readily demonstrated, . But 
this explanation will not do in the preceding instance, or in the 
case of the jointed pedicel, for both are transparent, and the latter — 
perfectly colorless. ” 
These are selected from plenty of such discrepancies between 
Schweinitz’s descriptions and the objects described. It will not an- | 
swer to throw such works aside and refuse to take trouble with — 
an author who describes so carelessly, or, as it would seem, de- 
liberately falsifies, for the law of priority in synomymy is inexor- 
able, and early descriptions must be identified so far as possible. — 
Upon reflection, however, it does not appear probable that any 
one would falsify a scientific description, for there is no assignable 
motive for doing so, Let us rather look for a solution of the 
problem to the facilities possessed in the author's time for minute 
observations. Microscopes were then much inferior to our pres = 
ent instruments, and methods of manipulation not so well known. 
This was a suggestive idea, and I at once acted upon it by putting — 
some of the ary spores under a low-power to see whether they | 
+ 
looked the same, except in size, as when mounted in the usu 
way in water, and viewed under 350 diameters. A few spores — 
scraped from the surface of the leaf were scattered on a glass 
slide, a half-inch objective used, magnifying about 75 diameters, _ 
and the key to the whole mystery was discovered. uB | 
The spores of Uromyces lespedeze are much thickened at the 
apex, this thickening often occupying half the length of the spore, 
and it gives every appearance, under the conditions named, of @ i 
two-celled spore with a septum at or near the middle. 4% T 
instance of tke jointed pedicel is equally simple. The pedicels 
being delicate cylinders collapse when dry, and twist like a rib: 
bon, and what appear to be three or four joints in each ice 
are very distinctly shown. i 
-I have narrated this experience of mine chiefly for two reasons: 
(t) to give others this important key with which to interpret the 
writings of Schweinitz and other early systematists, and (2 to 
show the importance of noting very carefully the kind of instr 
ment used and the methods employed in all microscopic otk. 
— F. C. Arthur, Ames, lowa. 
as a pamphlet of 66 pp., extracted from Vol, xvir of the Proc. ® 
the Am. Academy of Arts and Sciences. It consists of, 1, A’ 
of plants from Southwestern Texas and Northern Mexico, © 
lected chiefly by Dr. E. Palmer in 1879-80; and, 11, Descriptit 
