-8 4 - 



While the author is satisfied that his plants are true matricarae- 

 folium, it would seem to us from their habitat (" sands of Barry" 

 and " sandy seashore"), that they might be referred with more 

 propriety to some other species, since our plants do not affect such 

 places. 



— In the preface to "A Guide to the Study of Lichens,"* Dr. 

 Schneider tells us that the volume is an attempt at popularizing 

 our present knowledge of the lichens. After carefully examining 

 the book, we are willing to agree that he has succeeded very well 

 in the attempt. The majority of people are prone to consider 

 lichenology as a very .dry subject, but Dr. Schneider's presenta- 

 tion of it is anything but dry. Part i of the volume deals with 

 the history of lichenology, the uses of lichens and a rather ex- 

 tended discussion of their structure and life histories. All of this 

 is made very readable by numerous interesting facts about lichens 

 which might not be necessary to a scientific presentation of the 

 subject, but which the general reader will be very glad to have. 

 The collection, study and preservation of lichens also receive con- 

 siderable attention. In part 2 the systematic study of the plants 

 is taken up. An artificial key to the genera occurring in the 

 United States is given and also a key to the families. All the 

 species which the average collector is likely to find in his rambles 

 are described, and here again the author has added many enter- 

 taining notes. The work ends with a list of fhe lichens occurring 

 in the United States. The author's ability to treat of the scientific 

 side of the subject is vouched for by his recently issued " Text- 

 Book of General Lichenology," and we doubt if any other writer 

 could present the popular side more acceptably. Dr. Schneider 

 may be open to criticism for the use of too many scientific terms 

 [n a work of this nature, or at least to their use without sufficient 

 explanation, especially as no glossary is given, but this is not suffi- 

 cient to detract from the merits of the work. The book contains 

 234 pages, with twelve full-page plates illustrating generic spore- 

 types, drawn by the author. 



*A Guide to the Study of Lichens, by Albert Schneider, M. D., Ph. D. 

 Bradlee Whidden, publisher, Boston. 8 vo. Price $2.50 net. 



I see on page 26 of the April Bulletin that the impression 

 appears to prevail that Pellcea atropurpurea shows great prefer- 

 ence for calcareous rock. It is frequently found here on perpen- 

 dicular bluffs of sandstone, belonging to the Carboniferous and 

 Quarternary periods. — J. Schncck, Ml. Carmel, III. 



