—95— 



be answered by the pupil who must make investigations and ex- 

 periments for himself. The section of the book devoted to " Life 

 Stories of the Plants" will interest many who are not beginners in 

 this branch of botany. 



The appearance of Mr. Gilbert's "North American Ptderido- 

 phytes"* is another indication of the trend of fern study at pres- 

 ent. It is the first list to pay special attention to forms less 

 prominent than species, and the author is to be commended for 

 the large number he has here brought together. No less than 

 four hundred and forty-two species and forms of Ferns and Fern 

 Allies are catalogued from North America north of Mexico. These 

 have their distribution given, are consecutively numbered and 

 form a very handy check-list that any fern collector will be glad 

 to possess. The author very sensibly adopts a conservative and 

 recognizable nomenclature, though he gives a considerable num- 

 ber of synonyms, especially for species for which there has re- 

 cently been proposed a change of name. In adopting Nephrodium 

 instead of Aspidium or Dryopteris a long step has been taken in 

 putting our nomenclature in harmony with that of the rest of the 

 world. The only adverse criticism of the list which the reviewer 

 can make is that the author has not distinguished clearly enough 

 between forms and sub-species, or "varieties." For instance it 

 seems scarcely correct to give the same rank to Equisetum 

 arvense memorosum that is accorded Xephrcdium cristatum 

 Clintonianum. Nearly one-half of the pamphlet is occupied by 

 an appendix in which are described a number of forms and varie- 

 ties in Equisetum, fsoe/es, Athyrium, Nephrodium and others. 

 It is probable that this publication will form the foundation for a 

 very extended study of the variation in ferns in America. 



♦Working-list of North American Pteridophy tes, by B. D. Gilbert. L. C. 

 Childs & Son, Utica, N. Y.s 1901, pp. 40. 25c. 



THE LINNAEAN FERN CHAPTER 



OF THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION. 



— While the Executive Council have nominated two members 

 for each office in the chapter, it is not intended to limit voting to 

 this list. If any one wishes to vote for other members he may 

 do so, and should they receive a majority of the ballots cast, they 

 would be declared elected. 



