Reviews and Book Notices. 



213 



cursion, extending over six weeks, to Spain and the Canary 

 Islands, with a party of 35. The Swiss have great faith in 

 the educational value of excursions, and to me they were 

 certainly of the greatest interest. 



LIST OF PORTRAITS. 



Dr. John Briquet, Director of the Botanical Gardens, Geneva ; Dr. 

 Robert Chodat, Professor of Botany in the University of Geneva ; Dr. 

 Paul Jaccard, Professor of Plant-physiology in the Federal Polytechnic, 

 Zurich ; Dr. Hermann Christ, Director of the International Academy or 

 Botanical Geography for 1907 ; Dr. Joh. Coaz, Chief Inspector of Forestry 

 in Switzerland ; Dr. Hans. Schinz, Director of the Botanical Gardens, 

 and Professor of Botany in the University of Ziirich ; Dr. Robert Keller, 

 Rector of the Gymnasium and Technical School in Winterthur ; Dr. 

 Martin Rikli, Curator of the Botanical Museums in the Federal Polytechnic, 

 Ziirich ; Dr. Carl Schroter, Professor of Botany in the Federal Polytechnic, 

 Ziirich. 



Plant Anatomy, by Wm. Chase Stevens. London : Churchill, 

 pp. vii-349, with 136 illustrations. 10/6. 



The fuller title of this book ' Plant Anatomy from the standpont of 

 the development and functions of the tissues and handbook of micro- 

 technic,' indicates pretty well its nature and scope. The clear type, 

 and numerous excellent figures in this book produce a good impression, at 

 first glance, and a close examination serves to strengthen rather than 

 diminish it. The cell and differentiation of the tissues are first dealt with, 

 then follow chapters on absorption, circulation, food, storage, secretion 

 and excretion ; four chapters are devoted to micro technique of which 

 the author is no mean authority, and the last one deals with the detection 

 of adulterations in foods and drugs. As the functions of the tissues are 

 always kept well to the front, the reader is never bewildered by mere 

 anatomical details. Misprints are few, and though some details need 

 bringing up to date, and others would be improved by a little more elabora- 

 tion, it is one of the best elementary treatises we have seen for a long time, 

 and both teacher and student will find it a useful book. 



The * Guides' now being issued by the Natural History Dept. of the 

 British Museum are a great improvement upon the old style of publications 

 issued from our national institution. They are surely now as near ' per- 

 fect ' as possible — each being not only a guide to the particular specimens 

 referred to, but practically an introductory handbook to the subject. 

 We have recently had sent to us the ' Guide to the Gallery of Fishes ' 

 (i/-), and a ' Guide to the Elephants, Recent and Fossil ' (6d.). The 

 former is by Dr. Ridewood, is well illustrated, and has no fewer than 209 

 pages. In Sir E. Ray Lankester's Preface it seems odd to read ' Every 

 specimen in the gallery is provided with a number, and is referred to in 

 this guide by that number printed in thick, large type,' and then, as a post- 

 script, a few lines further on, to find ' Since the above preface was written, 

 it has been thought desirable not to use the thick, large type.' Dr. C. W. 

 Andrews has prepared the ' Elephant ' guide, and, as such a subject as is 

 dealt with, lends itself so well to an introduction to the study of teeth, 

 advantage has naturally been taken of this by Dr. Andrews. These various 

 guides issued by the South Kensington authorities, are admirable volumes 

 for the use of the naturalist, and are so worded as to be understood by 

 young people. 



* M. Rikli, ' Botanische Reisestudien von der spanischen Mittelmeei- 

 kiiste.' Vierteljahrs. d. naturforsch. Ges. Ziirich, 1907. 



1908 June I. 



P 



