5 
BACTERIA AND YEAST FUNGI* 
This neat and useful little volume makes its appearance just at 
the time when it is wanted, is amply illustrated, and seems to be 
carefully and judiciously prepared. We note with satisfaction the 
announcement in the preface of the sources of information and 
assistance. It is always a mistake to ignore such help, as is often 
done by young authors, and hence we commend Mr. Grove for 
taking the precaution to disarm criticism on this point. The 
organisms included in this “ Synopsis ” are acknowledged to be 
difficult and obscure, so that some little courage was necessary to 
make the attempt, and we congratulate the author on his success. 
Although we fear that we must be included with those who doubt 
the majority of these organisms being autonomous Fungi at all, yet 
no other course was open but to treat them as such, in the present 
condition of our knowledge, and until the contrary is proven. 
“ The nonsense which Hallier and Co. tried to introduce into the 
science ” at one time threatened to bring the study of the Schizo- 
mycetes into contempt, and we quite appreciate the way in which 
our author has summarily disposed of them. Of course we may 
hold a different opinion, or at least suspend our judgment, concern- 
ing a small number of the species introduced into this volume, but 
are by no means disposed to be dogmatic. From the conclusion of 
the paragraph on page 80, we infer that a more congenial feeling 
is now predominant in certain quarters than we have recognized in 
the past. Referring to Brefeld, it states, “ and the present long and 
tedious treatise is filled ad nauseam with peevish contentious dis- 
putations against De Bary and Van Tieghem, and all others who 
differ from his opinions.” There is only one line in the present 
volume that we should have preferred to have seen excluded ; for 
the rest we must welcome it, not only for the absence of 
all peevish contentious disputations,” but for the service it will 
render to the mycologist and the microscopist, to whom we recom- 
mend it as essential to the completeness of even a small library of 
practical manuals for daily use. 
A word or two apropos of the Appendix A “ On the unit of 
Microscopical measurement.” Twenty years ago, and nearly every 
important country in Europe employed a different unit. In 1866 
the Editor of this Journal, in a paper read at the Quekett 
Microscopical Club, pointed out the folly and inconvenience of 
such a course, and initiated the movement for the adoption of the 
French millemetre as the unit of microscopical measurement, and 
by circular corresponded with every Society of Microscopists then 
known on the Continent, with the view of bringing about this 
change. To this end he was appointed Honorary Secretary for 
Foreign Correspondence to the Club in question, and, for once, 
England was in advance, and not in the rear. 
* “ A Synopsis of the Bacteria and Yeast Fungi, and allied Species ” 
(Schizomycetes and Saccharomycetes), by W. B. Grove, B.A. ; fcap. 8vo., 
112 pp., 87 figs. Chatto and Windus. 
