INTRODUCTION TO B’RESH WATER ALG2E. 
11 
a good trustworthy popular guide, though the literature is easily 
enough got at by students. Mr. Cooke would have been the 
better for such a guide. His knowledge of the literature as dis- 
played here is certainly scanty and by no means recent. To point 
out this inadequacy of treatment in anything like detail would be 
labour spent in vain. 
“After this introductory portion we have the systematic portion, 
consisting of short descriptions of the British Fresh Water Algas 
and at the end the figures ot the genera. This is better. It might 
be objected to the descriptions that they are short — so they are, 
but on the whole they are judiciously shortened ; and considering 
the author’s previous work on this subject, there is reason for some 
satisfaction with this portion of the book. The author contents 
himself with these descriptions and a reference to his own larger 
book, and steers clear of the pitfalls of synonymy. As for the 
plates, they are mostly outline figures redrawn on stone from 
Cooke’s larger book and other sources. It may be that there 
is somewhere in this book an acknowledgment of the original 
sources of some of these figures, but we have not yet found the 
place. However, l)r. Nordstedt has already so fully shown what 
Mr. Cooke can do in this way on a larger scale that there is no 
special need to deal with the matter. These figures of the genera 
and the page giving their names constitute the really useful part of 
this book. It cannot be claimed for it that it embodies the work 
ol an original worker in this field, or of a man who has an extensive, 
practical first-hand knowledge of the subject, but so far as the 
latter part (containing the descriptions and figures) is concerned, 
it may be said of it that it is worth the price charged as a help 
to the beginner in naming specimens. As for guidance in the 
structure, life-history, and relationships of these organisms, the 
student need expect none of it.” — Gf. M., in Journal of Botany , 
August , 1890. 
We shall offer no remarks upon this singular effusion, which 
will be estimated at its true value by all with whom the “ chivalry 
of a gentleman ” is more than an empty phrase. Three facts may 
serve to illustrate the reason for its production : — (1) The writer 
of it was one of the authors of the “ philosophical system” which 
was not accepted in the Introduction (p. 188). (2) After sub- 
scribing to the “Journal of Botany” for fifteen years, the author 
of the “ Introduction ” thought fit to cease to subscribe with the 
current year. (J) The writer of the “review ” is attached to the 
botanical department of the Natural History Museum, and the 
author of the “Introduction” is similarly attached to the Herbarium 
of the Koyal Gardens at Kew. This will be sufficient to account 
for a great deal with all who know what genial feelings have been 
manifested for many years between the two establishments. Bead 
by the light of these facts, it will be clear that it was the author , 
and not the book , which was intended to be condemned. 
