86 
POPULAR SCIENCE REYIEW. 
We are sure that English microscopists will he very grateful to Professor 
Huxley for having made a stand against the absurd method of nomenclature 
now adopted by many of our histological writers. We suppose it would 
have been impossible to introduce woodcuts into such a volume as the 
present one, although it would he of undoubted importance to the student 
who is ignorant of the different forms he is looking for. However, we may, 
in concluding this imperfect notice of a very important volume, express our 
thanks to the two gentlemen — Professor Huxley and Dr. Martin — who have 
laboured so well for our advantage. 
CLIMBING PLANTS.* 
A LTHOUGH this book is called a second edition it is really, so far as the 
general public is concerned, the first time that the work has been 
issued. It is true that it was first published m the “Journal of the Linnean 
Society,” but then such publication merely supplies the book to the Fellows 
of that Society, w T hilst in its present form it is “ comeatable ” by the 
whole world. It certainly appeal's to us a wonder that Mr. Darwin should 
have kept such an important light under the bushel of a Society’s publi- 
cations, and that, too, for so long a period. However, now that he has 
given us the work in a clearer form, with additional facts, and with the few 
but clever engravings from drawings by his son, George Darwin, we have 
only to thank him, as we have always done, for the importance of his 
labours. The present book has an especial value over the earlier edition, in 
that it takes up the point which has been so ably discussed by Professor % 
Sachs in his recently translated “ Text-book of Botany,” of the cause of the 
motion of tendrils. It is remarkable, too, that Mr. Darwin differs from 
Professor Sachs as to the cause of certain movements of the tendril, and in 
this it appears to us that there is much that is reasonable in Mr. Darwin’s 
view. This, indeed, is the most interesting, because the most novel, part of 
the book. “ Sachs,” he says, “ attributes all the movements of tendrils to 
rapid growth on the side opposite to that which becomes concave. These 
movements consist of revolving nutation, the bending to and from the light 
and in opposition to gravity, those caused by a touch and spiral contraction. 
It is rash to differ from so great an authority, but I cannot believe that one 
at least of these movements — curvature from a touch — is thus caused. In 
the first place, it may be remarked that the movement of nutation differs 
from that due to a touch, in so far that in some cases the two powers are 
acquired by the same tendril at different periods cf growth; and the sensi- 
tive part of the tendril does not appear capable of nutation. One of my 
chief reasons for doubting whether the curvature from a touch is the result 
of growth is the extraordinary rapidity of the movement. I have seen the 
extremity of a tendril of Fassiflora gracilis after being touched distinctly 
bent in 25 seconds, and often in 30 seconds ; and so it is with the thicker 
* “ The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants.” By Charles 
Darwin, M.A., F.R.S., &c. 2nd edition, revised, with illustrations. Lon- 
don : John Murray. 1875. 
