DEATH OF MR. HARDWICKE. 
It is our painful duty to record the death of our publisher, Mr. 
Robert Hardwicke, which occurred on the morning of Monday, 
March 8, at the age of 52 years , after an illness which lasted but 
for ten short days. Thus ivas he cut off nearly in his prime , at a 
time too when his business relations were almost at their best. Of 
his friends it is not too much to say , that those who hnew him 
longest hnew him best , and have only to record their extreme 
sorrovj for his loss. For assuredly there were none who were 
more thoroughly hind , genial , and considerate in all their deal- 
ings. Never before , in the course of our experience , have ice met 
with one , with whom we have never within the period of ten long 
years had a single bitter word. All his dealings were hindly , 
none were severe. And though we feel that the fewest words are 
best when all are vain , we cannot help expressing our bitter 
sorrow at his death. For we have not the least hesitation in 
saying that ive have lost a good , sincere , and earnest friend. 
INSECTS AND FLOWERS. 
By ALFRED W. BENNETT, M.A., B.Sc., F.L.S., 
LECTURER OX BOTANY, ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL. 
[PLATES CXIX and CXXJ 
I N liis charming little book on “British Wild Flowers in 
Relation to Insects,” which ought to be in the hands of 
everyone interested in the subject, Sir John Lubbock makes a 
few observations on the form of pollen-grains, in relation to the 
fertilisation of flowers ; but there is but little information at 
present to be found in botanical works on this point. The 
anatomical structure of the pollen-grain has been the subject of 
abundant research ; but the feature of chief importance in con- 
nection with the means of transport is the external form of the 
grain, to which but little attention has been directed, at least 
in this country. With the exception of a few stray notes 
scattered through botanical and microscopical journals, the only 
publications bearing on the subject, illustrated by drawings 
(without which they are comparatively useless), are in Grer- 
man: — Schacht, in Pringsheim’s “ Jahrbuch,” vol. ii. for 1860 ; 
VOL. XIV. NO. LV. I 
