364 
[June, 
Analyses of Books. 
sake and to take a deep interest in those lower forms of animal 
and vegetable life, of which the present work deals with some of 
the most interesting and important. 
The author has very wisely adopted the form of publication in 
monographs, two of which are at present issued. For a work of 
so great an extent as the one now to be considered, this system 
has many advantages ; the portions issued are complete in 
themselves, and the delay unavoidable where many authorities 
have to be consulted and numerous specimens examined, 
figured, and not unfrequently searched for, rendered of far less 
consequence than it would be in a work announced for issue at 
regular intervals. 
The plates are especially good, and in many instances are from 
the author’s own drawings, in which case the dimensions, as 
they invariably should, accompany each figure. 
The life-history of some of these low forms of vegetable life is 
extremely interesting. The well-known Volvox globator, had 
its various stages not been traced out, would appear to be at 
least four or five distindt organisms, and has in earlier works 
been so described and figured. The subjedt is a very suggestive 
one, and promises much interesting work for the microscopist 
in carefully watching other forms through the whole term of their 
existence. 
It is to be hoped that the author may be able to spare a few 
pages for an introduction to the study of the Fresh-Water 
Algae, and also for a glossary. This will be especially welcome 
to those of Dr. Cooke’s readers who, although ardent students of 
nature and skilful workers with the microscope, are in many 
instances but little acquainted with Greek and Latin, and will be 
much troubled with a terminology rendered necessary by recent 
advances in science, but nevertheless difficult to understand 
without some assistance. 
The work, as far as published, bears evidence of painstaking 
research, althought it must of necessity be in great part a com- 
pilation of the scattered records of other observers. 
Anecdota Oxoniensia, Texts , Documents , and Extracts. Chiefly 
from Manuscripts in the Bodleian and other Oxford 
Libraries. Mediaeval and Modern Series. Vol I., Part. I. 
Sinonoma Bartholomei. Edited by J. L. G. Mowat, M.A. 
Oxford: Caledonian Press. London: H. Froude. 
We have here a very curious glossary of botanical and medical 
terms as used in the fourteenth century. It forms part of a 
treatise on diseases and remedies written by John Mirfield 
