THE 
New Phytologist 
Vol. XIX, Nos. i & 2. 
Jan. & Feb., 1920 . 
[Published March 30th, 1920.] 
THE EVOLUTION OF PLANTS. 
O such interesting theoretical contribution to a subject 
X which is of primary interest to all botanists, and indeed to 
all biologists, as that recently published by Mr. Church, 1 has 
appeared for many years. It is impossible to attempt in the 
limited space available a comprehensive review of the theses 
and arguments developed by the author, even if any one botanist 
had the necessary competence, for there is scarcely an important 
biological problem which Mr. Church does not raise. All we can 
do here is to call attention to some of the fascinating expositions and 
speculations of the author, and indicate certain points of possible 
criticism. At the same time we would strongly recommend all 
botanists to obtain and read this work for themselves. It is 
rather hard reading, for the author’s style is none too easy. He 
has a fondness for long and rather involved sentences, but 
he never fails to arouse interest and to stimulate thought and 
imagination. The price, in these days, is almost ridiculously 
cheap ; for the same matter, printed with wider spacing and on a 
smaller page would easily fill a fair-sized volume. The work 
contains in fact about 60,000 words, more or less—the length of 
an ordinary “ six shilling ” novel, now costing seven shillings, at 
just half the price—while to the biologist it is more entertaining, 
and much better worth reading than most novels. Though often 
involved, the style is lively throughout, and Mr. Church’s 
castigations of those who have had the misfortune to express 
opinions with which he disagrees, or to take what he considers a 
narrow view, to see the subject “ out of perspective,” never 
fail to amuse. The author’s polemic, though often expressed in 
the language of almost contemptuous scorn, has the happy quality 
of leaving no poisoned sting behind. And this, though the author 
1 A. H. Church. Thalassiophyta and the Subaerial Transmigration. (Oxford 
Botanical Memoirs, No. 3), pp. 95, 3s. 6 d. net., Oxford University Press, 
1919, 
