128 NATURAL SCIENCE [August 



of the preceding edition (1893), it is still somewhat unwieldy for a 

 " Gnmdriss." The original " Grundriss " (1884) was a small octavo 

 volume of 272 pages, and represented an abridged edition of the 

 " Lehrbuch," but it has now increased so greatly in size as practi- 

 cally to have replaced the " Lehrbuch " altogether, for no new edition 

 of the latter work has appeared since 1886. 



One of the special features of the last two editions of the " Grun- 

 driss" — a feature which primarily distinguished the "Lehrbuch" — is 

 the extensive and valuable bibliography, occupying more than a 

 hundred pages. This commends itself strongly to the advanced 

 student, and, the titles being classified according to the organs or 

 systems of organs dealt with in the memoirs, reference to previous 

 literature is greatly facilitated. One of the disadvantages of the 

 method, however, arises from the fact that many papers treating of 

 several organs demand quotation under a number of headings, and 

 this in the book under consideration has, probably to economise space, 

 not always been accorded. Thus, while Huxley's well-known paper 

 on Ceratodus is quoted, as it should be, under the heading " Freie 

 Gliedmassen," it does not find a place under " Schadel der Fische," 

 although it contains most valuable information upon the skulls of 

 Ceratodus, Cestracion, and Notidawus. Numerous other instances 

 might be given, but as it is not possible to suggest a remedy without 

 adding too much to the bulk of the book (except, perhaps, by some 

 system of cross-references) we must be grateful for having our 

 attention directed to even a few papers which in the ordinary course 

 of work might be overlooked. 



The profusion of illustrations which invariably characterises the 

 works of Prof. Wiedersheiin, and the subordination of the taxonomic 

 to the physiological classification in the arrangement of the chapters, 

 are features which render the book attractive and interesting even to 

 the beginner. It does not follow, however, that a ready sale will be 

 found for the book among English students, for in scope and bulk the 

 present w T ork is almost identical with Prof. W. N. Parker's second 

 English edition, 1897, founded on the third edition of the " Grundriss." 



There is abundant evidence of careful editing in the volume under 

 consideration, but entire freedom from mistakes cannot be admitted. 

 Caudalvcnen appears for Cardinalvcnen (p. 368, last line but two), 

 and MdapUrygoid for Metapterygium (fig. 96, p. 106), while in fig. 232, 

 p. 275, the letters A and B are transposed. The ductus endolym- 

 phaticus (fig. 214, p. 252) appears, as in the earlier editions, on the 

 external instead of the mesial surface of the labyrinth, and the side 

 view of the skull of the greyhound (fig. 88 B, p. 96) exhibits four 

 upper incisor teeth ; but such blemishes as these are happily few, and 

 the new figures are, on the wdiole, very good. W. G. B. 



The Histology of Vertebrates 



LEHRHUCH DEI! VERGLEICHEXDEN MlKROSKOl'ISCHEN AnATOJIIE DER WlRBELTTERE. II. 



Schlund und Darm. By Prof. Dr Med. Albert Oppel. 8vo, pp. viii + 682, 

 4 plates and 343 text-figures. Jena : G. Fischer. 1897. Price, 20 marks. 



The second part of Dr Oppel's laborious task carries out the promise 

 of the first. There is the same wealth of detail culled laboriously 

 from multifarious sources and expanded by original matter, and the 

 same careful citation of authorities. The author begins with an 



