144 SOME NEW BOOKS [august 



" OUTLINES." 



Outlines of Zoology. By J. Arthur Thomson, XI.A. Third Edition, 

 Revised and Enlarged. 8vo. pp. 819, with 332 illustrations. Edinburgh 

 & London: Young J. Pentland, 1899. Price 15s. 



Professor J. Arthur Thomson is to be heartily congratulated on the issue of 

 the third edition of this well-known text-book. In the space of 819 pages the 

 author touches upon almost every side of zoological science. As the title of the 

 work explains it is simply " Outlines," and although there is always a danger 

 in treating of the multiplicity of subjects herein contained, we are forcibly 

 impressed with the freshness and clearness with which they are presented. 



This is the only zoological text-book in the English language which aims at 

 a complete review of zoological science, and the best evidence that such a work 

 was wanted and is appreciated by teachers and students of zoology, is suj)plied 

 by the issue of the present edition. 



The correlation of structure and function which is emphasised throughout 

 the work is an admirable feature, as also the "up-to-dateness" which cannot 

 fail to stimulate the student. 



Many new figures have been added and some corrected. While the revision 

 of the illustrations was taking place it is a pity that some of those which have 

 done duty for so long have not been eliminated, such for instance are Fig. 73 

 representing the proglottis of a Cestode ("Constructed from Leuckart") in 

 which the nervous system is omitted, Fig. 83 of the reproductive organs of 

 Lumbricus (after Hering) in which the ovaries are incorrectly figured, Fig. 150 

 a "dissection of Helix pomatia (mainly after Leuckart") in which the position 

 of the heart is wrongly shown. It is questionable if figures 199 and 215 are 

 worth the space they occupy, while Figs. 234 and 235, representing the urino- 

 genital organs of the male and female frog, would undoubtedly have been more 

 useful if of Rana temporaria rather than R. esculenta. 



In a fourth edition we should like to see the confused account of the renal 

 and reproductive organs of the skate (pp. 496-497) re-written, and the terms 

 Wolffian and MiUlerian ducts omitted. 



A word must be said in praise of the tabular form of summaries of affinities, 

 etc., in chapter xx., as indeed of those throughout the work, all of which are 

 admirable. 



This delightfully written text-book has enjoyed an enviable reputation in 

 the past, and the present edition can only enhance the same. 



Walter E. Collinge. 



PRACTICAL ZOOLOGY. 



Leitfaden fur das Zoologische Praktikum. By Dr. Willy Kukenthal, 

 Professor in Jena. 8vo, pp. vi. + 284, with 172 text-figures. Jena: 

 Gr. Fischer, 1898. Price, sewn 6 marks, bound 7 marks. 



This is intended as a guide for beginners, whether in a properly appointed 

 laboratory or working independently. For the latter there are given many 

 technical instructions, for the lack of which the elementary student so often 

 finds himself at sea. The opening chapter is on apparatus and the way to use 

 it, and contains many useful hints. Thus the author rightly insists on the 

 necessity for drawing on a large scale — " Don't spare paper, but take a fresh 

 page to each drawing." Then follows a chapter on the elements of histology, 

 in which, after an illustrated summary of the various tissues, it is shown how 

 they may be demonstrated. The student is then led through nine phyla of the 

 animal kingdom, beginning with Protozoa and ending with Vertebrata. Each 

 of these is preceded by a systematic synopsis, enabling the student to ascertain 



