1897] SOME NEW HOOKS 267 



covered ways, reaping the harvest, and garnering it for future use. 

 It is probably the silica contained in the grass-stalks that imparls 

 such firmness to the walls that these Neuroptera build. Before leav- 

 ing them, we notice a figure, here published for the first time, of au 

 infusorial parasite of the Tasmanian termite, described by Mr Saville- 

 Kent under the name Trichonym/pha l&idyi. 



Though this volume does not deal with marine life to the same 

 extent as did its author's last monograph, yet room has been found 

 for a fascinating account of the island group known as Houtman's 

 Abrolhos, oh" the coast of Western Australia. Here, in consequence, 

 it is conjectured, of a southward flowing current from the Indian 

 Ocean, there is a tropical marine fauna, including coral islands in all 

 stages, situated in a temperate climate, and only a few hours' sail 

 from the port of Geraldton. Mr Saville-Kent urges the advantages 

 offered by Houtman's Abrolhos for the foundation of a biological 

 station, and hi* account inclines one to cut the painter of bread- 

 winning necessity and set sail for these Treasure Islands without 

 delay. The guano, for which these islands are worked, need not 

 deter us, for it is "absolutely devoid of smell." This, however, does 

 not suit the farmer, who values his manure by its stink ; and appro- 

 priately malodorous chemicals must be added before the guano can be 

 placed on the market. Upon these reefs we shall find specimens of 

 the corals which Mr Saville-Kent here describes and figures, appar- 

 ently for the first time, as Madrepora protad^ormis [sic] and Monti- 

 pora circinata. Another new species, that may be found here, is the 

 magnificent nudibranch mollusc Doris imperial^, which forms the 

 subject of a coloured double-plate. 



Brilliancy of colour also characterises many of the fish found in 

 Australian waters ; and that the chromo-plates of Syngnathiclae (sea- 

 horses) and Plectognathi are far from exaggerated in this respect will 

 be admitted by anyone who has visited the little aquarium started at 

 Hobart by Mr Saville-Kent himself. That these colours are more 

 brilliant in the mating season, and therefore due to sexual selection, 

 is not proved for all species, but is known to be the case with Mona- 

 canthus rudis, even as it is with our familiar stickleback. A very 

 important observation recorded by our author is that on the latent 

 colour-markings of certain fish. In the daytime longitudinal colour- 

 bands are conspicuous, but at night there appear further dark trans- 

 verse markings. These markings, controlled by the nerve-centres in 

 the adult (as proved by a blinded fish, which behaved as though it 

 were always night) are, in some cases at least, constant in the young, 

 a fact suggesting that the species are derived from transversely-banded 

 ancestors. 



Chapter vii. does for the pearl-fisheries of Western Australia 

 what the author's former work did for those of Queensland. We are 

 not surprised to read that Mr Saville-Kent has unpleasant memories 

 of wading ashore through the mud-flats of the port of Broome, which 

 is the headquarters of the pearl-fishing fleet, and we are happy to be 

 able to assure him that the substantial jetty for which he longs has 

 already been built, and that from it there embarked as many as fifty 

 passengers only a month or two ago. 



Marine miscellanea are dealt with in the following chapter, which 



