256 Th(mipso7Cs Zoological Researches 



A RT. II. Zoological Researches and Illustrations in Natural History* 

 By John V.Thompson. Esq. F.L.S. Cork. Nos. I. and II. 8vo. 



We have, on former occasions, made some mention of this 

 work; but, from a C(5nviction that our notices were too brief 

 to give a proper idea of its interest and importance, we again 

 desire to call the attention of our readers to it ; and we do 

 not hesitate to say that, of all the periodicals in British 

 zoology at present pouring from the press, there is no one 

 which more deserves the support of the scientific naturalist. 

 The memoirs are original, in the true sense of that much 

 misused word, and relate to topics of considerable interest 

 even in a popular view: the objects of them are well described, 

 their economy traced with minute accuracy, and the descrip- 

 tions everywhere illustrated with figures etched by the author 

 himself. Fortunately, too, for the practical naturalist, these 

 plates are not coloured and expensive ; a circumstance, how- 

 ever, which may operate somewhat in limiting their circu- 

 lation ; for this is no book for the drawing-room table, and, 

 in this country, the fitness of the work to illustrate that 

 theatre of household display is often more favourable to 

 success than literary merit. 



The first memoir is on the metamorphoses of the Crusta- 

 cea ; in which it is proved, or attempted to be proved, that 

 the greater number of the subjects of this class are not merely 

 developed, during their growth, in size and proportion, but 

 do, indeed, undergo changes, in their progress to maturity, 

 as complete as insects are known to do, and little less sur- 

 prising. That the discovery of this law in their history is 

 peculiarly our author's own, no one at all conversant with the 

 writings of previous naturalists will question ; and that it is 

 a discovery important in its bearings on zoology, both sys- 

 tematic and physiological, is equally imdeniable. It is for these 

 very reasons, however, that the proofs of the fact should be 

 multiplied ; and, to secure for himself its undivided merit, Mr. 

 Thompson should lose no time in laying before the public 

 those " further instances " of its proof, with which, he tells 

 us, his note-book is stored. 



The genus Zoea of modern systems has, in its large eyes, 

 anomalous processes, and odd and disproportioned figure, 

 something like indications of an imperfect being ; and it now 

 appears that it is really so, being (according to Mr. Thomp- 

 son) the larva of the crab. In the spring of 1822, our author 

 met with the Zoeae in the harbour of Cove ; and, in the fol- 

 lowing spring, having preserved a large individual for experi- 

 ment, " it died in the act of changing its skin, and of passing 



