Zoological Society. 57 



through more than one edition), nothing would be more easy than to 

 prefix a table of contents, giving the substance of each of the 645 

 articles. 



In conclusion, we earnestly recommend the work to all our scien- 

 tific friends : it is suitable to every botanical reader, besides being 

 quite indispensable to the Cryptogamic student. Nay more, the 

 zoologist and geologist will find not a little to interest them on the 

 subject of their special studies. 



Synopsis Plantarum Glumacearum. Auctore E. G. Steudel. 

 Royal 8vo. Stutgard, 1855. 



This book will be of considerable use to botanists, from its con- 

 taining full generic and specific characters of the plants known to its 

 author, which are included in the orders Graminese, Cyperacese, 

 Restiacese, Eriocaulaceae, Xyridacese, Desvauxiacese, and Juncaceae. 

 Although Dr. Steudel has apparently done his best to accumulate 

 all that is known concerning the plants of these orders, he has not 

 been altogether successful ; for much which has been written in 

 England and also in France seems unknown to him. 



It is greatly to be feared that the number of species is multiplied 

 to far greater extent than nature will acknowledge ; but in such a 

 work as that before us, this does not seem an unpardonable fault, for 

 each reader is furnished with the means of judging for himself. 



Previously to the issue of this book, we were obliged to content 

 ourselves with the very imperfect account of the Graminese afforded 

 by Kunth in his ' Enumeratio,* and have therefore much cause for 

 thanking Dr. Steudel for this Synopsis. 



Work in the Press. 



Mr. P. H. Gosse has in the press a work on Geology, in which 

 he endeavours to set aside the conclusions of geologists as to the 

 antiquity of the earth, by the application of a principle wholly scien- 

 tifiCf which, though hitherto apparently quite overlooked, he believes 

 to be impregnable. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES, 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



January 27, 1857.— Dr. Gray, F.R.S., in the Chair. 



On the true Nautilus umbilicatus of Lister. 

 By Augustus A. Gould, M.D. 



In looking over the shells of a dealer in Boston (U. S. A.), I ob- 

 served three specimens of an umbilicated Nautilus, which struck me 



