THE 



NATURAL HISTORY REVIEW. 



JjWriefow. 



A Synopsis of the British Diatomacej:, with Remarks on the Struc- 

 ture, Functions, and Distribution; and Instructions for Col- 

 lecting and Preserving Specimens. By William Smith, F.L.S., 

 Professor of Natural History, Queen's College, Cork. Vol. II. 2 Is. 



It is a pleasant thing to find one's anticipations of good realised. Some 

 months ago, when noticing the first volume of the " British Diatomaceae," 

 and finding it a book deserving of our best wishes and calling from us no 

 ordinary meed of praise, we deemed justified in venturing a prophecy, from 

 the earnest then afforded, that the second volume would in no respect fall 

 behind its forerunner. We have prophesied well and truly, for our antici- 

 pations have not only been fully realised, but have even been exceeded » 

 and we rejoice in being able now to call the attention of our readers to the 

 second and concluding volume of one of the most useful works which has 

 of late years been placed in the hands of the investigator of the microscopic 

 forms of organised existence. 



The author has reserved for the present volume some very important 

 topics connected with the general history of the Diatomaceae — their highly 

 curious reproductive phenomena, their exact nature, and the status they 

 hold in the organic creation ; the characters to be relied on in the determi- 

 nation of genera and species, and the laws by which they are governed in 

 their Geographical distribution : all of which are well discussed in an in- 

 troduction to the systematic portion of the volume. 



On the subject of the reproduction of the Diatomaceae especially, Mr. 

 Smith has rendered us acquainted with some new facts of much physio- 

 logical importance, and tending to throw considerable light on the import 

 of the curious phenomenon of " Conjugation." It is now about eight years 

 since Mr. Thwaites announced the very significant fact that he had observed 

 vol. iv. *~* B 



