i,S2 The Irish Naturalist. August. 



Tunicates and the Ceplialochorda. IMr. Goodrich concurs with Dr. 

 G.'iskcll in regarding I.anipreys as not beiui^ degenerate. Vet the theory 

 of the origin of vertebrates, according to Dr. Gaskell's fascinating 

 studies, is not alluded to, Pakeospondylus, in spite of Professor Sollas' 

 reconstruction, is still relegated to " incertte sedis" in the classification. 



Otherwise the example of Cuvier, Valenciennes, and Dumeril is fol- 

 lowed by Mr. Goodrich rather than that of the more modern ichthyolo- 

 gists in dividing all living fishes into two main groups — the Chon- 

 drichthyes and the Osteichthyes. The Dipnoi, that extraordinary order 

 of fishes which has so many points of resemblance to ihe Amphibia, 

 is thus united with all our common freshwater fishes, though they 

 seem so different in almost every respect. The argument that the Dipnoi 

 represents a degenerate section of fishes, is negatived Ijy their fin 

 structure. 



The two old divisions of fishes— the Ganoidei and Teleostei— which 

 were supposed to be readily distinguishable by their scales, have also 

 been cast into the melting pot, and we no longer discriminate between 

 them as clearly as formerly. The work of Cope, vSmith Woodward and 

 others on extinct fishes has resulted in breaking down the distinctions 

 ■which we once relied upon. 



A useful list of works on fishes is given at the end of the volume. vSome 

 names, such as Macintosh, which we certainly should have expected to 

 find among the authors quoted, are omitted. 



Mr. Goodrich's work is a book for the serious and advanced student, its 

 perusal being greatly facilitated by an admirable series of original dia- 

 grams ; while some of the previous volumes are especially noteworthy for 

 their erudition, conciseness, and novelty, this one stands foremost 

 amongst them for the abundance of excellent illustrations. 



R. F. S. 



PAL^OBOTANICAL PHOTOGRAPHS. 



Fossil Plants. Sixty Photographs illustrating the Flora of the Coal 

 Measures. By E. A. Newri,!. Arbkr, M.A., F.L.S., F.G.S. London : 

 Gowans and Gray, Ltd., 1909. Pp. 76. Price (id. nett. 



This little book, No. 21 of Gowan's Nature Books, contains reproduc- 

 tions of photographs of the more important plants belonging to the Coal 

 Measures of Britain, and gives the reader in a charming manner an 

 insight into the peculiarities of the flora of that remote period. At the 

 end are some dozen pages of notes explanatory of the plates. These are 

 prefaced by a brief account of the manner of fossilization of plants, in 

 which the writer, by avoiding all technical terms, makes the subject in- 

 teresting for the ordinary reader. 



I. S. 



