312 NATURAL SCIENCE. April, 



common to our own country, it ought to command a large sale here, 

 as well as abroad. The special object of the work is to enable all such 

 as are engaged in rural pursuits to recognise the ordinary birds with 

 which they may meet, and, at the same time, to distinguish between 

 tliose which are harmful and those which are useful either to the 

 agriculturist, the gardener, or the gamekeeper. With this object, 

 it has been considered of prime importance that the illustrations 

 should be on such a scale as to render the task of identifying a bird 

 as easy as possible without the trouble of wading through descrip- 

 tions. Accordingly, it is announced that the smaller and medium- 

 sized species are to be figured of the natural size, while the larger 

 kinds are to be reduced by one-half. Each part is to comprise four 

 double folio plates, lithographed in colours, and accompanied by a 

 sheet of 8vo text ; the price of each part being three shillings 

 (marks). The work is to be completed in eight parts ; and if the 

 execution of the plates is kept up to the standard of those in the 

 first part, it will place trustworthy and artistic likenesses of a large 

 number of European birds within reach of all, at an exceedingly low 

 price. R. L. 



L' Aquarium d'eau douce. By H. Coupin. (Bibliothequedesconnaisances utiles.) 

 i6mo. Pp. 348, 228 figures. Paris: Balliere et Fils, 1893. Price 4 fr. 



This useful addition to Balliere's Library is written for young 

 naturalists and those who take a casual interest in natural objects. 

 The author treats of the aquarium and its forms, of water and its 

 aeration, of the proper plants and their effect on the purity of the 

 water, of methods of capture, and of the various groups of animals, 

 giving a sketch of the life-history and other matters interesting for 

 observation. The book is copiously illustrated, and although the 

 figures are in some instances rather crude, they will be of considerable 

 use to those for whom the book is intended. We are glad to see the 

 footnote on p. 91 regarding the reversible Hydra. 



Catalogue of the British Echinoderms in the British Museum (Natural 

 History). By F. Jeffrey Bell. London, 1892. 



A CATALOGUE is hardly expected to furnish interesting reading; one 

 does not exactly look into the British Museum publications of this 

 kind with any expectation of finding easily assimilable tit-bits of 

 zoological information ; and yet this rule, like many others, is not 

 without its exceptions. Dr. George Johnston's contribution to the 

 series is full of highly readable and instructive notes concerning 

 the " non-parasitical worms." Mr. Bell's catalogue is written on the 

 plan of some of the more recently-issued volumes; that is to say, it is 

 moderately learned and very arid, but, unlike many of them, it is 

 restricted to an account of the inhabitants of the shores of Great 

 Britain and Ireland. " One of its objects," writes the author, " is to 

 supply the student of the British Marine Fauna with a handbook " 

 — to the Echinoderms of our shores. Dr. Giinther hopes in the pre- 

 face that the study of Echinoderms will be encouraged by a 

 perusal of this volume. We think, however, that the public, to 

 whom the catalogue is addressed, will come to the conclusion 

 that the study of the Echinoderms is fraught with too much con- 

 tentious matter, and that it is as thorny as are the objects with 



