The Naturalist in Bermuda. 229 



nent. Only a few European species find their way there, and 

 these evidently driven by stress of weather. One fact new to 

 Zoology which this book contains is the roving or migrate in- 

 habit of the Genus Vcspertilio, two species have been found 

 though rarely upon the island, ( V. Pruinous and V. Noctivagans) 

 and neither are known to be residents or to breed there. Thev 



• 



would thus appear to have much greater powers of sustained flight 

 than are generally supposed. These notes would have been more 

 valuable for scientific purposes had they contained a good classi- 

 fication of the species so arranged as to indicate the permanent 

 and the migratory species, and those which visit the islands on both 

 their southern and northern migrations or on either only. A very 

 limited account is given of the fish tribe. The most noticeable are 

 described, and the popular names of others given. We are not 

 aware that any of the fish caught in these waters are peculiar to 

 them. They may all we believe, be found either on the American 

 coast or in the West Indian Archipelago. A most interesting 

 monogram might be written on this department alone. The Zoology 

 of the waters, while by far the most interesting, is but slightly 

 treated of in this book. A few notices are given of the Crusta- 

 ceans and the Molluscs, and these by no means very scientific in 

 their character, but nothing at all is said of the innumerable Me- 

 dusae which infest the waters, of the Echini and Asterias, to be 

 found in all the sheltered bays and creeks ; of the Actiniae with 

 which the rocks are every where brilliantly adorned ; of the poly- 

 pi, the great builders of the islands ami the manufacturers of its 

 beautiful corals ; of the Bryozoa of which there are many fine 

 species. Neither is any notice whatever taken of the magnificent 

 marine botany which is so remarkable a feature of the natural 

 hist' »ry of these Islands. Much therefore remains to be done ere 

 the "still vex't Bermoothes" can be said to have their own mo- 

 nograph. What this book contains is an im] ortant and interesting 

 item of their natural history not bv any means to be despised. 

 Its author is remembered by theMudians as an earnest and enter- 

 prising entomologist, and during his brief stay is known to have 

 made the best use of his time. In the department of Botany the 

 names and characters of the most valuable plants and tors are 

 given, but much remains to be done. A small hortus siccus in 

 the public library of Bermuda would have furnished the author 

 with several species not named in this book. Another edition 

 is however promised, and communications are invited relating to 



