THE REPRODUCTION OF ANNELIDS. 8G7 



IS mucli to be said against the propositions when the depth of water 

 in which the coral lives is considered. This part of the subject is 

 fully discussed, and sufficient is said to prove, if not the impractica- 

 bility, at all events the inexpediency of altering the present mode of 

 working. 



With special reference to his mission, the author then considers 

 the relations of the coral fishery to colonization, and points out how 

 many things must be considered if it be desired by the French (as is 

 stated to be the case) to monopolise the coral fishery. Under the 

 present system almost all the fishing is done by Italians, who return 

 at the close of the season to their own country, taking with them a 

 goodly sum of money as the produce of their labour. The coral 

 itself also finds its way to Italy, which from time immemorial has 

 been the home of its manufacture into ornaments. "We are told, 

 however, that Parisian taste is necessary for the production of the 

 most elegant pieces of workmanship. The author concludes with a 

 sketch of the different qualities of coral, their commercial value, 

 and the widely distributed markets to which they are sent. 



We must not close our notice without some mention of the 

 illustrations to this work. They consist of twenty plates, engraved 

 on metal and printed in colours. The drawings by the author him- 

 self show a complete acquaintance with his subject, and great com- 

 mand of pencil in rendering all the necessary details, while the 

 colouring has been managed so as to give in many instances a delicacy 

 of effect, such as is rarely produced by mechanical means. The 

 book taken altogether is a very valuable one, not only from its con- 

 taining a complete history of a single species, but from its being in 

 a great measure a handbook to the structure of a large group of 

 closely allied genera of polyps. 



XXXI. — The Eeproduction of Annelids. 



On Alternate Generation in Annelids and on the Embryo- 

 logy OF Autolytus Cornijttjs. By A. Agassiz. Eeprinted 

 from the Boston Journal of Natural History, Vol. vii. (No. iii. 

 1862.) With three plates. 



So little is known about the reproduction of the Annelids, that we 

 think it may not be amiss in noticing this interesting work of A. 

 Agassiz to give somewhat in detail the facts mentioned in it that 



