268 NATURAL SCIENCE. April, 1895. 



indeterminable species. But the glaring instances in which he makes 

 ignorance, however unavoidable, the standard of what should be 

 retained and what should be dismissed, must materially detract from 

 our faith in his decisions where he has had the means of speaking with 

 well-grounded authority. To have accomplished successfully all that 

 he boldly attempts would probably have required many more years 

 than he was at liberty to bestow upon the task. In this matter of 

 classification one cannot help regretfully reflecting how much more he 

 might have done had he been content to do much less. In many 

 other respects his volumes are exceedingly valuable. The attribution 

 of the long-time obscure Acanthonotus novdmannii of Milne Edwards 

 to the genus Ampelisca is a signal instance of Delia Valle's acuteness. 

 He gives a particularly important and original chapter on the 

 deposition and fecundation of the eggs of the Amphipoda. He 

 supplies, indeed, a whole library of lucid, and on the whole very 

 accurate, information on the anatomy, development, and general 

 biology of the Gammaridea, as well as a compendious bibliography 

 interspersed with many useful observations. With such a work at his 

 command the student of Amphipoda will find a flood of light thrown 

 upon his researches. Those who have no previous knowledge of 

 the subject can scarcely fail to have some interest in it awakened 

 by the unexpected beauty of the coloured plates. It will be a strange 

 thing if this department of nature can command attention and 

 respect in Italy and yet continue to be slighted and disregarded 

 in England. When the Zoological Station at Naples can afford 

 to publish these noble volumes, it will be a strange thing if the 

 self-respect of English naturalists can afford to ignore them. 



T. R. R. Stebbing. 

 Tunbridge Wells. 



