1897] SOME NEW BOOKS 267 
covered ways, reaping the harvest, and garnering it for future use. 
It is probably the silica contained in the grass-stalks that imparts 
such firmness to the walls that these Neuroptera build. Before leav- 
ing them, we notice a figure, here published for the first time, of an 
infusorial parasite of the Tasmanian termite, described by Mr Saville- 
Kent under the name TJ'richonympha leidyt. 
Though this volume does not deal with marine life to the same 
extent as did its author’s last monograph, yet room has been found 
for a fascinating account of the island group known as Houtman’s 
Abrolhos, off the coast of Western Australia. Here, in consequence, 
it is conjectured, of a southward flowing current from the Indian 
Ocean, there is a tropical marine fauna, including coral islands in all 
stages, situated in a temperate climate, and only a few hours’ sail 
from the port of Geraldton. Mr Saville-Kent urges the advantages 
offered by Houtman’s Abrolhos for the foundation of a biological 
station, and his account inclines one to cut the painter of bread- 
Winning necessity and set sail for these Treasure Islands without 
delay. The guano, for which these islands are worked, need not 
deter us, for it is “absolutely devoid of smell.” This, however, does 
not suit the farmer, who values his manure by its stink ; and appro- 
priately malodorous chemicals must be added before the guano can be 
placed on the market. Upon these reefs we shall find specimens of 
the corals which Mr Saville-Kent here describes and figures, appar- 
ently for the first time, as Madrepora protacitormis [sic] and Monti- 
pora circinata. Another new species, that may be found here, is the 
magnificent nudibranch mollusc Doris imperialis, which forms the 
subject of a coloured double-plate. 
Brillancy of colour also characterises many of the fish found in 
Australian waters ; and that the chromo-plates of Syngnathidae (sea- 
horses) and Plectognathi are far from exaggerated in this respect will 
be admitted by anyone who has visited the little aquarium started at 
Hobart by Mr Saville-Kent himself. That these colours are more 
brilliant in the mating season, and therefore due to sexual selection, 
is not proved for all species, but is known to be the case with Mona- 
canthus rudis, even as it 1s with our familiar stickleback. A very 
important observation recorded by our author is that on the latent 
colour-markings of certain fish. In the daytime longitudinal colour- 
bands are conspicuous, but at night there appear further dark trans- 
verse markings. These markings, controlled by the nerve-centres in 
the adult (as proved by a blinded fish, which behaved as though it 
were always night) are, in some cases at least, constant in the young, 
a fact suggesting that the species are derived from transversely-banded 
ancestors. ; 
Chapter vii. does for the pearl-fisheries of Western Australia 
what the author’s former work did for those of Queensland. We are 
not surprised to read that Mr Saville-Kent has unpleasant memories 
of wading ashore through the mud-flats of the port of Broome, which 
is the headquarters of the pearl-fishing fleet, and we are happy to be 
able to assure him that the substantial jetty for which he longs has 
already been built, and that from it there embarked as many as fifty 
passengers only a month or two ago. 
Marine miscellanea are dealt with in the following chapter, which 
