COBBOLD, ON ENTOZOA. 45 
convenience in regarding the entozoa as a distinct group in 
the animal kingdom; but, in a scientific point of view, we 
conceive that such an arrangement is open to grave objections, 
having a tendency to lead some to suppose that such a group 
really represents a zoological division, whilst the fact is that 
all the entozoa, notwithstanding the extraordinary and diverse 
anomalies they present in the organization adapted to their 
peculiar habits, are nevertheless easily referable to a class 
which also embraces infinitely more numerous non-parasitic 
forms, and even to an order from which it is impossible to 
exclude some. With one or two very doubtful exceptions 
referable to the protozoa, all the entozoa may in fact be 
ranged in the annulose sub-kingdom, in the annuloid pro- 
vince of which they, together with the non-parasitic turbel- 
laria, constitute the entire class Scolecida. 
We are aware that Dr. Cobbold is supported by some 
authority in constituting the entozoa into a distinct group, 
but we cannot but regret that in a scientific work of this im- 
portance, and which is calculated to influence the opinions of 
so many, a truer zoological classification has not been 
adopted. And we think that the actual relations of these 
animals would thus have been kept more distinctly in view than 
can be when they are habitually regarded as a group apart 
from the rest of the Annulosa. Nor can we perceive how 
“endless confusion’? can arise from the “attempt to distri- 
bute” them “amongst the different invertebrate groups,” in 
which as we have shown they in reality constitute one already 
formed almost by themselves. For other considerations also 
it seems to us that the scheme of classification proposed by 
Dr. Cobbold, however convenient it may be for his special 
object, is by far too artificial and unnatural to be admissible 
in a scientific point of view. 
All this, however, is apart from the intrinsic and practical 
merits of the work, which may be regarded as a compendious 
and well-digested repertorium of all that is known respecting 
human internal parasites, and as one in which the subject, 
though treated in a thoroughly scientific manner, is yet 
handled in such a way as will, it is to be hoped, tend to 
popularise a very useful and highly interesting line of in- 
quiry, which until the last few years had remained in a very 
unsatisfactory state. 
