Bibliographical Notices. 391 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



Rare and Remarkable Animals of Scotland, represented from living 

 Subjects ; with Practical Observations on their Nature. By Sir 

 John Graham Dalyell, Bart. Volume second, containing tifty- 

 six coloured Plates. London : John Van Voorst, 1848. 4to. 



We have to apologize to our readers for our dilatoriness in intro- 

 ducing to their notice this second volume of a very remarkable work, 

 whose speedy appearance we hail with much pleasure, 'i'he volume 

 is equal to the first in its bulk and fair proportions, but scarcely 

 equal in the interest and marvellousness of its histories ; and indeed 

 the author has been anticipated, if we mistake not, in the publication 

 of his most curious discoveries, although certainly not in the finding 

 of them. He has been long in the possession of a knowledge of cer- 

 tain phsenomena touching the lives of these inferior animals, which, 

 subsequently ascertained by younger investigators less patient of 

 their gestation, got speedy air and publicity ; and hence discoveries 

 which are original in themselves and of singular interest, appear as 

 second-hand and wanting in effect on their now publication. In 

 illustration and proof of this we may instance the discovery of the me- 

 tamorphosis of the compound and solitary Tunicata — their ovijDarous 

 character — the tadpole similitude of their larvae — their locomotive 

 power and subsequent fixation — the difiluence of each larva on the 

 foreign object to be its future residence — and its gradual mutation 

 to the parent form. This discoveiy is here fully explained and illus- 

 trated from personal observation, and we know that it has been long 

 the author's own ; but naturalists have become familiar with it, not 

 through his works, but through the popular writings of Milne- 

 Edwards, translated and transferred into every work compiled to 

 meet the demand for elementary books on zoology. 



The first chapter treats of " Fcliaceous Zoophytes," or Flustrce. 

 At the very outset Sir John tells us that each polype, in the multi- 

 tudinous polypidom, lives " solely for itself, independent of the life, 

 the death, and the circumstances of its nearest neighbour. Among 

 the multitudes restricted to limited space, we discover no reciprocal 

 bond or connexion, nor any common channel of communication be- 

 tween them ; neither any internal pith or medullary substance per- 

 vading the polyparium." (p. I.) But subsequently he arrives at the 

 sounder conclusion that, though no connexion or communication 

 between the cells of the Flustra can be discovered, " there is a 

 strong presumption of some imperceptible channel or medium 

 traversing the leaf, whereby portions with new hydrse are generated 

 from the older parts." (p. 13.) The polyj)idom holding in its en- 

 tirety myriads of individuals begins always with one only cell ; and 

 this, to secure a broader foundation for the future colonJ^ is always 

 horizontal, while those which pullulate from it are, and must neces- 

 sarily be, vertical. The original dies and consolidates, and so do 

 its immediate successors, after producing others above them, which 

 are ejected from their living progenitors in regulated ordination. 



