240 Bibliographical Notices. 



the examination of the feces for ova will give the most cer- 

 tain information as to the presence of these parasites, and 

 measures to make sm'C that in districts frequently affected 

 by this worm-disease no Syngami are introduced at the pur- 

 chase of new birds, are of the greatest prophylactic value. If 

 the disease make its appearance in great extent, various 

 ways must be adopted, according to the localities, in order to 

 prevent the food-vessels from being contaminated by the 

 fgeces or other ejecta, and the soil in damp spots from forming 

 breeding-places from which fresh infections of the birds may 

 continually take place. The custom of many bird-fanciers, of 

 throwing the carcasses of birds among their meal-worms, " in 

 order to make the worms fat," is very well fitted, in the case 

 of the carcasses containing Syngavius, to disseminate the ova, 

 which would be readily developed in the moist and warm 

 mass with the meal-worms, and to transfer them, with the 

 latter, into birds. 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



figures of Characteristic British Fossils, with Descriptive RemarTcs. 

 By W. H. Baily, F.L.S., F.G.S., &c. Part III. Plates 21-30. 

 Upper Silurian and Devonian. 8vo. Loudon : Yan Voorst, 1871. 



The three parts of this work that have uow been published contain 

 30 lithographic plates, illustrating 504 fossils and their parts, together 

 with explanations and descriptive remarks, which are further illus- 

 trated by several woodcuts. With the author's guidance we have 

 learned the meaning of the ancient relics of primaeval creatures, which 

 he has arranged for us out of quarry and cabinet, and can value 

 them truly as medals of creation and trustworthy indications of past 

 times and conditions, as the numismatist uses his coins and tokens. 

 Mr. Baily explains the nature of the different types of the great groujjs 

 of the animal and vegetable kingdoms as they come successively, in 

 relative abundance, in the several formations, and supplies plentiful 

 references to the describers of fossil species, and takes trouble to 

 indicate the distribution of the several typical fossils that his correct 

 judgment leads him to lay before his reader. 



We are promised that " Part IV. will complete the Palseozoic 

 division of strata, and conclude vol. i. ;" and another such set for 

 " the Secondary '' and another for the " Tertiary" strata and fossils 

 will make up the useful and trustworthy work, of which we have 

 had so good a beginning. Though the hthographs are rather wooUy, 

 there is no doubt of their accuracy ; for the accomplished author 

 cares for them himself. A few errata of greater or less importance 

 will have to be noticed: — Gothlandicus for Gotlandicus, Ccelenterata 

 for Ccelenterata, Cymboeformis for Cymhceformis, Loxonoma ior Loxo- 

 nema, Astrea for Astra^a ; and at p. xlvi, line 23, has for haye. 



