DihUograjihical Noticen. (S'll 



connected \\ith locusts and the birds which prey upon them will 

 i\\^o be found in this Report, in addition to the prnctical details of 

 distribution niid prevention which form its main subjcrts. 



W. F. K. 



Fifche (i'l- >iuf .>.c — i'art i.\. ity l»r. Ai.iiKur tirNTHEli. licing 



Heft xvii. of the 'Journal des Muheum (iadeffroy.' Hamburg 



{h. Fritdorichflen & Co.), lUlU. -Ito. 

 The history and scope of this work have been shortly outlined in a 

 notice in the 'Annals* for December 1901), together with a more 

 detailed account of Part VIII. The promise therein given of a 

 further contribution to our knowlegc of the * Fische der Siid-See ' 

 during the present year has been fulfilled, and it is a matter for 

 congratulation to the author and to ichthyologists alike that with 

 the appearance of the ninth part tliis sumptuously illustrated mono- 

 graph now stands completed. And if, on the other hand, we must 

 regret that during the progress of the work the author should hnvo 

 found the close examination of minute structure to be too trying 

 for his failing eyesight, wo must be glad that he could avail him- 

 eelf of the valuable experience of Mr. Tate Kegan, of the British 

 Museum. For this and for other help received thankful reference 

 is made in the Preface. 



The concluding part of the 'Fische der Siid-See ' is concerned with 

 the families of .V(/r-//i/V/<r (with 81 species) and Pf(/ngid<r (2 species), 

 with the Lophohranchii (IG species), J'Uclor/uathi ( 7(j species), ada- 

 chuidei (2U species), and D.ttoiJti (14 species). The distinction and 

 limitation of the species of some of the generic types, for instance of 

 the Mura?na8, is exceedingly difficult, and can be successfully nnder- 

 takcn only with the aid of long series of examples, such as are found 

 in the British Museum. The author urges repeatedly that certain 

 species inhabiting coral-reefs are especially subject to infinite 

 variation of colour: compare, for instance, the two plates of 

 M. undulata (pis. 1G4 and 105). The dentition, too, usually eo 

 trustworthy a taxonomic character, can, in the Murivnas, be em- 

 ployed with caution only ; for it not only undergoes changes with 

 age, but individuals of the same size and, presumably, similar age 

 may difl'er in resja'ct of the number and arrangement of their teeth. 



Under such circumstances the compilation of the synonymy must 

 have been an unusually laborious task. Of Mttrana mthaijris not 

 le» than 11 synonyms are enumerated, of which seven are intro- 

 duced in recent American literature. Under Munrna undulaia 

 are 15 synonyms, of which 3 are due to Richardson, 3 to Blecker, 

 and 5 to American authors. 



There is a wide field of research open to naturalists and travellers 

 who may have op[)ortunitie8 of studying the fishes of the Pacific Ocean 

 in their natural environments. Our knowledge of their develop- 

 ment and of the changes which they undergo with age is infini- 

 tesimal. In tlio case of one species only {0.<( radon c<,ruuitis) has 

 the author been enabled to describe and figure a progressive scries 

 of juvenile forms. 



