BlbUoyraphical Notices. 49 



cient reason for combining plants with " crested and furrowed fruit" 

 with the true genus Trisetum, in which that part is " neither crested 

 nor furrowed." It appears then to us that the genus Trisetum should 

 be confined (as far as Britain is concerned) to the A.flavescens of 

 LinnKus, and that the other species of Parnell ought to be considered 

 as belonging to Avena. 



We must, however, draw these observations to a conclusion, and 

 in doing so beg to congratulate the author upon the appearance of 

 so creditable a book, and express a hope that he will not relax in 

 his pursuit until he has illustrated in a similar manner at least all 

 the British Grasses. At the same time we would hint, that a little 

 more attention to the fine nerves on the calyx and corolla, which we 

 do not find represented on some of the plates, although they exist in 

 nature, and also to a representation of the ligule in all cases, would 

 be highly desirable. 



Histoire NatureUe des Poissons d'eau douce de V Europe centrale, par 



L. Agassiz. Embryologie des Salmones, par C. Vogt. Neuchatel, 



1842. 8vo, pp. 326. 



Many of our readers will be aware that the first number of this 

 work appeared some years since as an atlas of lithographic figures, 

 representing several species of the Salmonidce of central Europe in 

 their various stages ; the second number of these plates has now 

 been received, devoted entirely to embryology, and with it a volume 

 of letter-press by M. C. Vogt, to which they serve as illustrations. 

 In the short preface by the author of the text, it is stated, that with 

 the view of rendering the history of the freshwater fishes of Eu- 

 rope as complete as possible, M. Agassiz requested his assistance, 

 and the observations were begun together towards the end of the 

 year 1839. "Cependant," continues M.Vogt, "des travauxplus pres- 

 sans empecherent plus tard M. Agassiz d'y consacrer tous ses soins, 

 et comme ce genre d'elude exigeait des observations non interrom- 

 pues et trop frequentes pour que I'un ou I'autre eut pu se dispenser 

 d'y vouer tout son temps, je fus charge d'achever seul ce travail. 

 En me confiant une tache aussi honorable, mon celebre ami n'est'ce- 

 pendant point reste etranger a mes recherches. Nous avons discute 

 ensemble les faits capitaux, a mesure que I'observation me les reve- 

 loit ; souvent meme nous les avons examines de nouveau en com- 

 mun, et lorsque j'eus redigee mon travail, c'est encore luiqui a bien 

 voulu le revoir." The plan pursued in the work has been to take 

 one species, and to examine the progressive development of the 

 germ in all its parts ; for this purpose a species of Coregonus has 

 been selected (C. palea, Cuv.), probably on account of being easily 

 procured, and the ova which have been used have all been impreg- 

 nated artificially. We could have wished that the observations had 

 been made upon a typical member of the family, for although the 

 differences maj'-. be comparatively small, the whole habit of the Core- 

 goni, their spawning and impregnation, are closely similar to those 

 of the Clupeadcc ; nevertheless the volume is an important addition 

 both to embryology and to the commencement of the structure of the 



Ann. <^' Mag. N. Hist. VnL xi. E 



