562. 



NA TORE 



[Oct. ii, 18S8 



of France contains two species of Antedon, the oldest yet 

 known, and the genus occurs together with Actinometra, 

 in the Lower Oolites of both France and England ; while 

 if Bonrgueticrinus ooliticus, McCoy, is a Thiolliericrinus, 

 as supposed by de Loriol, then it is the earliest known 

 species of this remarkable genus. 



The fifth chapter is on the classification of the family, 

 and is followed by the descriptions of the specimens. In 

 a seventh chapter there is a detailed account of the 

 bathymetrical distribution, and a station list of all the 

 " Comatulaa " which were obtained by the various British 

 Expeditions for deep-sea exploration between the years 

 1868-82. Appended to this is a list of all the known 

 living species of Comatulae, with their distribution in depth 

 and space. As to the latter, all the principal stations are 

 given. In the analysis of this list (p. 383) the total 

 number of living species is given at 180, but from the list 

 itself there would seem to be 188 species. Possibly the 

 seven additional species of Antedon and the one species 

 of Actinometra named but not described may account 

 for this discrepancy. The Report is accompanied by 

 seventy plates. 



In congratulating the author on the successful accom- 

 plishment of his onerous task, we allude to his apology for 

 the delay in its publication to state our conviction that none 

 such was needed. Investigations like those here recorded 

 might be more quickly accomplished were it possible to 

 devote to them the whole working hours of the investi- 

 gator's life ; but when instead they have to be carried 

 on during the hours of rest from arduous profes- 

 sional duties, hours that might more prudently have been 

 devoted to repose, the case becomes quite different, and 

 the wonder to us is that so much has been done within 

 the time. 



The second memoir in the volume is a Report by Sir 

 Wm. Turner on the Seals collected during the voyage. In 

 the first volume of these Reports, Sir W. Turner's Report 

 on the Bones of the Cetacea which had been collected by 

 the Expedition appeared. In the present Report.we have 

 detailed descriptions of the species of Macrorhinus, 

 Leptonychotes, Otaria, and Arctocephalus, procured at 

 the Kerguelen and Heard Islands, off the Falklands, in 

 Messier Channel, and at Juan Fernandez. This is fol- 

 lowed by an outline of the classification of the Pinnipedia, 

 in which the diagnoses of all the genera and those of 

 most of the known species are given. 



In a third part there is a description of the brain of the 

 elephant seal and of the walrus, with a comparison of the 

 convolutions of the brain of the seals and walrus with 

 those of the brains of the Carnivora, and of apes and 

 of man. Part IV. gives an account of the visceral 

 anatomy of the elephant seal. In an appendix there is 

 an elaborate account by Dr. W. C. Strettell Miller of the 

 myology of the Pinnipedia. Ten plates accompany this 

 Reptfrt. 



The third and last memoir in this volume is an 

 exceedingly interesting supplement to his Report on the 

 Actiniaria, by Prof. Richard Hertwig. 



This supplement contains a description of additional 

 specimens fouad from time to time as the various other 

 groups of marine forms were being worked out. Amongst 

 the material occurred species previously described, but en- 

 abling in a few cases fresh details to be added. Several, 



however, represented new and interesting genera, but in 

 some cases the material was in so bad a state of pre- 

 servation as to preclude description. Prof. R. Hertwig's 

 Report was published in 1882, and since then Andres's 

 monograph of the Actiniaria has appeared. Some 

 criticisms on his classification preface the description 

 of the new species ; and a synopsis of the Hexaetinias 

 according to Hertwig's views, is given. 



In the description of genera and species we find an ac- 

 count of a new species of Moseley's genus Corallimorphus, 

 C. obtectus. It was found at Station 157, and on it Hert- 

 wig in his Report had chiefly based his description of 

 C. rigidus, Mos., the type specimen of which latter has 

 now been found. A new genus, Ilyanthopsis, is established 

 for a single specimen from the Bermudas ; it seems in 

 shape intermediate between Aiptasia and Anemonia ; it 

 was attached. Aulorchis is a new genus belonging to the 

 group of forms devoid of tentacles, the specimen (A. 

 paradoxd) was found at Station 299, at a depth of 2160 

 fathoms. With the assistance of Dr. Erdmann, a revision 

 of the Zoanthese is given, based on an examination of the 

 condition of the ccenenchyma, arrangement of mesen- 

 teries, structure of sphincter, condition of integument, 

 and colonial formation. The solitary forms are relegated 

 to Sphenopidae, the colonial to Zoanthidae, of which five 

 genera — Zoanthus (Cuv., p.p.), Mammilifera (Lesueur), 

 Epizoanthus (Verrill), Polythoa (Lamx.), and Corticifera 

 (Lesueur) — are recognized. In an appendix a new genus 

 and species is described, Stephanidium schulzii, found 

 off Zebu, which appears to belong to the Zoanthese, but 

 differs in the absence of incrustations and the non- 

 formation of a colony. 



We notice one defect in this memoir, that the references 

 to the authorities for known genera and species are 

 omitted. There are four plates representing the new 

 forms. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



A Bibliography of the Foraminifera, Recent and Fossil, 

 from 1565 to 1888. By C. Davies Sherborn, F.G.S. 

 Pp. i.-viii. and 1-152. (London: Dulauand Co., 1888.) 



The attention of naturalists for many years has been 

 drawn to the minute animals of the sea, and with increas- 

 ing interest as they have become better known by 

 researches as well in abyssal as in shallow waters. Their 

 fossil representatives have also long been noticed and ex- 

 tensively sought for in very many strata of different ages 

 in various parts of the world. 



The Foraminifera are among these multitudinous objects 

 of interest to the microscopist, and through him to the 

 naturalist in general, and the geologist in particular. 



The simplicity of structure in the Foraminifera, and, at 

 the same time, their manifold and indeed interminable 

 varieties of form, often symmetrically elegant, have given 

 rise to numerous namings and descriptions, often without 

 adequate figures. Hence their nomenclature has been 

 confused among the multitude of authors who have eitht 

 mentioned, or more fully treated of, these minut 

 organisms. Consequently, for a basis in determining tl 

 relative value of the so-called species, their right names 

 and order of discovery, a bibliography of the Foraminifera 

 having long been desiderated, was attempted by differer 

 writers in 1 848/1 854, 1858,1859, 1878, 1884, and 1886-8 ; but 

 each ofthese catalogues was imperfect. We are pleased 

 to be able to say that a complete list of the books and 

 papers treating of Foraminifera is now before us, combin- 





