388 Miscellaneous. 



The ventral lobes are concealed by a lamella, which docs not 

 seem to exist in Cryptoniscus jjlanaridides . These lobes are the 

 homologues of the respiratory plates of the pleon of the Bopyridae, 

 and especially of Phnjxus. It is, moreover, with these animals that 

 Cryptoniscm presents the closest affinities ; and I cannot accept the 

 opinion of Spence Bate, who proposes the union of the genus Crijp- 

 toniscus with Cryptotldria, which includes animals parasitic upon 

 Balnni. The presence in the latter of a by no means degraded 

 cephalic paii, the arrangement of the ovaries and oviducts, and the 

 absence of respiratory plates upon the pleon appear to militate 

 against this combination. 



The passage from the Cryptonisci to the other Bopyridae is effected 

 by the Phryxi, and especially by Phryxus (Bopyrus) resupinatus, 

 F. Mliller, which lives parasiticaUy upon Peltogaster purpureus. 

 The most nearly allied type in the European seas is Phryxus phyl- 

 lodes, which lives upon the Paynrus Prideauxii of the shores of the 

 EngHsh Channel. — Comptes Eendus, July 27, 1874, pp. 241-24:3. 



A Record of Geological Literature. 



A work has been undertaken by some of the most zealous of our 

 younger geologists, the satisfactory execution of which will be of 

 great importance to many of our readers. This is a ' llecord of 

 Geological Literature,' intended to be a classified general index to 

 the contents of the multitudinous books and memoirs published on 

 Geology properly so called, Mineralogy, and Palaeontology during 

 each year, somewhat after the model of the ' Record of Zoological 

 Literature.' 



That the work will be one of great labour and difficulty no one at 

 aU acquainted with the subjects to be thus treated can doubt ; and 

 we can only wish the editor, Mr, Whitaker, of the Geological Survey, 

 and his able staff of assistants, good speed in their arduous under- 

 taking. At the same time we hope that they may meet with a 

 higher degree of success than has hitherto attended the efforts of 

 their fellow-labourers of the ' Zoological Record;' and we think that 

 this happy consummation may be attained, for two reasons : in the 

 first place, they have not to contend against a long-establLshed rival 

 like the " Berichte " in Wiegraann's ' Archiv,' seeing that the notices 

 in the ' Jahrbuch fiir Geologic ' &c. can by no means pretend to give 

 a complete abstract of geological literature ; and, secondly, a great 

 number of people in this and other countries have a professional 

 interest in keeping up with the progress of geology, and it may be 

 expected that a fair proportion of these, at any rate, will purchase 

 the new ' Record.' 



The ' Geological Record,' if well executed, which, from the names 

 of the contributors, there is every reason to expect, will prove of the 

 greatest value to all geologists and palaeontologists; and the low 

 price at which it is proposed to publish it ought to ensure it a wide 

 circulation. The 'Record' of geological doings in 1874 is now in 

 course of preparation, and will be issued about the middle of next 

 year. The editor will be happy to receive the names of intending 

 subscribers. 



