2.1 8 



NA TURE 



[July 6, 1893 



essentially similar to that of the respective neighbouring 

 coists of Australia and a more remote connection between 

 New Zealand and Queensland through " Wallace's 

 Bank." Mr. C. W. De Vis has recently identified some 

 fossil bird bones from the Darling Downs (Queensland) 

 as belonging to a true }Aoa.{Dinorins Queenslattdic^ n.sp.) 

 to an allied genus {Dromornis n.g.) and to a near ally of 

 the Kiwi {Metapteryx hifrons g.sp. nn.). This discovery is 

 of such importance that it requires corroboration before 

 it can be finally accepted by zoologists. It is unfortunate 

 that on p. 1 37 occurs a foot-note in which the native name 

 of an island in Torres Straits, " Moa," is associated with 

 that of the extinct New Zealand bird. On the preceding 

 page Dr. Wallace is quoted as saying that the complete 

 disseverance of Australia and New Zealand was probably 

 in the earlier portion of the tertiary period at least, and 

 previous to this Mr. Saville-Kent himself says that "the 

 very conspicuous racial distinctions between the human 

 inhabitants of New Guinea, the Torres Strait Islands, 

 and the Australian Continent, indicate that the separation 

 of the districts must have been accomplished in pre- 

 historic times, probably in a middle tertiary epoch." 



While this statement of Mr. Saville-Kent's disproves 

 his own suggestion, it cannot pass unchallenged. The 

 Torres Straits Islanders are Papuans with probably, in 

 some cases, an admixture of North Queensland blood, 

 but anyhow, migration across Torres Straits is easy 

 enough and does not require a land connection. 



" Corals and Coral Animals " have a chapter to 

 themselves. The classification adopted is not to be 

 commended, and the term Zoantharia is restricted to the 

 Zoantheae, contrary to universal usage. Several new 

 species of .Actiniaria are^described in general terms, and 

 one new genus, Physobrachia, is erected for a polyp 

 having " bladder-like apices of the tentacles." There is 

 no evidence to show that this is a sea-anemone at all. 

 The most remarkable form collected by Mr. Saville-Kent 

 is a zoanthean which grows on an erect zigzag tube, about 

 which there is a division of opinion ; some zoologists 

 regard it as an example of commensalism between an 

 unknown annelid and a zoanthus, but Mr. Saville-Kent 

 believes that the tube is secreted by the zoanthean, which 

 he names Acrozoanthus Australia. The Reviewer finds 

 that anatomically and histologically the polyp agrees 

 precisely with other species of the genus Zoanthus. A 

 rough sketch is given of Platyzoanihus mussoides Nov. 

 gen. n.sp. which is insufficient for accurate determination ; 

 this is almost certainly a Hexactinian and not a 

 Zoanthean, and probably it is Rhodactis bryoides H. and S., 

 or an allied species. The section on the Madreporaria, or 

 stony corals, is excellent, and the photographic illustrations 

 of expanded corals are very valuable. The colours of 

 the different species are described, and attention is drawn 

 to the fact that not only may the same species, but 

 in one case even the same individual varies in colour. 

 The description of the Alcyonaria is valuable when 

 confined to observations on the reef 



The chapter on "Pearl and Pearl-shell Fisheries" is 

 chiefly intended for those interested in the commercial 

 aspects of this important fishery, the average annual 

 value of which is stated to be ^69,000. The profits of 

 the fishery are made out of the pearl-shell only, for though 

 pearls, and often very valuable ones too, are frequent, 

 NO. 1236, VOL. 48] 



they largely form the illegal perquisites of the nati' 

 crews. Mr. Saville-Kent distinguishes two species, tl 

 large white shell Meleagrina jnargariti/era and a small 

 black- edged form which he names M. nigro-tnarginat 

 Mr. Saville-Kent has proved that it is possible to tran 

 plant living pearl-shell, and his experiments open up 

 prospect of the " shellers," as they are locally terme 

 forming nursery beds to which undersized shell can 1 

 transferred to be again taken up when they are bett 

 grown. The shells from these beds could be open( 

 under the superintendence of the owners, who would ih( 

 secure the pearls. The author is inclined to think th 

 under favourable conditions a period not exceeding thr 

 years suffices for the shell to attain to the marketab 

 size of eight or nine inches in diameter, and that hea' 

 shells of 51b. or 61b. weight per pair may be the produ 

 of five years' growth. 



The account of the " Beche-de-Mer Fisheries" is 01 

 of the most workmanlike sections of the book. For tl 

 first time we can associate such terms as " prickly rec 

 or "teat fish" with their appropriate scientifi: name 

 Twenty species of Holothurians are popularly diagnose 

 of which six are described as being new species, i 

 only the fully-grown forms are found on the surface 

 the reefs there is little fear of extermination throuj 

 over-fishing. 



A long chapter is devoted to " Oysters and Cyst 

 Fisheries of Queensland," which is of more local ai 

 commercial than of general interest. Several specii 

 and numerous varieties of Ostrea are described ar 

 figured. 



Two coloured plates and six photographic plates illu 

 trate the chapter on " Food and Fancy Fishes," whic 

 will be of considerable value to local naturalists. A fe 

 new species are recorded. 



The concluding chapter is entitled " Potentialities 

 and summarises in an able manner the vast store of fo( 

 and wealth which is furnished by the Great Barrier Ref 

 and is still unappropriated. 



There can be but little doubt if a serious fishery of tl 

 dugong is undertaken that interesting sirenian will soc 

 become exterminated. It is not very evident why tl 

 "Great Barrier Reef sea-serpent" {Chelosauria Loveh 

 n. gen. and sp.) should be placed among the potentialiti( 

 of the Great Reef. A detailed description and sketcht 

 are given of a supposed enormous Chelonian, with snaki 

 like head and fish-like tail. Dr. Giinther, it appears, h; 

 offered "^100 for the entire animal, ^50 for part, and 

 fair price for the head and neck sun-dried." An extei 

 sive fishery at these prices — for doubtless other curato 

 would be willing to purchase— may perhaps be regarde 

 as a possible, if improbable, source of wealth. 



The author puts in a plea for a federal Australia 

 marine biological station at Thursday Island in Torn 

 Straits, which should " look for the main means of i 

 foundation and maintenance to Australian corporal 

 support and Australian private liberality." The Review( 

 would like to add his testimony to the suitability 1 

 Thursday Island for this purpose. It is convenient froi 

 every point of view, being easy of access, with a reguL' 

 mail and a telegraph, a safe anchorage, extensive an 

 prolific reefs almost entirely surrounding the island, an 

 inexhau5tible reefs in the vicinity. Mr. Saville-Kent's boo 



