372 Bibliographical Notices. 
to that by which numerous contiguous and equally expanding cylin- 
ders acquire this configuration ; and we must therefore submit with 
a good grace to give up this as an example of instinct in the Bee. 
There is, however, a striking exercise of instinct in the construction 
of the comb, which we are sorry to see that Mr. Samuelson has en- 
tirely omitted to mention, namely the alternate arrangement of the 
cells on the two sides of the comb, by which, as is well known, a con- 
siderable economy of space and material is realized. This is a serious 
omission in a work devoted to the history of the Honey-Bee. 
Notwithstanding the defects to which we have alluded, and one or 
two others of minor importance, Mr. Samuelson has succeeded in 
producing a valuable contribution to our popular entomological 
literature, and one which we can safely recommend. He has con- 
cluded it most appropriately with two chapters on instinct; but to 
these we cannot allude, further than to say that they contain a good 
résumé of the subject. The plates illustrating the description of the 
Bee are well executed, on tinted paper, and will materially assist the 
unlearned reader in understanding the anatomical details. 
Actinologia Britannica: a History of the British Sea-Anemones 
and Madrepores. By P. H. Gossz, F.R.S. London, Van Voorst, 
1858-60. [Second Notice. ] 
It is just two years since we called our readers’ attention to the 
appearance of the first parts of this valuable work; and it is with 
much pleasure that we now announce its completion. There are but 
few books on the Natural History of these Islands that can in any 
way compare with Mr. Gosse’s ‘ Actinologia Britannica,’ whether we 
regard the evident care and conscientiousness with which it has been 
got up or the elegance of the illustrations. 
In our previous notice we remarked upon the great strides which 
have been made in the knowledge of our Helianthoid Polypes within 
the last few years, mainly in consequence of the strong taste for 
aquaria, to which Mr. Gosse has most zealously lent a helping hand. 
A careful comparison of the book now before us with the other 
standard work on the subject, namely Johnston’s ‘ British Zoophytes,’ 
shows clearly how greatly we are indebted to our author for the pro- 
gress that has been made in this branch of zoology. In Johnston’s 
volume we find descriptions of thirty-two Sea-Anemones and Corals ; 
Mr. Gosse describes nearly double that number, namely sixty-three, 
whilst five others are indicated as imperfectly described by other 
authors, or as doubtful species, and six more, only one of which was 
known to Johnston, are placed in an appendix as species incerte 
sedis. If these doubtful species be hereafter established, the number 
of British Helianthoida will be raised to seventy-four. On further 
examination it appears that in all eleven of Johnston’s species have 
disappeared from the list, being placed either as synonyms of others 
or as doubtful species ; so that the number of species described as 
British by Johnston which still retain their full specific rank amounts 
to only twenty-one. We thus get an addition of forty-two species 
