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BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



A History of British Sessile-eyed Crustacea. By C. Spence Bate, 

 F.R.S., F.L.S. &c., and J. O. Westwood, M.A., F.L.S. Parts 

 I.-XI. 8vo. London : Van Voorst, 1861-1863. 



In a former Number of this Journal (January 1862) we called the 

 attention of our readers to the appearance of the first numbers of 

 this important work, and we have now to notice the completion of 

 its first volume with the eleventh number just published. This 

 volume contains the descriptions of nearly all the British Amphi- 

 poda — only the Hyperine forms and the Laemodipoda of Latreille 

 (which are included by Mr. Spence Bate among the Amphipoda) 

 being left for the second volume. 



Being usually of small size, and destitute of that variety of form 

 which renders the Stalk-eyed Crustacea so interesting even to the 

 unscientific, the animals treated of in this volume would seem per- 

 haps to possess few attractions, except for the zealous student of 

 nature ; but this is far from being the case ; for, notwithstanding a 

 general uniformity of structure, the different genera exhibit many 

 curious peculiarities in the various development of their parts ; and 

 this will apply still more strongly to numerous forms of Amphipoda 

 and Isopoda which still remain to be described. The importance of 

 these creatures in the economy of nature is also very great : making 

 up for the smallness of their size by the immense numbers in which 

 they exist and the ubiquity of their presence, they are ready at the 

 first moment to seize upon the dead animal matter which constitutes 

 their ordinary food, and thus to act their part as scavengers of the 

 ocean without the least delay, whilst in their turn they furnish an 

 abundance of excellent nourishment to fishes and other aquatic ani- 

 mals, some of which thrive better upon this Crustacean diet than 

 upon any other. Many of the species also (^Podoceridce) are preda- 

 ceous in their habits ; and most of these form dwellings for them- 

 selves, the construction of which presents many singularities. Among 

 the forms still to be described, we have both terrestrial and aquatic, 

 herbivorous, carnivorous, and even parasitic species ; so that, what- 

 ever might be our opinion at the first glance, we soon discover 

 that the Sessile-eyed Crustacea really present a greater variety of 

 interest both in structure and habit than the more striking Podoph- 

 thalmous forms. 



Under any circumstances, the Edriophthalma form a group which 

 the student of our marine zoology must not neglect ; and he may 

 congratulate himself on the excellent guide through the intricacies 

 of a somewhat difficult branch of natural history which is afforded 

 him by the joint work of Messrs. Spence Bate and Westwood. If 

 we had much pleasure in speaking in high terms of the first few 

 numbers, it is an equal gratification to be able to say, now that it 

 has advanced halfway on its course, that the excellent character of 

 the work has been maintained throughout, and that, notwithstanding 

 the limited pubhc upon which such books depend for their support. 



