368 



NATURE 



[August 14, 1890 



Perhaps this will in some measure account for the fact 

 that of the Actiniae collected during the expedition, thirty- 

 nine out of forty-one are described as new species, for 

 which eighteen new genera are diagnosed, and five new 

 families are formed. The large majority of these new 

 forms belong, as might be expected, to the Hexactinias 

 of Hertwig, but some belong to the Edwardsiae, Zoantheas, 

 and Ceriantheae ; while a new tribe has been provisionally 

 made tq receive two forms (Fenja and ^Egir), not at first 

 sight clearly appertaining to the Actinaria. These forms 

 have elongated, cylindrical, vermiform bodies, with an 

 apparently complete body cavity ; the oral disk is sur- 

 rounded with tentacles, and opens into an oesophagus, 

 which is continued into a closed intestine, which opens 

 at the aboral end of the body. There are twelve septal 

 chambers, complete in themselves, with twelve pore 

 openings around the anal opening. 



In Fenja mirabilis the body is 70 mm. in length and 

 15 mm. in breadth at the anterior extremity, whilst the 

 posterior part is rather narrower; the surface of the 

 body is smooth and shining. 



In ^gir frigidus the animal is surrounded with a 

 mucous investment, and the body is but 30 mm. in length ; 

 from 8 to 10 mm. in breadth at the anterior extremity, 

 to 4 to 5 mm. in breadth at the somewhat rounded pos- 

 terior extremity. While in Fenja the ovaries do not 

 materially differ from the type in the Actinida, those in 

 ^gir greatly approach the form generally met with in 

 the Alcyonida. 



It would seem useless to speculate as to the position 

 these strange forms must occupy until something more is 

 known of their structure and something of their develop- 

 ment. Dr. Danielssen writes that, if the coelom is to be 

 regarded as the distinctive feature, then it is evident they 

 cannot be placed among the Coelenterata ; but he adds 

 that perhaps too much stress has been laid on the so- 

 called gastro-vascular apparatus as a systematic feature 

 in this group, and that what is called the cesophagus in 

 Actinida is possibly a rudimentary intestinal formation. 



We have alluded to these two forms in some detail as 

 being of very special interest, but an almost equal interest 

 attaches to others which are also to be found described, 

 but which our space forbids us to do more than thus 

 generally refer to. In addition to the coloured plates 

 representing the new species, there are nineteen with the 

 various anatomical details, making this memoir one of 

 the best illustrated of the series. It follows so closely on 

 the memoir on the Alcyonida by the same distinguished 

 author, that we cannot but express our admiration for 

 the energy he displays in working out the natural history 

 of the Norwegian coast, which is now better known than 

 that of our own shores. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



Smithsonian Report, 1887. (Washington : Government 

 Printing Office.) 



This important publication is increasing year by year in 

 value, in consequence of the pains taken to increase the 

 quantity and quality of therecords of progress in thevarious 

 sciences. In the present volume it brings the records of the 

 Institution down to June 30, 1 887. We find the proceedings 

 of the Board of Regents and of the Executive Committee, 



NO. 1085, VOL. 42] 



the Report of the Secretary on the general work of the 

 establishment, the National Museum, and the Bureau of 

 Ethnology. But there is very much more than this, 

 although these matters are by no means of merely local 

 interest. The progress of astronomy. North American 

 geology and palaeontology, vulcanology and seismology, 

 geography and exploration, physics, chemistry, mineralogy, 

 zoology, and anthropology, take up no less than 500 pages, 

 and are admirably done. We should add that the record 

 of each branch of science is accompanied by a full biblio- 

 graphy, which largely increases its usefulness. The mis- 

 cellaneous papers this year deal chiefly with the Western 

 mounds and Indian archaeology. 



Travels and Discoveries in North and Central Africa. 

 By Henry Barth. (London : Ward, Lock, and Co., 

 1890.) 



Forty years ago Barth was invited to join a mission 

 which the British Government was about to despatch to 

 Central Africa. He accepted the invitation, and was 

 absent from Europe nearly six years, in the course of 

 which he travelled from Tripoli to Bdrnu, and front 

 Bdrnu to Timbuktu. The account of his explorations, 

 published in 1857 in German and Enghsh, was im- 

 mediately recognized as one of the most important and 

 fascinating of modern books of travel ; and even now, 

 after so long an interval, it has lost but little of its 

 interest. In the present volume, which belongs to the 

 Minerva Library, the first half of the great traveller's 

 elaborate work is reproduced with many of the original 

 illustrations. The books of travel by Darwin and 

 Wallace, which have been reissued in the same series, 

 differ considerably from that of Barth, who was not a 

 naturalist; but, as Mr. Bettany, the editor, says, "t(» 

 make up for this he is extremely rich in topographical, 

 historical, and anthropological details." Mr. Bettany 

 contributes to the volume a short introduction, in which 

 he brings together some of the leading facts relating to 

 Barth's career. 



Weather Forecasting for the British Islands. By Captair* 

 Henry Toynbee, F.R.A.S., &c. (London : Edward 

 Stanford, 1890.) 

 This is a most interesting and useful little book, and 

 should be in the possession of all those who take any 

 interest whatever in weather forecasting. It is writteu 

 with the intention of showing what a single observer can 

 do as regards this subject, supposing him to have a baro 

 meter, means for observing roughly the direction and 

 force of the wind, and power to recognize cirrus clouds 

 and the direction from which they are coming. To make 

 the book more complete, the author has added some 

 daily weather charts to illustrate the appUcation of the 

 principles and variations which occur in prac tice, and to 

 show what can be learnt from them. 



The EncyclopcBdia of Photography. By Walter E. Wood- 

 bury. (London: Iliffe and Son, 1890.) 

 This is the second part of the work we noticed before, to 

 be completed in about twelve parts issued monthly. The 

 ground covered is from B to Coffee Process, between 

 which entries will be found inforrhation useful to all 

 classes of photographers. Bromide paper, camera-bellows 

 making, carbon process, may be mentioned as among the 

 subjects most fully treated of. When completed, the 

 work will contain over 1000 references, and be illustrated 

 by about 200 explanatory sketches and diagrams by the 

 author. 



Japan and the Pacific. By Manjiro Inagaki, B.A. (Can- 

 tab.). (London : T. Fisher Unwin, 1890.) 

 This book, so far as it has any elements of interest, 

 appeals rather to politicians than to students of science. 



