Bibliographical Notices. 163 
made by Professor Bischoff, of Munich, respecting the conception 
and gestation of that species. It is stated that— 
“The rutting-season of the Roe is at the end of July and in Au- 
gust, this being the only time when the organs of the male and 
female are in such a state as to make procreation possible. 
‘In a few days, at most, after the rutting, the egg progresses in 
the usual way through certain channels—a process unnecessary to: 
describe here,—and then arrives in the uterus; and here, without: 
undergoing any change whatever, it lies dormant 43 months. 
**In this undeveloped state it had always been overlooked by na- 
turalists ; moreover, as the uterus remains also quite unchanged, the 
belief that the doe was not pregnant seems to be confirmed. 
** As will be remarked, all the circumstances were such as to mis- 
lead the investigator, and to incline to false conclusions. 
** But in the middle of December the germ, which had been lying” 
so long inactive, suddenly quickens, and, with the same fast progress 
as is observable in other Mammalia, developes so considerably, that 
in from twenty-one to twenty-five days all the parts of the egg and 
all the organs of the embryo are so formed as to undergo no further 
change before birth, except an increase in size. 
. “The different gradations in the development of the embryo, the 
various appearances which present themselves in the more or less 
advanced stages of growth, have been omitted as quite unnecessary, 
and, to many a reader, wholly unintelligible. These, however, have 
all been circumstantially noted down, and drawn with the strictest 
accuracy ; and, moreover, the delicate germ and its infinitesimal’ 
tendril-like offshoots have been preserved, so that their progress to- 
wards maturity may be followed day by day and week by week, and’ 
the eye of the uninitiated, even, behold and comprehend what once 
Science alone could see. 
** And for such discovery, and clear display of it, we are indebted 
to Dr. Louis William Bischoff, at this moment Professor at the Uni- 
versity of Munich*”’ (pp. 44-46). 
Now the extraordinary circumstance above related is not entirely 
new to English naturalists, though it may be so to many of our 
readers, for no comprehensive work on British Mammals has been: 
published since those of Prof. Bell and Prof. MacGillivray, which 
appeared, the one simultaneously with, the other but shortly after Prof. 
Pockel’s paper in Miiller’s ‘ Archiv’ for 1836, wherein attention was 
first directed to the subject. Yet, if we are not mistaken, the dis- 
covery of the distinguished Bavarian physiologist has been noticed 
in some of our scientific journals; and we believe that the proof of 
his theory is considered satisfactory. However, we look forward to 
Prof. Bell telling us all about it in the new edition of his ‘ British 
Mammalia,’ which is understood to be in preparation. 
Two chapters are devoted to the Red-deer ; and a subject which 
* «Tn case any of my readers should be desirous of studying the subject 
with more scientific accuracy than it is possible to do from this sketch, the 
title of Prof. Bischoff’s treatise is subjomed; ‘ Entwickelungsgeschichte 
des Rehes.’ Giessen, 1854.” : 
11* 
