196 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Mr. J. W. Dunning called attention to a ‘‘ Note on a peculiar sense-organ 
in Scutigera coleoptrata,” one of the Myriapoda, by Mr. F. G. Heathcote 
(Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc., v. 219). The organ is situated on the ventral 
surface of the head at a short distance from the mouth, near the base of the 
mandibles; and the author believes it to be homologous with the tympanic 
organ of insects, and to belong to the class of organs usually described as 
auditory —E. A. Frrcn, Hon. Sec. 
NOTICES OF NEW BOQOKS. 
Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). 
Second Edition. By G. A. Boutencer. Vol. I. 8vo, 
pp- 436, with 32 Plates. Printed by order of the Trustees. 
1885. 
Tue first edition of the Catalogue of Lizards in the National 
Collection was prepared by Dr. J. E. Gray so long ago as 1845. At 
that date the number of specimens in the Museum did not exceed 
one-eighth of their present number; consequently a new edition 
has been for some time a desideratum, not only as a guide to the 
collection, but as a much-needed text-book for students. For it 
should be remembered that, although nominally a catalogue, it is 
not a mere list of names, but contains the synonymy with detailed 
descriptions and measurements of every species included in it, an 
indication of the habitat of each, and the localities where the 
Museum specimens have been obtained. As upon a moderate 
estimate the order Lacertilia comprises some 1700 species 
varying considerably in form and structure, the preparation of 
such a catalogue is evidently no slight undertaking. In the 
volume before us we have the first of three instalments, extending 
to 436 pages, with 32 plates, upon which 112 species are figured 
either entire or in part. 
To understand the classification adopted by Mr. Boulenger, 
the reader should refer to his “Synopsis of the Families of 
Iixisting Lacertilia,” published in the ‘Annals and Magazine of 
Natural History’ for August, 1884. Here it will be seen that 
Mr. Boulenger considers the classifications proposed by Dumeril 
and Bibron, and Gray (which with slight modifications are still 
generally in use) to be as unnatural as can be; for he believes 
