NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 191 



plates are fifty-three in number, and, with the addition of 818 

 woodcuts, contain figures of 2080 objects. 



Looking to the length of many of the articles and the amount 

 of information which they contain, it would have been no mis- 

 nomer had the authors called their work an " Encyclopaedia" 

 instead of a " Dictionary." In their original prospectus it was 

 described as " an index to our knowledge of the structure and 

 properties of bodies revealed by the microscope": there can be 

 no doubt, however, that it possesses many useful qualities beyond 

 those strictly implied in the above definition ; for the authors, 

 witliout departing from the principal purpose of the work, have 

 really furnished much more than a mere descriptive catalogue 

 of objects, and the means of examining tbem ; and a perusal of 

 many of the articles will enable the reader, by the help of the 

 S} r stein adopted, and references printed in small capitals, to acquire 

 a general knowledge of particular departments of science. 



The first edition was published in 1850. In this, the fourth, 

 edition, the work has been thoroughly revised, and the systematic 

 portions of the animal and vegetable kingdoms have been re- 

 arranged according to modern views, so far as is consistent with 

 reference to existing standard treatises and monographs of the 

 individual subjects. The structural portions also appear to have 

 been enlarged, and corrected in relation to recent observations 

 and experiments. This is as it should be, and the whole now 

 forms a reliable and valuable work of reference. 



One characteristic feature in the work deserves to be specially 

 noted, and that is the bibliography which is given at the end of 

 each subject. This is very useful. We have often had occasion 

 to regret the absence of such aid in elementary works on Zoology, 

 many writers appearing to think that the reader will require no 

 further information than is inadequately compressed in a single 

 text-book. 



We are, therefore, glad to find that in the ' Micrographic 

 Dictionary' the reader is furnished not only with an accurate 

 digest on the classification and structure of the various objects 

 described, but with the abbreviated titles of standard works of 

 reference and important papers and monographs, in which a fuller 

 exposition of the subject may be found, if wanted. 



