2 
68 
NATURE 
[ Fed. 2, 1871 

Scientific Nomenclature 
THE Kakapo or Night Kaka of New Zealand, Strigops habro- 
blilus, described in NATURE at p. 190 as the ground parrot, is 
called the owl-parrot by Mr. Wood in the current number of the 
“‘ Student.” So longas both names are given there is no con- 
fusion, but it is otherwise if a full description is omitted ; and I 
have to suggest that it is very desirable to adopt a uniform usage 
upon all occasions. 
It is curious to notice the analogy between the words fsittakos 
of ancient Greece and the Awka ot aboriginal New Zealand ; as 
the Greek word has been traced toa Sanscrit origin it would 
seem that the New Zealand word must have originated since the 
Aryan descent upon India. 


NATURAL SCIENCE AT CAMBRIDGE 
Ae following Lectures in Natural Sciences will be 
delivered at Trinity, St. John’s and Sidney Sussex 
Colleges during the Lent Term, 1871. On Electricity 
(for the Natural Sciences Tripos,) by Mr. Trotter, Trinity 
College, in lectureroom No. 11, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, 
Saturdays, at 10, commencing February 4. On Electricity 
and Magnetism (for the special examination for the B.A. 
degree), by Mr. Trotter, Trinity College, in lecture room 
No. 11, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, at 10, com- 
mencing Wednesday, February 1. On Chemistry, by 
Mr. Main, St. John’s College, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, 
Saturdays, at 12, in St. John’s College, Laboratory, com- 
mencing Tuesday, January 31. Instruction in Practical 
Chemistry will also be given. On Geology, by Mr. 
Bonney, St. John’s College: (1) Palaeontology, on Wed- 
nesdays and Fridays, at 9, commencing Wednesday, 
February 1; (2) Lyell’s Principles of Geology, on Tues- 
days and Thursdays, at 9, commencing Tuesday, January 
31; (3) Elementary Lectures on Tuesdays and Thurs- 
days at 11,commencing Tuesday, January 31. On Struc- 
tural and Morphological Botany, by Mr. Hicks Sidney 
College, in the College Laboratory, on Mondays, Wednes- 
days, Fridays, at 10, commencing Wednesday, February 
1. On Physiology, by the Trinity Pralector of Phy- 
siology (Dr. M. Foster), at the New Museums, on Wednes- 
days, Thursdays, Fridays, at 11, beginning Wednesday, 
February 1. The Physiological Laboratory will be open 
for pratical instruction in Physiology daily. 
It may be remembered that a year ago we pointed out 
some defects in the prospectus issued for the intercollegiate 
teaching of Natural Science by Trinity and St. John’s 
Colleges, Cambridge. We are glad to find that, as will 
be found from the above statement, these have been 
rectified, and that by the appointment by Trinity College 
of Dr. Michael Foster as Preelector of Physiology, and 
by combining with Sidney College, and so availing them- 
selves of the services of Mr. Hicks of that College, who 
obtained the first place in the Natural Sciences Tripos, as 
lecturer on Structural and Morphological Botany, the 
staff has been greatly strengthened, and the prospect of 
thorough teaching proportionately increased. The lectures 
are open to members of the other colleges upon payment 
of a small fee. 

OCEANIC VERTEBRATES* 
S° far as concerns their distribution, animals may be 
divided into two classes, the tenants of the land and 
fresh waters, and the inhabitants of the ocean. In the 
one case their boundaries depend upon the form and ex- 
tent of continents past and present; on the other, upon 
the corresponding limits of the ocean, 
Little enough is as yet known with certainty about the 
general distribution of terrestrial animals ; about those of 
* Note intorno al'a distribuzione, della Fauna Vertebrata nell’oceano, presse 
curante un viaggio intorno al Globo, 1865—68, dal Professore Enrico Hillyer 
Giglioli. Firenze, 1870, 8vo. 96 pp. 




the ocean we are still more ignorant. It is, therefore, 
with great pleasure that we have received Prof. Gig- 
liol’s notes on the vertebrated animals which wer: 
met with during the voyage of the Italian frigate 
Magenta round the world. The scientific command of 
this expedition was originally entrusted to Prof. Philippi 
of Turin. Upon his lamented death at Hong Kong, the 
author of the present treatise, we believe, succeeded to 
the post, and is now busily engaged in working out the 
results obtained by the expedition in every branch of 
natural history. The present memoir, although founded 
on observations made during the voyage of the Magenta, 
seems to be only incidentally connected therewith, and to 
have been prepared with reference to a competition for 
the Chair of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy at the 
Royal Institute of Practical Studies in Florence. 
Professor Giglioli commences his remarks by treating of 
the oceanic fishes met with during his voyages. Although 
it is quite true, according to the popular idea, that the 
sea is full of fishes, it must be recollected that those that 
inhabit the mid-ocean are quite distinct from those that 
swarm round the coasts, and are not nearly so numerous. 
At the same time, many of them are remarkable for their 
brilliant colour, and are otherwise of special interest. It is 
difficult, says Professor Giglioli, to describe the beauty of 
the Coryphena hippuris when first taken from the 
water: a thousand different tints of deep azure and golden 
yellow sparkle over its body, which, however, fade upon 
death with surprising celerity. Other oceanic fishes are 
the large 7hersytes, various species of Tunny, the well- 
known Pilot fish (Vaucrates), and the Echenezs, concern- 
ing which such marvellous tales are told by ancient 
writers. But, perhaps, the most attractive of all the group 
to the oceanic traveller are the flying fishes (E-xoce/us). 
Of this genus six species were met with during the 
voyage of the A/agenta, each appearing to have a peculiar 
district of the ocean assigned to its range. 
Of the class of reptiles which Professor Giglioli next 
speaks of, two orders only have oceanic representatives— 
namely, the Ophidia and Testudinata. Of the sea- 
snakes three species were met with belonging to the 
genera Hydvophis and Pelam’s. This peculiar family of 
serpents was formerly supposed to be confined to the 
Incian Ocean ; but it has of late years been discovered to 
extend its range over the Pacific, even up to the Gulf of 
Panama. Of the marine Turtles Lkewise three species, 
all well known, were observed. 
The class of birds, which follows third in Prof. Giglioli’s 
memoir, is much better represented on the so-called * deso- 
late” ocean. Members of four large families of this class 
frequent the seas traversed by the J/agenta, which were 
chiefly those belonging to the southern hemisphere. These 
are the Penguins (Sphenzscid@), the Petrels (Pro ellaritd@), 
the Gulls (Lavéa@), and the Pelicans (Pelicanid@). A fifth 
great oceanic family, the Awks (A/cid@), replaces the 
penguins in the Arctic Seas, and was not met with by Prof. 
Giglioli. The most abundant of all oceanic birds are, of 
course, the petrels and albatrosses, of the family Procel- 
lariidze, many of which pass by far the greater part of 
their lives in mid-ocean. Upwards of forty species of this 
group are enumerated as having been encountered during 
the circumnavigation of the (/agenta, amongst which are 
several supposed to be new to science, and which are pro- 
vided with new names accordingly. 
The mammals of the ocean, which the present memoir 
lastly treats of, belong to three very different orders : 
the Cetaceans, Seals, and Sirenians. Of these the first 
alone pass their whole existence in the salt sea. All the 
marine Carnivores, so far as we know, habitually resoit 
to land, orat all events to ice, whichin polar regions serves 
the same purpose. and of the few existing members of the 
Sirenia, one at least is rather an inhabitant of fresh water 
than of salt. Prof. Gig.ioli’s observations are chiefly. 
confined to the Cetaceans, of which thirteen or fourteen 

