Reviews and Book Notices. 195 



not very close together. They are bent backwards, and appear 

 to arise from small circular or oval plates of chitin (fig. e.). 

 The Crista (fig. f.), is remarkable, inclosing at its anterior ex- 

 tremity a small capitulum, carrying a few shortish hairs, 

 On each side of the crista, abotit half way down, is a circular 

 stigma. The Vulva (fig. g.) is also rather remarkable in having 

 the copulatory discs placed low down, and differing a little in 

 size, well shewn in the figure. I consider this mite a very 

 characteristic Ottonia, having, however, the spines or papillae 

 of the back differing completely from any of those previously 

 described. 



Dr. W. L. H. Duckworth has recently issued a Descriptive Catalogue 

 of specimens in the Museum of Human Anatomy, Cambridge, part 2 of 

 which deals with * The Comparative Osteology of Man and the Higher 

 Apes.' This contains an illustrated description of the contents" of six 

 cases, in which are arranged casts and sections of critical bones. Though 

 primarily prepared for the student, this catalogue has much in it of general 

 interest, and is well illustrated. 



Two Memorial Volumes have recently been issued. The first is The 

 Darwin Wallace Celebration held on Thursday, ist July, 1908, by 

 the Linnean Society (London. 140 pp., cloth, 5/-). This contains a well- 

 written record of the Celebrations held in London last year, together with 

 illustrations of the Darwin-Wallace Medal, etc. There are also excellent 

 portraits of Darwin, Wallace, Sir J. D. Hooker, Haeckel, Weismann, Stras- 

 burger, Francis Galton and Sir E. Ray Lankester. The volume includes 

 reprints of many early notes on the question of Evolution, and is in many 

 ways a useful one to be in the library of any naturalist. 



The second volume is a record of the Centenary of the Geological 

 Society of London, celebrated September 26th to October 3rd, 1907 ; 

 and issued in February, 1909. Besides an account of the proceedings on 

 that memorable occasion, it includes copies of the various Addresses 

 presented ; the Presidential Address of Sir Archibald Geikie, etc. An 

 admirable portrait of Sir Archibald appropriately forms the frontispiece. 



From an Easy Chair, by Sir E. Ray Lankester, K.C.B., F.R.S. Con- 

 stable & Co. 144 pp. 



This book contains a number or articles contributed by Sir Ray Lan- 

 kester to the Daily Telegraph. They deal with all manner of subjects, 

 without any regard to method, and may be looked upon as a sort of aris- 

 tocratic ' Tit-Bits.' Anyway, the articles are certainly reliable, and, of 

 ■course, well written ; in this respect being far more acceptable than the 

 usual drivel which appears in the daily press under the head of ' science ' 

 or ' natural history.' Possibly one object of the preparation of these notes 

 was to counteract the flow of blithering nonsense which so often does duty 

 as scientific news in the press, as we know Sir Ray Lankester has frequently 

 protested against it. The book forms a pleasant and profitable com- 

 parison for an otherwise idle evening or Sunday afternoon, though we should 

 have preferred seeing anything by this authority in other than paper covers. 

 We should like to state that, having read the book, we have disposed of 

 it in such a way that it will not interfere with its sale. Evidently the pub- 

 lishers feared that the review copy might be placed in some shop, and 

 sold, as the words ' presentation copy ' are well stamped in two places, 

 and ' i/- nett ' is written across the title-page, although ' one shilling net ' 

 is printed in bold type (and correctly), on the cover. 



1909 May I 



