

Miscellaneous. 455 



made is generally judicious. From the literary, the scientific, and 

 the artistic point of view, i CasselTs Natural History' must be 

 characterized as a success. 



Die Ammoniten des schwdbischen Jura. By F. A. Quexstedt. 

 Erstes Heft. Pp. 48. 8vo, with 6 plates folio. Stuttgart, 1883. 



According to the author's own account, he has been incited to the 

 publication of this work by the appearance of Dr. Wright's Mono- 

 graph of Lias Ammonites in the volumes of the Palaeontographical 

 Society, and his desire to show that the Ammonite-zones hold good 

 in his own corner of Germany as elsewhere. We have here, how- 

 ever, only the first instalment out of ten or twelve which are to 

 appear, according to the advertisement, in about four or five years. 

 As the present contains only part of the Ammonites of the Lower 

 Lias, it seems very unlikely that even twelve parts could possibly 

 represent on the same scale any thing like the known Ammonites of 

 the whole Jura. If the whole work were finished as it is begun it 

 would be a splendid Monograph ; for the figures are majniificent. 



They are too crowded, as in all Quenstedt's plates ; but individually 

 they leave nothing to be desired. Systems of nomenclature may 

 change ; but a faithful figure is always of value : and this remark is 

 specially applicable in the present case ; for the names applied could 

 not possibly be used. There are some who favour a trinomial 

 nomenclature ; but we see in this work what it gradually leads to 

 " Ammonites psilonotus lsevis ovalis " is not the only multinomial 

 designation emploj^ed. The modern nomenclature is treated in 

 rather a cavalier maimer. Speaking of the first species he says that 

 Hyatt named it Psiloceras, and Waagen sFjfoceras, but he would 

 rather call it PsilonoUfrras, as then it would be known we were 

 speaking of a Psilonote Ammonite. Yet this name is not actually 

 adopted. It is plain that Quenstedt does not believe in the ordi- 

 nary specific nomenclature ; so that those who do will obtain little 

 assistance from him ; but with such plates as these they can apply 

 their own names and be thankful for the many valuable descriptive 

 notes given in the text. It is too soon as yet to judge of the whole 

 work ; and when we remember that it is now just forty years since 

 its author first appeared before a former generation of geologists, we 

 cannot help expressing the hope that he may have health and strength 

 to complete it. Its value will then be more easily appreciated, and 

 a further notice will be given. J. F. B. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Oxycorynia, a new Synascidiaa Genus. By Dr. R. von Dbasche. 



The author describes a remarkable form of compound Ascidian 

 received by the zoological cabinet at Vienna from the Museum 

 fi^An&^T o^a n u<iMa#i frvwi TTno-nlfm. one of the Rouk Islands in 







