REVIEWS 737 



regretted also that the graj)tolites were not more extensively described, 

 although abundant references to the literature are supplied at the end 

 of the chapter. 



Coming to the Echinoderms, which occupy 125 pages, we note the 

 first great innovation, as nearly the whole section has been funda- 

 mentally revised and enlarged. The late eminent crinologist, Mr. 

 Charles Wachsmuth, is mainly responsible for the condition of the 

 Crinoids and Blastoids, valuable notes, however, having also been sup- 

 plied by Mr. F. A. Bather and Dr. Otto Jaekel. The Ophiuroids and 

 Asteroids were put in their present excellent condition by Mr. Percy 

 Sladen, vice president of the Linnean Society, and to the same high 

 authority credit is due for having revised the entire Echinoid chapter 

 in accordance with the latest approved classification. Some notes on 

 the Worms were contributed by Dr. G. J. Hinde, but this section is 

 not appreciably extended. 



The subkingdom Molluscoidea is the next to claim our attention. 

 The chapter on Bryozoans has been entirely rewritten and greatly 

 extended by Mr. E. O. Ulrich. Such a detailed treatment as this part 

 presents would have been more appropriate for a handbook of 

 palaeontology than for an elementary treatise, but the unusually large 

 amount of space devoted to the group is excusable perhaps on 

 account of the absence of a correspondingly larger work to which stu- 

 dents may refer. Nevertheless we are fortunate in having an extended 

 account of this difficult group made so accessible. 



The chapter on the Brachiopods may be regarded as the latest and 

 highest authority for our knowledge on the subject. It has been very 

 skillfully drawn up by Mr. Charles Schuchert, of the U. S. National 

 Museum, and has received some additional illustrations from the writ- 

 ings of Professor C. E. Beecher. The classification adopted is that 

 employed by Mr. Schuchert in his excellent "Synopsis of American 

 Fossil Brachiopoda," and represents an extension of the system orig- 

 inated by Professor Beecher. Every known genus of Brachiopods, 

 fossil and recent, finds notice here, and the condensation is marvel- 

 ous. The work could have been amplified to almost any desired 

 extent, but it could hardly have been more complete, concise, and 

 clear. It goes without saying that the synonymy indicated is approved 

 by the leading authorities on this group. Considering the scope and 

 nature of the text-book it is difficult to see how this chapter could 

 have been very materially improved. 



