6946 Notices of New Books. 



and I could observe traces of budding tentacles at its upper margin. The three 

 polypes DOW only differ from one another in size. Since ihe keeper first called my 

 attention to this transverse fission we have frequently discussed the subject, and my 

 scepticism has been gradually diminishing; now, Mr. Broderick's interesting observa- 

 tions, of course, are conclusive on the point. — E. W. H. Holdsworth ; 26, Osnaburgh 

 Street, March 7, 1860. 



Notices of New Books. 



TJie ' Ihis,' a Magazine of General Ornithology. Edited by Philip 

 LuTLEY ScLATER, M.A. London : Triibner & Co. 1859. 

 490 pp. Price 2 Is. 



The first four numbers of the above ornithological magazine are 

 now before us, and we have delayed our remarks upon it till the com- 

 pletion of the first volume, partly from a desire to know whether it 

 would continue to maintain the high tone of merit with which it began, 

 before we lavished our commendations, which might have proved pre- 

 mature ; and partly from a confident expectation, in which we have 

 not been disappointed, that the fourth number might contain a preface, 

 stating the origin and object and intention of the work. Now, how- 

 ever, that the bark is fairly launched in the waves, and vol. i. of the 

 ' Ibis,' stands forth to sink or swim according to its merits, we would 

 devote a short space to a brief examination of it ; and we do not 

 hesitate to state at once that it has our unqualified praise, filling, as 

 it does, just the gap which has so long existed in this country, but 

 which has been ably supplied in Germany by Cabani's ' Journal fiir 

 Ornithologie,' and Badeker's ' Naumannia,' viz.^ that of a sound and 

 scientific periodical, devoted exclusively to Ornithology, and which 

 we have little doubt the large and rapidly-increasing body of inquirers 

 into that fascinating branch of the zoological kingdom will not only 

 amply support but hail with considerable satisfaction. Neither have 

 we any fear for ourselves that the * Ibis' will in any degree interfere 

 with the ' Zoologist ; ' for the whole intention and tone of the work is 

 so distinct, and has such a very different aim, grasping, as it does, the 

 Ornithology of the world, and dealing with matters quite irrelevant to 

 our pages, that we see no reason why the ' Ibis ' and the ' Zoologist ' 

 should not go hand in hand, helping and supporting one another ; for 

 while we willingly resign to the sacred ' Ibis ' the deeper and more 

 elaborate discussion of material too heavy and scientific for a popular 

 magazine such as the ' Zoologist ' especially claims to be, we cannot 



