3o8 



SCIENCE. 



ROOKS RECEIVED. 



Zoology for High Schools .and Colleges, by A. 

 S. Packard, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. Second edition re- 

 vised. Henrv Hoit & Company. New York. 

 1880. 



The second edition of Professor Packard's manual of 

 Zoology supplies a want that has been lorg felt among 

 Naturalists, for a work ot convenient size and form on this 

 subject, with ample illustrations judiciously selected. 



In compiling his book the author has freely used the 

 larger works 01 Gegenbaur, Huxley, Peters and Carus, 

 Claus, Rollestcn and others, and even paraphrased or 

 adopted the author's language verbatim whin it suited 

 his purpose. 



In order to secure a greater accuracy of statement, and 

 to render the work more authoritative as a manual of 

 Zoology, Professor Packard has submitted the manu- 

 script of certain chapters to naturalists distinguished by 

 their special knowledge of certain groups. Thus the 

 manuscript of the Sponges was read by Protessor A. 

 Hyatt ; of the Worms and Mollusca, by Dr. Charles S. 

 Minot ; of the Echinoderms, by Mr. Walter Faxon; ot 

 the Crustacean, by Mr. J. S. Kingsley ; of Fishes, by Pro- 

 fessor T.Gill, whose classification, as given in his "Ar- 

 rangement of the Families of Fishes," has been closely 

 followed, his definition being often adopted word tor 

 word. The manuscript of the Batrachians and Reptiles 

 was read by Professor E. D. Cope ; of Birds and Mam- 

 mals, by Dr. Elliott Coues, U. S. A. 



The w r ork being thus the joint production of so many 

 eminent naturalists, it may De considered a thoroughly- 

 reliable guide to the advanced student who desires a gen- 

 eral review of the animal kingdom, covering the most ad- 

 vanced teachings up to the date of publication. 



The illustrations to this work, five hundred and fifty in 

 number, is one of its most attractive features, and the 

 author acknowledges his obligations to the publisher for 

 his liberal co-operation in producing them. A fair pro- 

 portion are original. We notice that Dr. C. S. Minot has 

 drawn the lull-page illustrations of the typical vertebrates, 

 and that Mr. J. S. Kingsley and Protessor W. K.Brooks 

 contributed drawings ot the nervous system and otocyst 

 of the clam, while acknowledgment is made to Professor 

 F. Y. Hayden, Protessor S. F. Baird and others for as- 

 sistance given. 



The work is presented in a handsome, large 12 mo. 

 volume ot over 700 pages, printed in large type and on 

 excellent paper. 



In regard to the manner in which the subject is treated 

 and the general scope of the book, Professor Packard 

 has designed a work to be used quite as much in the lab- 

 oratory, or with specimens m hand, as in the class-room. 

 He states that if Zoology is to be studied as a mental (lis 

 cipline, or even il the student desires simply to get a gen- 

 uine knbwlc dge at first hand of the structure ol the lead- 

 ing types of animal life, he must examine living an- 

 imals, watch their movements and habits, and 

 finally dissect them, as well as study their modes of 

 growth before and alter leaving the egy or the parent, as 

 the case may be. But the young student 111 a few weeks' 

 study in the laboratory cannot learn all the piincipli S ot 

 the science. Hence he needs a teacher, a guide, or at 

 U ast a manual ot instruction. This work, which is an ex- 

 pansion of acourse of lectures for college students, has 

 nit the wants ol the general 

 1 who would obtain some idea of the principl 



as generally accepted by advanced zoologists, 

 inordei that he may understand the philosophical discus- 

 and writings relating to modern doctrines of biology, 

 ially the law ot ( volution and the relations bi 

 animals and their surroundings. 



Such is tin programme of the author of this hook, and 



we congratulate him on the practical and exhaustive 

 manner in which he has carried it out. The inductive 

 method has been selected, and the student is first pre- 

 sented with the facts ; is then led to a through study of a 

 few typical forms, taught to compare these with others, 

 and finally led to the principles or inductions growing 

 out of the facts. He is not assailed with a number of 

 definitions or diagnoses applicable to the entire group to 

 which the type may belong before he has learned some- 

 thing about the animals typical of the order or class ; 

 but these are placed after a description of one or a few 

 examples of the group to which they may belong. The 

 simplest, most elementary forms are first noticed, begin- 

 ning with the Protozoa and ending with the Vertebrates, 

 believing that this is the more logical and philosophical 

 method, and that in this way the beginner in the science 

 can better appreciate the gradual unfolding of the lines 

 of animal forms, which converge towards his own 

 species, the flower and synthesis ol organic life. 



Protessor Packard concludes the above explanation of 

 the general plan of the work by advising the student to 

 commence with Chapter VIII., on Vertebra'es, and to 

 master, with specimen in hand, the description oi a trog, 

 in order that he may have a standard of comparison, a 

 point of depatture, from which to survey the lower 

 forms. 



The concluding chapters of the work relate to the 

 comparative anatomy of the organs, the development 

 and metamorphoses of animals, the geographical dis- 

 tribution and geological succession cf animals, the origin 

 of species, man's place in nature, instinct and reason in 

 animals. These subjects are lightly touched on, and 

 the problems involved sketched in outline only, the 

 author referring the reader to the works of specialists 

 who have given . these matters exhaustive considera- 

 tion. 



Professor Packard has been long prominently identified 

 with practical scientific work covering this department 

 of science, and his present work can be accepted with- 

 out hesitation as an authoritative manual on the subject. 

 We have read this manual of Zoology with peculiar satis- 

 faction, because it is illustrated by our own more 

 familiar natural objects. The first steps of the student 

 of Zoology are plainly set forth, and by the aid of excellent 

 wood engravings and intelligent descriptions, the various 

 forms of life from the lowest to the highest are made 

 clear to his understanding. 



We take pleasure in advising students of Zoology to 

 make use of this work as the best guide that can be 

 secured, and the general reader may study it with ad- 

 vantage, for it treats ot a subject of interest to us all, 

 and deals with problems of the highest importance to 

 mankind. 



We have received a copy of the Proceedings of the 

 Iowa Academy of Sciences, which covers a report of the 

 work done from its organization in 1875 up to June, 

 1880. 



The President of the Academy is Professor Charles I'.. 

 . M. Sc, I'h. I)., author of the recently published 

 Manual of Botany, and a Professor in the Iowa Agricul- 

 tural College. 



We recognize among the list of Fellows, many m 

 which are familiar 10 us, as specialists in various 

 departments of Sci< nee, and we regard the Academy as 

 being fortunate in possessing so strong an organization. 



At the annual meeting in June last, a series of val- 

 uable papers were read, and we regret that the abstracts 

 t are too brief to enable us to re- 

 produce them with advantage. 



We hope to be able to publish later, comprehensive 

 abstracts of papers read before this Academy of Sci- 

 ences. 



