40 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



EDITORIAL GLEANINGS. 



The 'Zoological Record' for 1897 appeared last December. This in- 

 valuable vade mecum to all working zoologists is again a bulky volume, and 

 bears witness to the vitality of our science. Only the record of Ccelenterata 

 is held over, owing to the Recorder having left England at too early a 

 period to have thoroughly completed his work. Mr. J. A. Thomson's 

 record of " General Subjects " is again — apart from specialization — one of 

 the most valuable annual contributions to Biology. It contains 784 titles, 

 and is a guide to a year's philosophy of animal life. Perhaps the number 

 of contributions gives at least the standard of activity during 1897. In 

 Mammalia, Mr. Lydekker records 343 separate communications ; in Aves, 

 Dr. Bowdlar Sharpe enumerates 567 distinct titles ; Mr. Boulenger gives 

 242 referring to Reptilia and Batrachia, and 259 for Pisces. Tunicata has a 

 small record; in Mollusca, Mr. Sykes gives 527 references, and in Brachio- 

 poda 41. Passing the smaller work done in Bryozoa, we come to Crustacea, 

 where Mr. A. W. Brown enumerates 208 contributions, 151 in Arachnida, 

 and 65 in Myriopoda and Prototracheata. Insecta again heads the list with 

 1205 articles, as given by the Editor, Dr. D. Sharp. For Echinoderma 

 (1896 and 1897), Mr. Bather enumerates 358 titles ; in Vermes, Miss 

 Buchanan gives 267. Prof. R. von Lendenfeld is able to contribute 42 for 

 Spongiae, and Mr. Brown 171 for Protozoa. As usual, a formidable list of 

 names proposed for new genera and subgenera complete another volume of 

 a well-thumbed series. 



Tn the Proc. of the United States Nat. Mus. vol. xxi. No. 1163, Mr. 

 Frederick W. True has contributed a paper " On the Nomenclature of the 

 Whalebone Whales of the Tenth Edition of Linnaeus's ' Systema Naturae.'" 

 Seven European species of Whalebone Whales are now currently recog- 

 nized ; LinnaBus described four species. Of these, Balcena boops is here 

 considered as a synonym of B. physalus. The complete list of European 

 Whalebone Whales is given as follows : — 



1. Balcena mysticetus, Linnaeus. 



The Bowhead, or Arctic Right Whale. 



2. Balcena glacialis, Bonnaterre. 



The Black Whale, or Nordcaper. 



