( 351 ) 

 NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 





The Royal Natural History. Edited by Richard Lydekker: 

 with Preface by P. L. Sclater. In six volumes; illustrated 

 with 72 coloured plates and 1600 engravings. Vols. II. — 

 IV. London: F. Warne & Co. 1894-95. 



Since our last notice of this work (Zool. 1894, p. 316) 

 considerable progress has been made in the issue of parts, the 

 punctual appearance of which every month is most commendable. 

 Volumes II. and III. have been completed, and four parts (19 — 

 22) of Vol. IV. are already issued. The ground covered so far 

 by the author comprises the whole of the Mammalia (in fifteen 

 parts) and a considerable portion of the Birds (parts 16 to 22, the 

 last issued). 



As regards the classification, Mr. Lydekker divides the class 

 Mammalia into eleven orders, which are dealt with in the 

 following sequence : — 



Apes, Monkeys, and Lemurs. 



Bats. 



Insectivorous Mammals. 



Carnivorous Mammals. 



Hoofed Mammals. 



Manatees and Dugongs. 



Whales and Porpoises. 



Rodents. 



Sloths and Anteaters. 



Pouched Mammals. 



Egg-laying Mammals. 



It is not to be supposed that all these groups are separated 

 from one another by differences of equal importance; for, as 

 Mr. Lydekker points out, No. 10 differs from the preceding groups 

 by characters of far more importance than do any of the preceding 

 nine from one another, while members of No. 11 differ funda- 

 mentally from the first nine groups, but almost as markedly from 

 No. 10. 



In the first chapter the chief characteristics of the class 

 Mammalia are pointed out, those of the orders being reserved 

 for subsequent treatment in their proper place. In view of the 

 great interest attaching to the natural history of the Anthropoid 



1. 



Primates . 



2. 



Chiroptera 



3. 



Insectivora 



4. 



Carnivora 



5. 



Ungulata 



6. 



Sirenia . . 



7. 



Cetacea 



8. 



RODENTIA . 



9. 



Edentata . 



10. 



Marsupialia 



11. 



MONOTREMATA 



