B76 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Darwin, play a considerable role in the formation of soil, so must 

 these animals, in conjunction with Echinids and Holothurians, 

 effect considerable modifications in the sand and mud which pass 

 through their bodies." 



The concluding section is devoted to the Polyzoa, and is from 

 the pen of Mr. S. F. Harmer. The Polyzoa may be said to have 

 existed without a history till the beginning of the present cen- 

 tury. " Originally passed over as seaweeds, their real nature was 

 established in connection with the discovery of the animal nature 

 of corals." Even now the echoes of the controversy which raged 

 as to whether Thompson's name of Polyzoa or Ehrenberg's term 

 Bryozoa should be used are sometimes faintly perceptible. The 

 first is employed by the majority of English writers, while the 

 second is almost universally used by all continental authors. 

 Many of the marine forms have a very wide distribution, Mr. 

 Hincks having described several species as occurring from Nor- 

 way to New Zealand. We are glad to see that Mr. Harmer still 

 describes Mr. Hincks's ' History of the British Marine Polyzoa ' 

 as "invaluable," and his excellent contribution will, we feel sure, 

 if studied, lead many more zoologists to study these somewhat 

 neglected creatures, who are undoubtedly as interesting as "birds, 

 beasts, or fishes." 



In conclusion, we can only generally praise a most welcome 

 addition to zoological literature, a volume we do not value 

 because it only contains what is new, or is without any views 

 that may be controverted, but because it affords the life-histories 

 of animals whose study and observation are little in vogue, while 

 the information is imparted by specialists who have pursued the 

 modern biological method. 



VAnnee Biologique, Premiere Annee, 1895. Paris: Schleicher 

 Freres. 1897. • 



This is a worthy supplement to our own ' Zoological Record,' 

 and all naturalists who seek to study the mysteries of the life, as 

 well as the form, habits, and distribution of species will place 

 the volumes of this series by the side of those we have men- 

 tioned, and which we so well thumb. ' L'Aimoe Biologique' is 

 under the general direction of Prof. Yves Delage, assisted by a 



