320 Scientific Intelligence. 



Platyhelminthes, Nemathelrninthes, Trochelminthes, Molluscoida, 

 Echmodermata, Annulata, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Chordata. To 

 many zoologists this number of primary groups will undoubtedly 

 seem unnecessarily great. But it is true that it enables one to 

 define the groups more clearly. Perhaps the Nemathelminthes 

 and Trochhelminthes are the least satisfactory of the vermian 

 series. A number of groups, allied to one or the other of these, 

 are treated as appendages of the former, with uncertain affinities. 

 Such are the Chsetosomidse, Eehinoderidae, etc. The Nemertinea 

 are, in the same way, appended to the Platyhelminthes. The 

 second volume is devoted almost entirely (582 pages) to the 

 Chordata. 



The Adelochordata are included in the Chordata, somewhat 

 doubtfully, as a sub-phylum. The objections to this view of the 

 affinities of Balanoglossus, etc., are, however, pretty fully stated. 



The number of orders recognized in some of the classes is 

 unusually large. Of existing Aves, 26 orders are adopted. On 

 the other hand, the number of mammalian orders is but 12, and 

 of Pisces but 11, but many zoologists will be disposed to consider 

 several of the so-called orders of birds as of less value than many 

 of the " suborders " of fishes or mammals. Of Insecta, only 8 

 orders are recognized, the Neuroptera and Orthoptera being 

 adopted with their early significance and extent. 



But these are matters upon which there is still great differences 

 of opinion and are of only secondary importance in a text-book of 

 this character. a. e. y. 



IT. Miscellaneous Scientific Intelligence. 



1. United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. — The Report of 

 W. W. Duffield, the Superintendent of the United States Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey for the year ending June, 1896, has recently 

 been issued. In addition to the usual subject-matter and charts, 

 among which we note particularly a general one of Alaska, there 

 are a series of twelve appendices. Of these is especially to be 

 mentioned one on terrestrial magnetism, by C. A. Schott, Assis- 

 tant. This, in continuation of earlier publications on the same 

 subject, gives the distribution of the magnetic declination in the 

 United States for the epoch January 1st, 1900. The text and 

 tables are accompanied by three charts, the first and third 

 giving the distribution of the isogonic lines for the United States 

 and Alaska respectively, for the epoch mentioned ; the second 

 showing the annual change of magnetic declination from 1895 to 

 1900. 



2. Annals of the Astronomical Observatory of Harvard College. 

 Edward C. Pickering, Director. Volume XLII, Part I. Cam- 

 bridge (John Wilson & Son, University Press), 1897. — This 

 publication, just issued, contains a record of observations made 

 at the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory in 1896, under the 

 direction of A. Lawrence Rotch. This record with Tables I to 



