320 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



zoological classification, the conclusion arrived at is that the 

 Tunicata should be placed with the Mollusca. A chronological 

 epitome of the bibliography has been compiled with care and 

 sufficient amplitude, and, as Albany Hancock died before the 

 conclusion of his investigation of this class of animals, " and 

 had not written that portion of the introduction to this work 

 which would have embraced his latest views of their anatomy 

 and physiology," a paper which he contributed to the Linnean 

 Society in 1867 on the subject is reproduced. 



In the body of the work itself thirty British species are de- 

 scribed, all being placed in the genus Ascidia ; the descriptions 

 seem ample and to the point, of a specific character, and not the 

 minute diagnosis of a specimen as is now so frequently the case 

 in the description of some other creatures. There are seventeen 

 plates, and in relation to these we read : — " All Hancock's ad- 

 mirable work was effected with the aid of such simple means as 

 scalpels and needles. Section-cutting and the use of chemical 

 reagents were in his day unknown. Our author's custom was to 

 gradually and most carefully dissect the animal, and to con- 

 tinually make new drawings as each fresh membrane or organ 

 was removed, thus mastering every detail, and then, aided by 

 the numerous sketches before him, the finished drawing was 

 produced. Now, among the mass of drawings relating to the 

 Tunicata, comparatively few have been finally perfected." These 

 have been reproduced, together with such careful selections from 

 the rest of the drawings as seemed to possess most value. 



