582 Recent Literature. [ August, 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
Packarp’s Zoorocy.'—In 1876 Dr. Packard published a very 
convenient text book on comparative embryology, which was the 
first attempt to present this subject in a complète form for the use 
of beginners and students. He has followed it with another 
excellent text book of a wider scope, bearing the title given 
above. He has succeeded in making this the best text book yet 
brought out in this country or England, on the complete subject 
of general zodlogy. There are many useful books considering 
special parts of the subject, and invaluable descriptions of the 
anatomy and embryology of typical animals, which no student or 
laboratory should be without, but none which treat in the same 
comprehensive manner the whole subject of zodlogy, incorporating 
in it the latest investigations. 
In some respects the plan of the book is unique. The author 
has intended to embrace an account of the anatomy, and in some 
cases the embryology of a typical and, when possible, common 
animal of a class, and after a minute description of the type, has 
sought to familiarize the student with the peculiarities of closely 
allied or distantly related animals. In his development of this 
plan and execution of the work, Dr. Packard has admirably suc- 
ceeded. 
The illustrations, taken for the most part from the works of 
well-known specialists, are well chosen and clearly reproduced, 
Teachers in the class room will find them very valuable to copy 
` on the blackboard. Those figures published for the first time, of 
which there are quite a number, are well fitted to accomplish all 
that was intended. They are, in most cases, designed simply 
as helps to the young student in his work on the “ gross anat- 
omy,” and indicate very well the general shape and position of 
different organs. They will be found of great value to those for 
whom the book was intended. Advanced students who would 
carry their studies into special and original lines of research, 
would naturally consult monographs by specialists. That need 
of the young naturalist as he matures in his work, has not been 
overlooked by the author, and a bibliography has been added to 
the book full enough of standard works to carry. such, over the 
threshold of special research. Several of the chapters close with | 
short directions for laboratory work. This departure from the 
stereotype way of casting text books, seems to us one of the 
many excellent points in the work. Any one who has had occa- 
sion to use some of the best contributions to anatomy and embry- 
ology in late years, will recognize the value of an account of the 
methods by which results are obtained. This account 0! 
agents used and mode of manipulation followed, the Germans 
1 Zuilogy for Students and General Readers. By A. S. PACKARD, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. 
With numerous illustrations. New York, H. Holt & Co, 8vo, pp. 719. 550% : 
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