I116 The American Naturalist. [ December, 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
Flower and Lydekker’s Mammals.'—In this work we have 
the result of the combined knowledge of two of the most competent 
specialists in the field of mammalogy of the present time; and as is to 
be expected, it is a book of the greatest utility to the student. It is 
based on the article written by Prof. Flower for the ‘‘ Encyclopedia 
Britannica,” and has been brought up to date, with the addition of 
references to the paleontology, by Dr. Lydekker. The former part of 
the subject is more fully treated than the latter, which is simply 

Fic. 1. ae australis Owen. Extinct marsupial of Australia; one-tenth 
natural size. From 
introduced to the reader. The illustrations number 357, and are of 
excellent quality. A majority of them represent the external appear- 
ance of the species; but many exhibit the osteology and dentition and 
a few, parts of the soft anatomy. The order of treatment is from the 
Monotremata to man, the unguiculate orders being intercalated between 
the ungulate forms and the Quadrumana. As the Quadrumana are 
more nearly related to the ungulate than the unguiculate orders, we 
would have reversed this arrangement. The orders which are treated 
with the greatest fullness of detail are the Marsupialia, the Diplarthra, 
and the Quadrumana. The systematic treatment inclines to conserva- 
1 An Introduction to the Study of Mammals, Living and Extinct. By William Henry 
Flower and Richard Lydekker. London: Adam & Charles, 1891, 8vo., pp. 763- 

hs aOR Bene 
siria nL weenie 
a ie AOS Done ee 


