120 Recent Literature. [February, | 
sophical Transactions of the Royal Society, on the development 
of the skull in various vertebrate animals. These are the skate 
and dogfish, the salmon, axolotl, frog, snake, fowl and pig. Ap- 
pendices on the general structure of the skull of the orders to 
which these animals belong, together with one on the human 
skull, are added. A preliminary chapter on general embryology, — 
and a closing one on the general homologies of the elements of the 
cartilaginous and osseous skulls, complete the work. The mode 
of treatment of the subject by Prof. Parker is lucid, and the text — 
is illustrated by numerous excellent cuts. It is the best manual 
of the subject in the English language, and to the student of any 
aspect of the osteology of vertebrata, is invaluable. It introduces — 
an extensive and difficult department to a large class who do not 
read German or French with sufficient facility to master the sub- 
ject in those languages. We observe with pleasure that the au- , 
thors are not contented with the dry enumeration of facts alone, — 
but are willing to indulge in reflections on the wider bearings of — 
their theme. Their observations on the homologies of the cranial 
elements, and the nature of the supposed segments, are interesting — 
and judicious, and we refer to them (pp. 331, 342-3, 359) as 
models of cautious induction without affectation of an ignorance, 
which is greater than their knowledge of the facts demand. 
RECENT BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS.—A Text Book of Physiology. By M. Foster, 
-A., M.D., F.R.S. London: Macmillan & Co., 1877. 8vo, pp. 889. $6.00. 
United States Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel. Clarence King, 
~ Geologist-in-Charge. Microscopical Petrography. By Ferdinand Zirkel. Illus- 
trated by twelve plates. Washington, 1876. 4to, pp. 297. 
Sixth Report of the State Entomologist on the Noxious and Beneficial Insects of 
the State of Illinois, The first biennial Report. By Cyrus Thomas, Ph:D. Spring- 
field, Ill., 1877. 8vo, pp. 180. : 
Brehm’s Thierleben. Band ii, Heft 8-11 iii. 1-8. Leipzig, 1877. New York: 
ts a Heft. : 
B. Westermann & Co. 8vo. 40 cen 
Vol. ii. Salem, Mass., Naturalist’s Agency. 1877. 12mo, pp. 336. Be 
On New Forms of Actiniaria dredged in the Deep Sea; with a Description of cer- 
tain Pelagic Surface-swimming Species, By H. N. Moseley. 4to, pp. 10, with a pla 
On two Forms of Deep-sea Ascidians; obtained during the voyage of H. M 
Challenger. By H. N. Moseley, 4to, pp. 8. (From the Linnæan Transactions 
Ser. 2d, vol. i.) : ; j pE 
On the Structure of a species of Millepora occurring at Tahiti, Society Islands. 
By H. N. Mos (From the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: 
vol. 167, part I.) 4to, pp. 18. ae 
- On the larval Characters and Habits of the Blister-beetles, belonging to the gen = 
Macrobasis Lec. and Epicauta Fabr.; with Remarks on other species of the 
o egath sce. Further Rema Aoa 
ccasella, and on the Pollination of Yucca. On the Differences betw pi 
How., and Anisopteryx zscularia W.-V., with Remarks 0! 
By C. V. Riley. rom th o a 
