HANDBOOK TO BRITISH MARINE FAUNA. QAI 
known, and, so far as it goes, very excellent little ‘‘ Manual 
of Marine Zoology,” but that book does not really meet 
the present want, as not only is the date of publication 
1855-6, since when the number of genera and species has 
probably been something like doubled, but also Gosse 
merely gives the names of the species, while the book I 
think of would, in order to be of any real use, require to 
aim at giving a brief but sufficient diagnosis and figure of 
every British* species. Fleming’s “ British Animals,” 
published in 1828, probably represented well at that date 
the kind of book we want now; but Fleming gave no 
illustrations—and wrote sixty-five years ago. 
Probably the most convenient form of publication would 
be some four to six small volumes, each dealing with one 
or two of the large groups. This would allow of the 
eroups being published as they were ready, not necessarily 
in zoological order, and would also be convenient for the 
use of those interested in one set of animals. 
There would be definitions—perhaps with occasional 
analytical tables or keys—of orders, families, &c., down 
to and including genera. Under each genus would be 
eiven all sufficiently defined species with a brief descrip- 
tion of each, either in tabular form or in series, as seems 
most suitable in each case, and with an indication of size, 
range, and habitat. Many species might be described 
very briefly in terms of preceding species, the differences 
merely being pointed out. By simplicity of language, 
avoidance of unnecessary repetition, and use of contrac- 
tions it might be hoped that each species could be confined 
on an average to a couple of lines. 
Illustrations would be either in the form of numerous 
small outline figures on thin paper plates inserted as near 
* T would probably adopt as ‘‘ British” the area defined by Canon Norman’s 
British Association Committee in 1887. 
