444 



THE QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 



co very and early descriptions; controversy 

 on the zoological position; controversy 

 on the laying of eggs; general character- 

 istics; nervous organization and sensory 

 perceptions; the spur and crural gland; 

 the nesting-burrow; distribution and 

 haunts; habits; breeding habits and life 

 history; preservation and economics; the 

 platypus in captivity. There is a bib- 

 liography covering four pages of fine 

 print. 



We heartily recommend this book to 

 everyone interested in natural history, 

 from any angle whatever. 



ANIMAL LIFE OF THE CARLSBAD 

 CAVERN. 



By Vernon Bailey. 



The Williams & Wilkins Co. 

 $3.00 5 j x 8; xiii -f- 195 Baltimore 



Carlsbad Cavern, "the most extensive 

 and spectacular cavern yet discovered in 

 America if not in the world," in South- 

 eastern New Mexico, was set aside as 

 a National Monument by President 

 Coolidge in 192.3. The National Geo- 

 graphical Society has supported a thor- 

 ough study of its geology, structure, 

 formation and extent. To Dr. Vernon 

 Bailey was entrusted the study of the 

 animal life of the cavern. The present 

 report he regards as a preliminary recon- 

 naissance, to be followed by a more 

 extensive work in the future. He writes 

 chiefly of mammals, there being a paucity 

 of invertebrate life, due largely to the 

 lack of organic matter to serve as food for 

 such forms. This book will be of especial 

 interest to the naturalist, but the visitor 

 to the caverns will do well to include it 

 in his luggage in order to satisfy his 

 curiosity should he develop the yearnings 

 of a naturalist. 



BIRDS AND BEASTS OF THE ROMAN 

 ZOO. Some observations of a Lover of 

 Animals. 



By Th. Knottnerus-Meyer. Translated by 

 Bernard Miall. The Century Co. 



$4.00 5! x 8|; vii + 378 New York 

 A very interesting account of the 

 author's life-long experience with animals 

 in zoological gardens, with particular 

 reference to the garden in Rome, of which 

 he is the director. Dr. Knottnerus-Meyer 

 got his training in Germany, in the 

 Hagenbeck tradition. The book is a 

 mine of information for the student of 

 animal behavior and psychology, enter- 

 tainingly written and fully and well 

 illustrated. Unfortunately there is no 

 index. 



PRECIS DE PARASITOLOGIE. 

 By E. Brumpt. Mass on et Cie 



100 francs 5! x 7I; viii + 145 z Paris 

 This is the fourth edition of what is 

 generally considered to be the best book 

 on parasitology in the French language. 

 It contains 795 figures in the text and 5 

 plates, 2. of them colored. The third 

 edition, which appeared in 19ZZ and con- 

 sisted of 12.16 pages, has been entirely 

 rewritten. The book opens with an in- 

 troduction of 54 pages on parasitism in 

 general; this is followed by four sections, 

 — 346 pages on protozoa, 4x3 pages on 

 parasitic worms, 3x1 pages on arthropods, 

 and 2.58 pages on vegetable parasites, 

 especially fungi. A chapter of 60 pages 

 on the spirochaetes is included in the 

 section on protozoa. In covering such an 

 enormous field the author has set for 

 himself a difficult task. He has, neverthe- 

 less, acquitted himself with credit. The 

 subject matter is almost entirely devoted 

 to parasites of man. Naturally the 



