JUNE 13, 1884.] 
production is not purely Indian; for it is of 
comparatively recent origin, and represents 
the corruptions of both the Spanish and Aztec 
tongues, combined in a vulgar way. It is 
interesting, however, psychologically, and 
shows what humor and spirit can spring from 
the union of the races, which its jargon typifies. 
The text of the original is accompanied by a 
rendering into English ; and in an introduction 
and notes, Dr. Brinton takes occasion, fortu- 
nately, to make record of a large amount of 
his curious and apposite learning. 
M‘ALPINE’S ZOOLOGICAL ATLAS. 
Zoblogical atlas (including comparative anatomy), with 
practical directions and explanatory text for the use 
of students. By D. M‘Atpine. 2 vols. New 
York, The Century co., 1888. 16; 24pl. f°. 
Tuts is a handsomely bound and finished 
work in two parts, dealing respectively with the 
invertebrates and vertebrates. It is intended 
as a guide to the student in the dissection of 
representative forms.. The number of plates 
devoted to the different types is, however, 
hardly proportioned to their importance, much 
less to the commonness of their occurrence. 
Thus, four plates are assigned to Protozoa, 
and, of these, one and a half to the Monera. 
Perhaps so much space is given to these be- 
cause the author knows that most students will 
never have the opportunity of studying the liv- 
ing forms. Yet this is hardly a sufficient ex- 
cuse for crowding out altogether the Porifera 
and Coelenterata. Of these, nota single figure 
or diagram is given; although they are of uni- 
versal occurrence, and far more important ob- 
jects of study to the student than mere figures 
of Monera. The figures of Vermes are limited 
to those of the liver-fluke, tapeworm, and 
leech, all on one plate, while annelids are en- 
tirely neglected. At least one molluscoid, 
either a polyzoan or ascidian, might well have 
been added. 
In his selection of vertebrates, the author 
has been far more fortunate; and he is to be 
especially commended for giving the anatomy 
of the salamander in place of that of the com- 
mon, but unfortunately in many respects so 
abnormal, frog. 
The drawings, unfortunately, leave the stu- 
dent in entire ignorance of the relative size of 
the different objects. Different organs and 
organic systems of the same animal are often 
drawn on a very different scale, and the student 
left to imagine that they are all alike, life-size, 
except that in marked cases the word ‘ en- 
larged’ is added. The Protozoa are prodigious, 
SCIENCE. 
133 
but whether magnified five hundred or five 
thousand diameters we are not informed. All 
this might very easily have been obviated by 
the use of a few figures or a simple scale. 
Some mistakes in drawing or anatomy occur 
in each part. ‘Thus the stone-canal of the star- 
fish (plate v., diagram 1) is represented as 
connected directly with the top of one of the 
Polian vesicles. If any one will compare the 
other figures on this plate, especially Nos. 3 
and 4, with the corresponding figures in Profes- 
sor Brooks’s ‘ Manual,’ he will see immediate- 
ly how the finer points of anatomy, especially 
of the haemal system, have been neglected. 
Fig. 3 is particularly unfortunate. 
So, too, in plate xili., figs. 4 and 5, the ner- 
vous system differs in the two drawings; and 
in fig. 5 the single parieto-splanchnic ganglion 
seems to be represented nearly midway be- 
tween the anterior and posterior adductor mus- 
cles, but without name, and its name given to 
two siphonal (?) ganglia represented on the 
posterior adductor. One or two similar in- 
stances occur in the part devoted to verte- 
brates. Both in figures and notes, the author 
supports the theory of the development of an 
ovary and ‘seminal capsule,’ and the produc- 
tion of ova, in Paramoecium. This is certainly 
a bold position, in the face of such observa- 
tions as those of Professor Butschli on the 
conjugation of several species of the same 
genus, and described and supported by Profes- 
sor Claus. But with few exceptions, and these, 
perhaps, more the fault of engraver than au- 
thor, the anatomy seems generally correct. 
The plates of the part on vertebrates are 
very fair and distinct; but in the figures of 
many of the smaller invertebrates the masses 
of color are far more noticeable than the correct- 
ness or clearness of the details. The internal 
anatomy of the crabs in plate viii. is so in- 
definite as to be of little assistance to a stu- 
dent. The figures in plate ix. are much clearer. 
All through both volumes, finer drawing and 
engraving, and a more judicious use of color, 
would have made avast improvement. The 
engraving, particularly, is not so good as the 
price of the work would warrant ; by no means 
so clear as in many text-books on zodlogy and 
comparative anatomy. The notes are usually 
good, though sometimes rather more literary 
than scientific. The description of the indi- 
vidual or species does not always emphasize 
the most important characteristics of the class 
which it illustrates, of the order or family to 
which it belongs. 
The book would be a great help to any one 
wishing to take up a practical course of dissec- 
