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refer this creation, and thinking at first that it belonged to Coryne, says : — 
“ While I was observing the individual in question I saw it suddenly open 
the head-lobe and unfold it into the form of a broad shovel-shaped 
expanded disk, not, however, flat, but with the two halves inclining toward 
each other, like two leaves of a half-opened book. This immediately re- 
minded me of the great sucking disk which I had seen evolved from the obtuse 
summit of Stauridia product.a , and confirmed my suggestion of the natural 
affinities of the form.” From the idea which they originated of the Lares 
of Roman mythology, and from their being on Sabella, the author has given 
them the title of Lar Sabellarum. This strange animal has remained un- 
recognised for more than seventeen years, till the Rev. T. Hincks found it 
again in the summer of 1872. 
It will be seen from what we have said that Mr. Gosse’s book is full of 
interesting material, very graphically set before the reader ; and though it is 
by no means what it might have been, still we must do it the justice to say 
it is a treatise that no microscopist should be without. 
CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD IN ANIMALS AND PLANTS.* 
HERE are, no doubt, a few of our readers who will exclaim, when they 
have read the heading of this notice, “ What nonsense ! Surely this must 
be a mistake P Imagine the circulation of the blood in a head of cabbage ! ” 
If anyone feels tempted to make a remark of this kind, we can only say to 
him, i( You are very wrong.” Most unquestionably plants possess a distinct 
circulatory system, though it is conducted differently from that of the higher 
animals. In the book which is now before us the author has given an ac- 
count of the various systems of the circulatory apparatus in animals and 
plants, dwelling, of course, at length on that of man and mammalia ; and he 
has illustrated his remarks by more than 150 woodcuts, many of them being 
from his own drawings. Of course the lectures of which the book consists 
were originally delivered in the College of Surgeons, Edinburgh ; and from 
this fact, as well as from the very high physiological reputation of the author, 
we have nothing in the shape of absolute criticism to display. Our duty, 
therefore, will be merely to dwell on some of the points of interest which 
strike us as being especially worthy of remark. In tracing the account of 
the circulation in plants, Dr. Pettigrew points to the difference of opinion 
which exists between Dr. Balfour on the one hand, and Mr. Herbert Spencer 
(the distinguished Sociologist) on the other. He thus lays down the two 
opinions : — He shows first that “ Mr. Herbert Spencer has demonstrated by 
his experiments that the passage of fluid though the spiral and other vessels 
is much more rapid than through the mere cellular tissue. On the other 
hand, Mr. Spencer’s view, that there is no direct connection between the age 
of a vessel and its porosity, has been called in question, for Professor Balfour 
* u The Physiology of the Circulation in Plants, in the Lower Animals, 
and in Man : being a Course of Lectures Delivered at Surgeons’ Hall, Edin- 
burgh, in 1872.” By J. Bell Pettigrew, M.D., F.R.S., F.R.S.E. Illustrated 
by 150 engravings on wood. Edinburgh : Oliver and Boyd, 1873. 
