MAMMALIA. 3 
Filippi, F. de. Note di un viaggio in Persia nel 1862. Milano, 
1865. 8vo. pp. 396. 
A diplomatic mission sent by the Italian government to the 
Schah of Persia was accompanied by a scientific staff, in which 
zoology was represented by Prof. Lessona, Prof, de Filippi, and 
the Marquis G. Doria. The expedition started in April 1862, 
and, crossing the Black Sea to Trebizond, proceeded to Persia 
via Tiflis and Eriwan. After having effected its object, it was 
dissolved in August of the same year. Prof, de Filippi, however, 
spent another month in travelling along the southern and 
western shores of the Caspian Sea. His account of the events 
of the journey is mixed with observations on the physical cha- 
racters of the countries visited, and is especially instructive to the 
zoologist. Besides the zoological notes dispersed throughout the 
journal, a systematic account of the fauna of western Persia 
(chiefly V ertebrates and Mollusca) is given towards the end of 
the work, containing descriptions of numerous new species. 
A portion of the general remarks on the characters of this fauna 
is reprinted, under the title Riassunto di alcune osservazioni 
sulla Persia occidentale,"*^ in Att. Soc. Ital. Sc. Nat. vii. Riun. 
straord. a Biella, 1864, pp. 279-284. The author regards this 
district as a well-defined geographical province. European types 
are prevalent, but there is a mixture of representatives of other 
regions. Eastern Asia has furnished it with mammals and birds, 
Africa with reptiles, the Euphrates with fishes. This proves that 
western Persia is a country of comparatively recent origin, colo- 
nized by immigrations from the neighbouring regions, and is 
quite in accordance with its geological character. With regard 
to the absence of any peculiar character in its flora and fauna, it 
forms a perfect contrast to New Holland, in which, on account 
of its great antiquity, the organic creation has preserved its pri- 
mitive character. 
As regards the Mammalia, thirty species are enumerated 
(pp. 342-344), four of which are considered to be uiidescribed 
species, and will be noticed below. Prof, de Filippi mentions 
what would certainly be a most singular fact, viz. that Mus mus- 
cuius as well as Mus decumanus are absent in western Persia ; 
he mentions having met with one species only of this genus, M. 
silvaticus. 
Muller, J. W. Reisen in den Vcrcinigtcn Staaten, Canada 
und Mexico. 3 vols. Leipzig, 1864-65. 8vo. 
The third part contains a list of Mexican Vertebrafes (Sys- 
tematisches Yerzeiclmiss der Wirbelthiere Mexico^s, pp. 109), 
which has been published also separately. The names of 106 
Mammals are enumerated on pp. 9-15. It is a compilation 
from other works, without original researches, as far as the 
Mammals are concerned. 
B 2 
