166 
ZOOLOGICAL LITERATURE. 
than a system representing merely a gi’eat number of equivalent 
groups. 
The task of a systematist is to build up_, and not to tear 
asunder. But nothing leads more to unnatural separations than 
\ the principle of regarding a character as indicative of a family 
\ or genus because it has been thus used in other cases, and of 
using technical characters in a uniform manner. We Billy ad- 
mit that the Pristipomatidce are separated from the Percidoi (as 
this family stands at present) by a merely technical character ; 
also that the Percidce comprise heterogeneous forms, soldered 
together by technical characters, as we have stated in the intro- 
ductory remarks to this family (Catal. i. p. 56) . But we have, 
at present, not heard any objection sufficient to induce us to alter 
our opinion as regards the natural union of the Pristipomatoid 
genera (with the exception of those eliminated by ourselves) , al- 
though they may be still more approximated to a part of the 
Percoids when the problem of a natural arrangement of the latter 
shall be solved. We do confess that we are not quite so sanguine 
as regards the advantage derived from the character of the struc- 
ture of the fin-rays as Prof. Kner, and would rather trust to the 
osteological characters to which we have pointed on various oc- 
casions j but it will require much material and laborious study 
before such an attempt can be successfully made. Meanwhile 
we must, like Prof. Kner, be contented with the present system, 
however unwieldy its divisions may be. "k 
Finally, we beg to draw the attention of Prof. Kner to the 
llules of Zoological Nomenclature laid before the meetings of 
the British Association in 1842 and 1865, which contain cer- 
tainly some excellent suggestions as regards the references to 
authors and the claims of priority. It would also be well not to 
introduce terms like Pseudokieme (pseudo-gill), as pseudo- 
ichthyologists might be induced to adopt them. / 
Couch, J. The History of the Fishes of the British Islands. 
London, 8vo. See Zoolog. Becord, i. p. 135. 
Of this work the fourth and concluding volume was pub- 
lished in 1865 (pp. 439, with 73 plates). It contains the Mala- 
copterygians, Lophobranchians, Plectognaths, and an Appendix. 
^ B. Separate Publications. 
Day, F. The Fishes of Malabar. London, 1865, 4to (pp. 293, 
with 20 plates) . 
This book contains the descriptions of 294 species, four-fifths 
of which were collected by the author in the course of five years. 
Thirty are new to science. The book will be of great service to 
the local naturalist, the author having diligently collected what 
is known of that part of the Indian peninsula. The author has 
/ C 'i i , 
