22 
REVIEWS. 
peculiar, 21. Total number of species enumerated, 122, which, with 18 
excluded, owing to their being attached to floating or swimming objects, 
or to their habitation being unknown, make 147, which is the total 
number of known existing Cirripedes. 
Wonderful as is the present history of the barnacle, yet our forefathers 
believed in fables which, certainly, if true, would have been more astonish¬ 
ing than anything we have found in the pages of the two octavo volumes 
before us. We allude to the once popular (?) belief that the barnacle 
goose was the offspring of these marine creatures; and notwithstanding 
that worthy Master Gerard gives a circumstantial account of the whole 
process, and, moreover, prefaces it with a voucher, that “ what our eyes 
have seen, and hands have touched, we shall declare,” and even goes to 
the trouble of giving us a figure representing the metamorphose going 
on—which should satisfy the most incredulous—Mr. Darwin passes 
the worthy old naturalist by, and takes not the slightest notice of his 
account; this could not have been forgetfulness; for one could hardly 
repeat the name of the first species of the first genus of the Lepadidse, 
without having the whole story strongly brought before him. 
We have now told our readers of the existence of these two volumes— 
of what they treat about—and given them quotations, from which they will 
perceive that the wonders of this portion of creation are almost un¬ 
rivalled ; and it only now remains for us to give our opinion on the work. 
We still recollect the suggestion given by one of our most distinguished 
British naturalists, some twenty years since, “ that those who were really 
desirous of advancing the progress of zoology, should restrict their chief 
attention to some given department, and, when practical, to those parti¬ 
cular groups which have been least studied; for that the longest life, 
added to the enjoyment of the most favourable opportunities, would not 
suffice for acquiring more than a very limited knowledge of the details of 
the history of all the existing species of nature.” Acting on this advice, 
Mr. Darwin has applied his talents to the elucidation of the sub-class of 
the Cirripedia, as contained in these two volumes, which are published by 
the Ray Society; and it reflects credit on the Council of the Society that 
they selected for publication a work in every way so worthy of them. The 
plates to these volumes are drawn and engraved by George Sowerby with 
the greatest care, and will be found faithful delineations from nature. Mr. 
Darwin was awarded the Coply Gold Medal by the Royal Society of England 
for his researches in the Cirripedia, the result of which is contained in these 
volumes; after this high mark of honour, praise on our part would be of 
little worth ; and yet we cannot help quoting the words addressed by the 
