carpenter’s zoology. 
115 
drograda) belong; the cartilaginous disc of the latter being nothing more 
than a peculiar modification of the float of the Physsophora. Other 
errors, similar to this, might readily be pointed out. The simple and 
concise terminology introduced by Professor Allman for the better de¬ 
scription of the Hydrozoa is^pot explained, nor are any of these even 
made use of. The reproduction of the Hydrozoa, and, we may also add, 
their anatomy, is very briefly alluded to, and such terms as “ individual,” 
“ compound animal,” &c., are carelessly and incorrectly applied. 
The lower we descend in the scale of organization, and approach the 
confines of the animal kingdom, the shorter and more inaccurate do we • 
find the descriptions of Mr. Dallas. The sub-kingdom, Protozoa, is hur¬ 
ried over in a manner altogether inexcusable. The Polycistina, Thalas- 
sicollidae, Gregaringe, and Pserospermia, are taken no notice of, even hy 
name only. The class Bhizopoda is dismissed with scarcely any state¬ 
ment of their true structure, and the so-called encysting process among 
the Infusoria, as described by Stein and other observers, is hastily 
noticed in about three lines. The distinguishing characters by which 
the true animal Infusoria may (so far as the present state of our know¬ 
ledge permits) be ascertained, are very imperfectly stated. 
Many of the figures are very indifferent, some are positively inac¬ 
curate, and few, if any, new ones appear to have been introduced. 
When our attention was first directed to the forthcoming appearance 
of the present work, we hailed its advent with joy, trusting that the day 
had at length arrived when the student might obtain that of which he 
has so long felt the need,—a good elementary work on zoology. We 
need hardly say how much we have been disappointed. The lower forms 
of animal life—of which no account that the advanced student could 
consult with safety and confidence has yet been published—are here 
described in a manner so incomplete and unsatisfactory as altogether to 
preclude this work from being introduced where such a treatise seemed 
most needed, namely, into our universities. Yet we trust that, ere long, 
such a work, written in a style befitting alike the important purpose 
which it is destined to serve, and the advanced state of science 
which it purposes to teach, will be undertaken by some of those who 
have not merely the ability and discrimination necessary for the perfor¬ 
mance of such a task, but who are, at the same time, conscious of the 
high responsibility and careful exercise of judgment which it must involve. 
We wait then in hope for its appearance. 
