have no difficulty in making some important improvements. We think he would be told that Galeopithecus (p. 183) is now well recognized as an Insectivore, and perhaps he may be converted from that dangerous heresy which teaches that the Sirenia (pp. 178, 179) form only a family (Manatidæ) of the Cetacea. Perilous, too, is the position of that man who doubts "the absolute agreement among ornithologists" not to consider the Saururi lower (instead of higher) than the Pici (p. 152), and Dr. Günther's latest views on the arrangement of Fishes are certainly not those which have been followed (p. 130). But we must not criticize in detail. There seems to have been more than ordinary care bestowed on the printing, but some blemishes we cannot help noticing. We should like to know the authority for the spelling Ryngota (p. 78), which appears to be intentional, and we may observe that the name of the wonderful new genus of Leplocard Fishes last year described by Prof Peters[1] was called by him Epigonichthys, and not Epizomethys, as Mr. Pascoe has it (p. 131), following an unlucky misprint in 'Nature' (vol. xv. p. 66).
Our readers, or some of them, we know, are not partial to over much science. But they must recognize the fact that they form part of a very large army, and the other fact that no army is good for much unless composed of what are technically called the three "arms" of the service in due proportion. All three must know their drill, or in other words should be versed in Anatomy; and then of the three "arms," there are first the physiologists and embryologists, who may be compared to the artillery and engineers; next, representing the infantry, are the cabinet-workers, including the nomenclaturists—a small but useful class who may be likened to pioneers, from the necessary and thankless office they discharge; and lastly, the field-naturalists, whose best similitude may be found in the cavalry, not only from their discursiveness, but from the way in which they crown a victory by a rapid charge when the ground is won. We are not of those who think that the need of field-naturalists will ever be lessened through the work of their less rapid brethren, and the more cavalry are acquainted with the tactics of their fellow-soldiers the more brilliant and effective will be their operations.
- ↑ Monatsbericht Acad. Berlin, 12 June, 1876.
