1898] SOME NEW BOOKS 123 



dealing with the many and varied instances of artificial deformation 

 of the person for purposes of fashion, was published in book form 

 ("Nature Series") in 1881, and has probably been very widely read. 

 The customs of this nature are of even greater interest than might 

 appear from a perusal of this article, since there is much to study in 

 the motives which have led to the curious practice, the initiation and 

 other ceremonies associated with many modes of deformation, the test 

 of endurance for which some of them serve, and so forth. Interesting 

 as is Sir William Mower's account as an introduction to the subject, 

 it is high time that a comprehensive general work were compiled from 

 the large mass of information which has now accumulated. 



The volume concludes with short biographical memoirs on four 

 great biologists — Rolleston, Owen, Huxley, and Darwin. 



H. Balfour. 



Packard's Entomology 



A Text-Book of ENTOMOLOGY, including (he Anatomy, Physiology, Embryology, and 

 Metamorphoses of Insects ; for use in agricultural and technical schools and col- 

 leges, as well as by the working entomologist. By Alpheus S. Packard, M.D., 

 Ph.D., Professor of Zoology and Geology, Brown University. Pp. xviii. and 730. 

 1 plate and 654 figures in text. New York : The Macmillan Co. London : Mac- 

 millan & Co., 1898. Price, 18s. net. 



The title " Text-Book of Entomology" too often denotes a work compris- 

 ing a meagre outline of the external morphology of insects, and a bare 

 recognition that they possess some internal organs, followed by well- 

 nigh interminable summaries of the characters of orders and families 

 and catalogues of genera. The 'working entomologist' is too easily 

 tempted to devote his whole attention to those outer structures of 

 insects which enable him to classify their multitudinous species, and 

 to neglect those vital organs whose form and development throw so 

 much light on the most interesting problems of insect-life. Hence 

 the ' text-book ' is apt to be as dry as the specimens whereof it treats. 



Prof. Packard's previous writings would lead us to expect from him 

 a text-book of a very different kind, and students will not be dis- 

 appointed with the present work. It is divided into three parts. The 

 first deals with morphology and physiology; a short discussion on the 

 place of insects in the animal kingdom, and their relation to other 

 arthropods, is followed by nearly 200 pages devoted to external and 

 300 to internal anatomy and functions. The second part, consisting 

 of 80 pages, contains a summary of our knowledge of insect embry- 

 ology. The concluding 130 pages are occupied with an account of 

 insect metamorphosis followed by some speculations as to the origin 

 of the larval and pupal stages. There is no scheme of the classifica- 

 tion of insects. A summary of the orders recognised by Prof. Packard 

 would have been desirable, as there is, necessarily, frequent reference 

 to ordinal names ; but these will be understood by most who are likely 

 to use the book, which is by no means an elementary treatise. The 

 author does express the opinion that the (Jollembola and Thysanura 

 are worthy to be separated from other insects as a distinct sub-class, 

 a view hardly tenable when we consider the close similarity of such a 

 springtail as Japyx to the wingless earwigs. 



The introductory chapter on the relationship of insects to other 

 arthropods is valuable, but it might have come better at the end of the 



