754 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



ECONOTvIIC ZOOLOGY— ENTOMOLOGY. 



Dictionary of biology, H. Schmidt {Worterbuch dcr Biologic. Leipsic, 1912, 

 pp. VIII+.581). — Au illustrated biological dictionary. 



Mice: Their breeding and rearing for scientific purposes, J. F. Daniel 

 (Amer. Xat., 46 (1912), No. 550, pp. 591~60/f, figs. ^/).— The author describes au 

 intensive method by which he has been able to rear mice in abundance. 



The rat and its relation to public health (Washington: Puh. Health and 

 Mar. IIosp. Serv. U. 8., 1910, pp. 2-5//, pis. 9, figs. 59). — The subject is here dealt 

 with by a number of authors, as follows : Natural History of the Rat, by D. E. 

 Lantz (pp. 15-27) ; Plague Infection in Rats, by G. W. McCoy (pp. 29-48) ; Rat 

 Leprosy, by W. R. Brinckerhoff (pp. 49-53) ; Bacterial Diseases of the Rat. 

 other than Plague and Rat Leprosy, by D. H. Currie (pp. 55-57) ; Organic Dis- 

 eases of the Rat, including Tumors, by G. W. McCoy (pp. 59-68) ; The Ecto- 

 parasites of the Rat, by N. Banks (pp. 69-85) ; The Internal Parasites of Rats 

 and Mice in Their Relation to Diseases of Man, by C. W. Stiles and C. G. Crane 

 (pp. 87-110) ; Compendium of Animal Pai'asites Repoi'ted for Rats and Mice, 

 by C. W. Stiles and A. Ilassall (pp. 111-122) ; The Flea and Its Relation to 

 Plague, by C. Fox (pp. 123-144) ; Rodents in Relation to the Transmission of 

 Bubonic Plague, by R. Blue (pp. 145-152) ; Rodent Extermination, by W. C. 

 Rucker (pp. 153-1G2) ; Natural Enemies of the Rat, by D. E. Lantz (pp. 163- 

 169) ; Rat Proofing as an Antiplague Measure, by R. H. Creel (pp. 171-178) ; 

 The Inefficiency of Bacterial A'iruses in the Extermination of Rats, by M. J. 

 Rosenau (pp. 179-204) ; Plague Eradication in Cities by Sectional Extermina- 

 tion of Rats and General Rat Proofing, by V. G. Heiser (pp. 205, 206) ; The 

 Rat in Relation to Shipping, by W. C. Hobdy (pp. 207-213) ; The Rat as an 

 Economic Factor, by D. E. Lantz (pp. 215-226) ; and The Rat in Relation to 

 International Sanitation, by J. W. Kerr (pp. 227-254). 



Methods of estimating the contents of bird stomachs, W. L. McAtee (Auk., 

 29 (1912), No. -'i, pp. >} '/9--J6-} ) . — This is a general discussion of methods, called 

 forth by the decided opinions on the merits of the numerical and the percentage- 

 by-bulk methods of estimating the contents of bird stomachs expressed in a 

 work previously noted (E. S. R., 27, p. 52). 



The author points out that " the principal objection to the method of reckon- 

 ing the contents of bird stomachs solely by the number of individual insects or 

 seeds, is that the method takes no account of size of the objects, and hence con- 

 veys no idea to those unacquainted with the groups conceraed of the relative 

 importance of the food elements. Size has much to do with economic status — 

 i. e., capacity for good or harm — and it receives proper recognition only under 

 the ])ercentage-by-bulk system. . . . 



" Numerical notations in most cases greatly exaggerate the importance of 

 elements of the food that have parts very resistant to digestion, a difficulty 

 which is reduced to the minimum when proportions are estimated according to 

 the volumes. 



" Numerical systems are not sufficiently comprehensive. Finely comminuted, 

 fleshy, or pulpy food, or food occurring in indefinite masses can not be reckoned 

 by numbers. Under the percentage-by-bulk system, all food can be included In 

 the computations. . . . The ideal system from the writer's point of view is 

 one that combines the good points of both the numerical and volumetric 

 methods — a system which, as a matter of record, counts individuals as far as 

 possible, or at least in enough instances to assure the inclusion of typical cases, 

 and which further estimates the proportion of all important items by bulk." 



Report of the entomologist, J. B. Smith (Xnc Jcrscrj Stas. Rpt. 1910. pp. 

 299-373, pis. 7, fig. 1). — During the course of nursery inspection a new tineid 



