ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 357 



Five species and 8 suljspecies or geographic races of niuskrats Iiave been de- 

 scribed. These are distributed over the greater part of North America, from 

 the southern border of the T'nited States to the barren grounds of northwest 

 Canada and from the Athmtic to the Pacific, but seem to be absent from the 

 coastal parts of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Texas, as well as from 

 Florida and nearly the whole of California. 



" In winter the chief food of muslirats consists of the roots of aquatic plants — 

 pond lilies, arums, sedges, and the lilie, but in some localities the animals feed 

 en mussels and also on carp and other sluggish fish that bury themselves in 

 mud." In summer its menu is far more extensive as it can then choose from 

 many aquatic plants, and in addition can obtain supplies from nearby fields or 

 woods. Its destructive habits are discussed under injury to gardens and crops, 

 rice, water lilies, tidal meadows, dams and embankments, and to fish. While 

 its chief value is for its fur, 5.000,000 pelts having been sold in London alone 

 during 1905, the muskrat is also valuable for its flesh, which is utilized for 

 food. Directions are given for its preparation and cooking for food, trapping, 

 care of skins, and similar iwints. It is stated that muskrat farming is already 

 a prosperous business in some localities. The methods of destruction and pro- 

 tection of property where niuskrats become a pest are briefly described, and the 

 closed seasons of 1.3 States which protect them are indicated. 



The author concludes that although muskrats do considerable damage in some 

 places, they are of much economic value and should be protected by proper laws. 

 Local enactments should prohibit their destruction during the reproducing 

 season and whenever their furs are not prime, spearing and shooting should be 

 prohibited, muskrat houses protected at all times, and the trapping season be 

 nearly uniform for the different States. 



Text-book of protozoology, F. Doflein (Lehrbuch der Protozoenkunde : Eine 

 DarstcUung dcr XaliDyc-schichtc der Protozocn mit bcsondercr Bcriick'ikhti- 

 gung dcr Parasitischen und Pathogciicn Formcn. Jena, 1909, pp. X+9L'i, figs. 

 825; rev. in Science, n. ser., 31 {1910), IS^o. 795, pp. ■iSG-.ioS; Nature [London], 

 S3 (1910), A'o. 2105, pp. i^).— This w^ork consists of 2 parts. 



The first is divided into 6 chapters, which are devoted to general morphology, 

 physiologj', reproduction, biology, classification, and technique, respectively, a 

 bibliography being appended to each chapter. The second part coutains a 

 systematic presentation of the phylum by orders and families, which, with 

 many of the important parasitic and pathogenic forms, are carried to genera 

 and species. The pages devoted to the spirochetes and the classes Masti- 

 gophora, Rhizopoda, Sporozoa, Ciliata, and Suctoria include full bibliographical 

 lists. Special chapters on the parasitism and pathological significance of the 

 different groups are interspersed in this part. 



Author and subject indexes are included in the volume. 



Index-catalog'ue of m.edical and veterinary zoolog-y, C. W. Stiles and A. 

 Hassall (L'. ,S'. Dept. Agr., Bur. Aitim. Indus. Bui. 39, pt.s. 26. pp. 19S1-2076; 

 21, pp. 2011-2168). — Part 2G includes titles arranged by authors alphabetically 

 from S to Schnyder, and Part 27 those from Schoch to Silvestrini. 



Indian insect life, H. M. Lefroy and F. M. Howlett {Calcutta and London, 

 1909, pp. XII+1S6, j)ls. 85, figs. 536). — This manual of the insects of tropical 

 India, based upon the Pusa collection, was prepared to fill a much required 

 need. It is richly illustrated by text figures and plates. The greater number of 

 the plates are colored, many being prei»ared under the juniiu- author's direction by 

 the artist staft" of the Agricultural Research Institute, which is wholly com- 

 posed of natives of India, trained in the art schools of that country. 



In the introduction the author considers the zoological position, instinct and 

 habit, classification, number of species, nomenclature, ideutificatiuu, entomology 



