172 



NOTICES OF RECENT BOOKS. 



The Anatomy, Physiology, and Development of the Blow- 

 Fly. By B. T. Lowne, F.R.C.S. 2 Vols. London : R. H. 

 Porter. £3 3s. net. 



Although it would be quite impossible in this place to give any- 

 thing like a review of Prof. Lowne's great monograph, yet we 

 cannot forbear making some remarks, however inadequate, on a 

 work which has taken up five years of the author's time, and is the 

 most copious and extensive work ever written on a single insect. 

 Perhaps the best idea of the progress of biological science in recent 

 times may be gained by a comparison of the present volumes with 

 Prof. Lowne's original book on the blow-fly, a thin 8vo. of 120 

 pp. and ten plates, published in 1870, or exactly twenty-five years 

 ago, while the one just completed occupies no less than 780 pp. 

 and is illustrated by 52 plates and 108 figures in the text. The 

 subject is treated in the fullest possible manner from beginning to 

 end, and the conclusions arrived at are based on the author's own 

 investigations into the most minute details of structure, yet it 

 does not represent his personal views alone, as the book contains a 

 very complete resume of the labours of others and an extensive 

 bibliography, which will be invaluable to every student of this 

 department of biology. As is well known, Prof. Lowne holds 

 certain opinions on some much-controverted subjects, notably on 

 the structure and functions of the compound eye and on the homo- 

 logies of the mouth-organs and the parts of the brain, which have 

 not yet obtained universal assent ; but it cannot be said that he has 

 failed to do justice to those who differ from him, for the con- 

 clusions of his chief opponents are given at great length, and the 

 reader must decide for himself on the evidence submitted to him 

 on both sides of the questions at issue. A copious index and full 

 reference to 370 memoirs combine to render it an invaluable work, 

 and we recommend it most heartily to everyone who desires to 

 obtain precise information in this important branch of science. 



The Natural History of Aquatic Insects. By Prof. Miall, 

 F.R.S. London: Macmillan & Co. 6s. 



In this work will be found a description of all the commoner and 

 some of the rarer insects which pass either the whole or a part of 



