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collector — i.e., the man who does his best to exterminate species 

 by filling his cases with rows of impaled specimens of the same 

 kind in the vain attempt to show to what extent variety exists 

 in Nature — but the student will find it a text-book such as he 

 has hitherto yearned for in vain. 



The first three chapters deal in a remarkably lucid manner 

 with the general characteristics of insects, their external 

 features, the structure and functions of their internal organs, 

 their embryology, development, and metamorphosis ; the fourth 

 chapter treats of classification, and the remainder are devoted 

 to the natural history of the Aptera, Orthoptera, Neuroptera, 

 and a portion of the Hymenoptera. 



The system of classification adopted is mainly that of 

 Linnaeus, " based primarily upon the nature of the organs of 

 flight and of the appendages by which the food is introduced 

 to the body of the image." The author, however, "does not 

 attempt to disguise the fact that this method is open to most 

 serious objections, but nevertheless believes it to be at present 

 the most simple and useful one, and likely to remain such as 

 long as knowledge of development is in process of attainment." 

 The systems of classification proposed by Packard and by 

 Brauer are, however, well summarised. Whilst agreeing with 

 the author in the main upon this point, we can hardly help 

 regretting that some revision was not attempted where ample 

 justification would appear to exist. Surely a definition of 

 Locustidce which excludes all the locusts will, to the beginner, 

 appear as great an anomaly as would be a definition of the 

 Felidae which excluded cats. The definitions which precede 

 the descriptions of each family are, however, stated with 

 remarkable clearness, and are in themselves by no means the 

 least valuable portions of the book. 



The illustrations are well chosen and executed, many of them 

 being from original drawings of type specimens of the genera 

 described. Many singular forms not frequently met with are 

 also brought under the notice of the reader, but here, as in the 

 preceding section, the student would be greatly helped had the 

 magnifying power been indicated in all cases where the object 

 is not depicted of the natural size. 



An excellent indexgfacilitates reference to any special portion 

 which it may be desired to consult. We shall look forward 



