Book Notices. 



Systema Geometrarum zonae temperatioris septentrionalis. — Systematische 

 Bearbeitung der Spanner der Nordlichen Gemassigten Zone, von C. Freih. v. 

 Gumppenberg. ister Tlieil mit 3 Tafeln. Nova Acta der Ksl. Leop. Carol. 

 Deutschen Akademie der Naturforscher. Hand 49, Nr. 4, Halle, 1887, Seite 

 229 — 400, Taf. 8 — 10. 



It is generally unfair to pass judgment upon a work when only in 

 part completed. But the above work is one of so great importance that 

 some particular mention ought to be made of its publication, even in 

 part. Moreover its aims, its plans, its argument and its synopses are 

 included in the 172 pp. already issued, so that it seems one ought with- 

 out unfairness to be able to summarize the intention and accomplish- 

 ment of the author. 



The work as may be gleaned from its title is an ambitious one. It 

 endeavors to cover in some respects the whole field of the family of the 

 Get >metridae of the Northern temperate Zone ; it treats of descent, clima- 

 tic variation, influence and distribution ; it discusses classification and 

 nomenclature ; it gives finally a Synopsis of Genera and a systematic 

 description of Genera and Species. It aims to be to the North temperate 

 Zone very much what Dr. Packard's great work was to the Geometrid 

 Fauna of our own country. 



In the discussion of descent, variation, and distribution there is 

 nothing that specially claims our attention. So far as it touches our 

 fauna it is only a following of Dr. Packard's views given in his Mono- 

 graph. 



The author's views upon classification are novel and radical, and they 

 are expressed with a point and frankness which leaves no doubt as to his 

 meaning. His argument is that the systems of the past are artificial, un- 

 scientific, and worthless. He endeavors to show by arguments as 

 well as by the confession of the authors, that the systems of Herrich- 

 Schaeffer and Lederer, based on venation cannot be received by students. 

 He endeavors also to show that the systems of Guenee and Packard 

 founded more especially upon the structure of head, body and appen- 

 dages, are no less valueless. 



After all this iconoclasm the author proceeds to unfold what he 

 calls the Natural System. As the corner stones of his structure he lays 

 d< iwn the f< '11' wing : 



1st. — The one who seeks by examination to determine an insect 

 unknown to him, must use means as simple as possible, and nothing 

 shall have standing with him which is ascertained only by dissection. 

 by means of the microscope or by the mutilation of the insect. 



Entomologica Americana. Vol in. '.> Juw:, L887. 



