166 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



REVIEW. 



British OribatidcB. By Albert D. Michael, F.L.S., F.Z.S., 

 F.R.M.S., &c. Vol. II. Ray Society. 1888. 



The second and concluding volume of Mr. Michael's valuable 

 Monograph of the British Oribatidse has been issued by the Ray 

 Society to the subscribers for the year 1887, The first volume 

 contained twenty-four plates of species and seven of anatomical 

 details ; the present contains thirty- one plates of species, thus 

 bringing up the total number of plates in the complete work to 

 sixty-two. The author states in the preface to the volume, that 

 " Although subsequent discoveries will doubtless add to our 

 knowledge of the group, I think the book has been prepared 

 carefully ; it certainly has been executed to the best of my 

 ability, and I believe that it contains as much information rela- 

 tive to the family as the present state of science respecting the 

 Acarina permits." There can be no doubt that for many years 

 to come this monograph will be a text-book for Acarologists ; 

 indeed, if it have a fault, it is that the subject has been treated in 

 such a masterly manner that others will be deterred from enter- 

 ing upon it. It would be quite impossible to convey in words the 

 least idea of the beauty of the plates, the bizarre forms of the 

 species delineated, or the exquisite anatomical details ; indeed, how 

 the latter could have been prepared is a marvel, as the points of 

 the dissecting instruments would be nearly as large as the acarus 

 operated upon, yet they are as clearly made out as would be the 

 visceral anatomy of one of the larger vertebrates. 



The bibliography of the subject is well understood and dealt 

 with by Mr. Michael, and at pp. 619 — 627 a list of books and 

 papers giving information relative to the Oribatidae is inserted ; 

 indeed, in every way the student is thoroughly assisted ; even 

 tables are given for conversion of millimetres into inches. Whilst 

 on the subject of assisting the student, it may be remarked that 

 all the plates have full descriptions on the opposite pages ; thus 

 the time wasted in turning over leaves when making a reference, 

 and the unnecessary wear and tear of the book, are avoided. The 

 work on the whole is a model of painstaking scientific accuracy, 

 illustrated with artistic excellence. — J. J. W. 



