1917] Book Reviews 163 
mentioned is usually accompanied by other modifications—not 
infrequently biological as well as structural. 
The stability of modern nomenclature is rather rudely shaken 
by the footnote, on page 824, to the effect that those who had 
unlearned Stegomyia fasciata must now proceed to dissociate their 
mental processes from Aédes calopus and think in terms of Aédes 
argenteus, a discovery made too late for incorporation throughout 
a work which has been in progress for approximately ten years, 
and if later workers insist upon a strict application of the rules of 
nomenclature, it is probable that there will be another change in 
the name of the genus to which this world-famous mosquito is 
referred. The announcement that Aédes fuscus O. S. is a synonym 
of the European Aédes cinereus Meign. is also made in a footnote, 
and like the preceding was received too late for incorporation in the 
body of the work. 
It is not expected that a dissertation of this character would be 
entirely acceptable to all. It deals with a large group. The 
classification has been worked out in recent years from several 
very diverse standpoints. The authors have endeavored to har- 
monize the evidence presented by adult and immature stages and 
it is more than probable that no two or three men would arrive 
at the same conclusion in regard to a number of debatable points. 
We have in these volumes tabulations for the separation of fami- 
lies, tribes, genera and species in both imago and larval stages and 
also a remarkably comprehensive and detailed study of the larve. 
A knowledge of these latter, their habits and characteristics, is of 
great importance in mosquito control work. This series of four 
volumes constitutes by far the most complete account we have of 
any similar group and marks distinct progress toward that com- 
prehensiveness and thoroughness investigators so generally recog- 
nize as ideal. It is unfortunate that two of the authors who under- 
took the preparation of the systematic part of this work did not 
have an opportunity of personally studying the types in European 
collections. 
There doubtless will be some changes in generic groupings and 
possibly some in tribal definition, though the latter appears to the 
reviewer as very satisfactory. We have at least a magnificent 
basis for future work, and he who desires to improve upon the 
system proposed may well estimate in advance the amount of 
