1910] Reviews 123 
The large series of illustrations are uniformly excellent, and with several 
appendices on methods, classification, economic importance, and literature, 
add much to the usefulness of the book. 
C. T. Brues. 
Code des Couleurs, 4 Vusage des Naturalistes, Artistes, Commercants 
et Industriels. 720 Echantillons de Couleurs classés d’ apres la méthode 
Chevreul simplifiée. par Paul Klincksieck, et Th. Valette, Paris. (1908). 
G. EK. Stechert, New York City, Agent. 
This is a book of 32 pages of text, and 50 plates, containing 720 blocked 
colors; a table of ten principal colors in eighteen languages, and a table 
of contents; the whole making a neat and portable volume. The pub- 
lication of this book is a great boon to systematic naturalists everywhere, 
as Ridgway’s Nomenclature of Colors for Naturalists, has been out of 
print for some time, and it has been practically impossible to obtain a 
copy of it. This book was planned in 1906, through a real need felt in 
the study and description of Mushrooms; thus it was planned, in part, 
by a naturalist for naturalists. The hope is expressed that this color 
code may recommend itself universally, and there is certainly great need 
of a uniform nomenclature of colors, accepted and used by naturalists 
everywhere. As the recognition of geographic isolation as a factor in 
evolution comes to be better known and studied, it is imperative that 
a close study be made of minute differences in form and color, in order 
to understand the probable evolution of species or subspecies. 
The fundamental colors are six, those of the solar spectrum, and 
the tones are indicated by a number, the method devised by Chevreul; 
which is decidedly better than “Se fatiguer pour trouver dans les trois 
Régnes ou ailleurs le nom d’un équivalent qui lui ressemble plus ou 
moins vaguement,” and “qui ne signifient rien de précis.” Every hundred 
numbers is equivalent to one of the colors of the solar spectrum. 
Part II is by Th. Valette, and considers the following subjects: 
. Des couleurs au point de vue physique. 
. Sources de lumiére.—Lumieres colorées. 
. Des couleurs matérielles ou pigments colorés. 
. Classification des couleurs. 
. Code des Couleurs & usage des naturalistes. 
. Confection du Code des Couleurs. 
. Examen des couleurs complémentaires contrastes. 
“iD Or & WO OO 
The book ought to be in use by every naturalist, dealing with groups 
which exhibit color differences, thus helping toward a uniform nomencla- 
ture, instead of indicating a color by some vague term, which leaves an 
idea of uncertainty. Stability in terminology ought to be as important 
as the rules of nomenclature,— priority, etc., and should be taken up by 
committees on nomenclature. 
Forpyce GRINNELL, JR. 
