326 Bibliographical Notice. 
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. 
Or late years the British Museum of Natural History has displayed 
increasing activity in fostering and furthering the study of Economic 
Zoology, while no less zeal has been exerted in disseminating the 
knowledge accumulated by the researches of the professional zoolo- 
gist, especially where this knowledge has a direct bearing on the 
health of the community. 
This useful work is accomplished partly through the medium of 
the exhibition-galleries of the Museum, where these agents for the 
dissemination of disease, and sometimes the direct causes thereof, 
are displayed side by side with large models, and partly by means 
of illustrated guide-books which can be taken away and read at 
leisure. 
A batch of these publications has just reached us, and they cover 
a wide range of subjects. ‘Two are in the form of poster-leaflets— 
a new departure on the part of the Museum authorities. The 
“Fly Danger” and the “ Mosquito Danger” are the themes chosen 
for this venture. Each bears a large figure of the adult insect, and 
sets forth, tersely, the diseases spread by their agency, the breeding- 
places of the insect, and how to destroy them. They are to be sold 
at the price of one halfpenny. We wish it could have been found 
possible to distribute them gratis. 
In the more familiar pamphlet-form the Trustees have made 
available much indispensable information on “The Bed-bug,” 
«‘ Species of Arachnida and Myriopoda Injurious to Man,” and the 
“ Biology of Water-works,” all written by members of the staff 
and generously illustrated. In regard to the bed-bug, two species 
are described, and much valuable and useful information in regard 
to their life-history and preventive measures is given. But we 
venture to think that the section entitled “ How it sucks the blood,” 
with the diagrams appertaining thereto, will be found quite unin- 
telligible to the public. To describe this process in simple language 
is undoubtedly a difficult task, but it should not be insuperable. 
The description here offered appears to us to be useless. 
The pamphlets on the Arachnida and the Biology of Waterworks 
are altogether admirable. A vast amount of information, not 
merely in regard to hygiene, but also in relation to the life-histories 
of the animals concerned, has been crowded into a surprisingly 
small space, and this in such an admirable manner that the interest 
aroused will do much to aid in the dissemination of the knowledge 
it is the aim of these pamphlets to spread. 
