Entomophytes, or Entomogenous Fungt. 483 
are loudest in their talk of the necessity for eareful breeding 
of the insects and the observation of their habits and trans- 
formations, although wholly disregarding these points them- 
selves. ‘Truly where there is most noise there is least hurt, 
and it is not to this class of worker that we look for reliable 
information. 
The first, and to this day (from the entomological point of 
view) the most complete, account of these insect-fungi was issued 
in 1858 by the late George Robert Gray, Assistant Keeper of 
the Zoological Department of the British Museum *. This 
memoir was privately printed, and bears only the writer’s 
Initials; but as it has had a tolerably wide circulation, and 
can be obtained from natural-history booksellers without much 
difficulty, it may be regarded, for all practical purposes, as 
having been duly published. It contains a ‘very complete 
account of all the insects known to the author as being hosts 
of Kntomophytes, or Entomogenous Fungi, and is the most 
important and original contribution on the subject that has 
yet appeared. The conspicuots and well-known group of 
fungi (Cordyceps) affecting the larve and pupe of root-eating 
insects (the Australian species of which are the special subject 
of the present paper) are dealt with at considerable length ; 
and the observations and conclusions regarding them, except 
in one particular to be noticed presently, may be accepted as 
accurate and reliable. 
Thirty-four years later, in 1892, a more popular treatise on 
these parasitic fungi was published by Dr. M. C. Cooke f. 
In this handy and inexpensive volume, which is issued under 
the auspices of the Society for Promoting Christian Know- 
ledge, will be found an excellent summary of all that was 
known of the Entomophytes, and it has a special value as 
coming from a recognized authority on the larger fungi. For 
the ludicrous title of the book we believe Dr. Cooke is not 
responsible. Presumably it is an inspiration of some luminary 
in the editorial office of the Society for Promoting Christian 
Knowledge, who, in striving after a popular designation, has 
succeeded in wholly hiding the subject of the book. It is 
almost needless to say that none of these fungi, or the insects 
upon which they live, have any connexion with worms ; and 
* Notices of Insects that are known to form the bases of Fungoid 
Parasites,’ by G. R. Gs: pp. 22, with 5 plates. 4to, London (privately 
printed), 1858. 
+ ‘Vegetable Wasps and Plant-Worms—a ee history of Entomo- 
genous Fungi, or Fungi parasitic upon Insects,’ by M.C. Cooke: pp. 354, 
with four plates and woodcuts. London, 1892, Here quoted as Hist. 
Ent, Fungi. 
