382 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Oct., '13 



Distribution and Species-forming of Ecto- Parasites, By Vernon 

 Lyman Kellogg. American Naturalist for March, 1913, Vol. XLVII, 

 No. 555, pp. 129-158. 



This paper, the last of several by the author in regard to the dis- 

 tribution and species-forming among the Mallophaga, is a most inter- 

 esting and important one from several standpoints. 



The author has divided the paper into five parts. The first is intro- 

 ductory. The second deals with the habits, zoological position, and life 

 history of the Mallophaga. In the third the writer treats of the distri- 

 bution of the ecto-parasites and their systematic relationships, together 

 with some related problems. It is in the fourth, the longest and most 

 important part of the paper, that the writer enters into the considera- 

 tion of the very interesting phylogenetic problems suggested by the 

 study of the host and geographic distribution. Part five is a short sum- 

 mary of conclusions. The author pays special attention to two aspects 

 of the distribution of the biting lice. In regard to the first he states, 

 "there is apparent in Mallophagan distribution a general faithfulness 

 of parasite to host-kind or group of related host-kinds, and this with- 

 out much reference to geographical conditions." In regard to the sec- 

 ond aspect the writer has already written much. Here he presents in 

 a fuller and more convincing form his law in regard to the distribution 

 of certain parasites. He explains it as follows, "there appears a plain 

 tendency for a single parasite species to be common to two or more re- 

 lated host species, even though these hosts be so widely separted geo- 

 graphically and so restricted to their separate geographic ranges that 

 all possible chance of contact between individuals of the different host 

 species seems positively precluded." This state of affairs the writer 

 explains as follows, "the parasite species has been handed down prac- 

 tically unchanged to the present specifically and even generically dis- 

 tinct several bird species from their common ancestor of earlier days." 



In regard to the general significance of this law, I can state that I 

 have found it to hold true in regard to the distribution of certain ecto- 

 parasitic mites, but not for all of them or for many groups. However, 

 the parasitic Acarina constitute several distinct phylogenetic units, and 

 their habits are very diverse. It would be of great importance to 

 science if some one would investigate other groups of ecto-parasites in 

 order to see if Professor Kellogg's law has a general application. — H. 



E. EWING. 



Bibliographia Lepidoptf.rologica. W. Junk, Verlag und Antiquariat 

 fiir Entomologie. Berlin W. 15. Sachsische Str. 68. 1913. In linen 

 boards, i mark 40 pfennig, post free. — In the News for April, 1912, p. 

 191, we summarized the contents of Herr Junk's very useful Biblio- 

 graphxa Coleopterologica. The present catalog and price list is a simi- 

 lar production, including 3952 titles, preceded by a 20 page classified 

 resume of the most important literature on the Lepidoptera and a 6 

 page list of living Lcpidopterological authors with their addresses. The 



