May 27, 1915| 
NATURE 
339 

knowledge of insects would deal with technical 
points of entomology as is here done; the frontal 
suture is mixed up with the frontal lunule, the 
different venation systems are not tabulated, the 
value of the antenna in classification is not made 
clear, there is an error about peripneustic, and 
so on. The volume, so far as the entomology 
goes, is largely a selection from Sharp’s “In- 
sects’ (Cambridge Natural History) and Alcock’s 
“Entomology for Medical Officers.” These ex- 
cellent works are, of course, listed in the refer- 
ences, but there does not seem to be any obvious 
reason for summarising parts of them. 
The medical and the entomological student will 
find the references valuable. The doctor or sani- 
tary officer who is not seeking special knowledge 
will find the volume a surprising revelation of the 
great importance attaching to this branch of 
entomology, and we wish it might do much to 
educate public opinion on this very vital point. 
That is so more especially in England, where it 
is impossible to realise the part played by insects 
and the importance of these diseases. In this 
respect accuracy of technical detail and an up-to- | 
date summary of the scientific aspect is less im- 
portant than picturesque description and lucid 
writing, both characteristics of this volume. We 
commend it to the public which reads general 
science, and to medical men desirous of keeping 
their knowledge of this subject up to date. It is 
well illustrated and produced, and an exceedingly 
readable volume. 
(2) The author has put together a series of 
abstracts of published works on various phases 
of economic entomology under chapter headings 
such as “Insects and Human Disease,” “Insects 
and Plants,” “Beneficial Insects,” and so on. In 
the main, the work to which attention is given is 
that of the American worker, and the volume as 
a whole is very largely taken up with selections 
from recent American authors. The selection of 
subjects is curiously uneven: quite obscure house- 
hold pests are mentioned, while really serious ones 
are omitted; the bee as a honey-producer and 
the silk-worms are omitted while the Chinese wax- 
insect is discussed. In agricultural and horticul- 
tural entomology one gets the impression that, 
while much progress is being made in America, 
none is being made elsewhere. The Americans 
are quoted as the pioneers in the use of parasites 
to control pests, while the pioneer work of Perkins 
in Hawaii is not referred to. 
The author lays no claim to first-hand know- 
ledge of the subject, but has clearly read volumi- 
nously from American works. His abstracts are 
well written, but the accuracy due to personal 
knowledge of the subject is conspicuously absent. 
NO. 2378, VOL. 95| 

No one would contend, for instance, that ‘the 
control of scale insects and aphides, therefore, in 
such districts practically resolves itself into con- 
| trol of the ants,” though the Argentine ant is, of 
course, a factor in spreading scale insects; nor 
would anyone conversant with the literature say 
of the codlin moth, ‘no insect of economic im- 
portance has received so much attention from 
entomologists.”’ The curling of the leaves of 
Prunus is not caused by the fungus that lives on 
the secretion of the aphides; only a portion of the 
Coccide cover themselves with a scale; in no in- 
sect is the duration of the life-cycle to be “counted 
in hours’’—and so on. It is far too easy to find 
misleading statements in general, which would 
not occur to author who had other than a 
purely book knowledge. We would have sug- 
gested that to the title might be added the words 
an 
“The romance of,” for one feels that it is the 
Q” 
“romantic” element of the journalist that guides 
the choice of subject; picturesque detail and local 
colouring is the object sought, and no methodical 
attempt has been made really to “compile a con- 
cise summary of the varied relations of insects 
A 
great deal is said about certain sections of the 
and man,” as the author claims (page 21). 
subject, but the ground is not covered in any 
complete or methodical manner. 
It is probably inevitable that a new subject will 
be exploited by the journalist seeking picturesque 
“copy,” but we hope it will not again be pre- 
sented in a serious form calculated to mislead the 
student into thinking he has a concise summary 
of the subject; and if we must have such books 
as this, let us hope they will take into account 
the work done in this country and in our Colonies, 
every whit as good, though less blatantly set forth 
in sober reports, with no touch of the American 
journalese. We have to do a great deal yet to 
educate the British public (particularly the ruling 
class) to make them realise that there is a bg 
future for economic entomology, but it will not 
be done by quotation from American entomo- 
logists, and the implication that they and they 
only can do the work. Jey Isls, Ib. 
CULTURE AND METAPHYSICS. 
(1) German Culture: the Contribution of the Ger- 
mans to Knowledge, Literature, Art, and Life. 
Edited by Prof. W. P. Paterson. Pp. x+384. 
(London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, 1915.) Price 
2s. 6d. net. 
(2) The Principles of Understanding: an Intro- 
duction to Logic from the Standpoint of Per- 
sonal Idealism. By H. Sturt. Pp. xiv +302. 
(Cambridge: At the University Press, 1915.) 
Price 5s. net. 
