630 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXH. No. 82T 



generic and specific names used in the cata- 

 logTie. 



The author adopts some quite radical 

 changes in the use of names in some of the 

 groups, some of them doubtless justified by 

 international rules, but in some oases as a re- 

 sult of particular interpretation in which he 

 will probably not be followed by all entomol- 

 ogists. 



One of the cases where a strict adhesion to 

 his interpretation of the code results in a de- 

 feat of an author's purpose shows in the re- 

 tention of Handhirschiella where the author, 

 Montandon, intending to honor the eminent 

 Dr. Handlirsch dedicated a genus to him. By 

 a typographical error it appeared first mis- 

 spelled, but was immediately afterward cor- 

 rected by the author. 



Fortunately, it appears that in a large ma- 

 jority of cases for our American species, and 

 so far as this volume carries, the names have 

 suffered but little in the process and we may 

 still know most of our species by the names 

 which have been familiar for the past quarter 

 century. 



One must recognize the immense labor in- 

 volved in the making of such a catalogue and 

 even if unwilling to accept all the changes of 

 form admire the persistence that has enabled 

 the author to bring out so fuU a work. It is 

 especially unfortunate that the death of the 

 gifted author should interrupt the unfinished 

 parts, and it is sincerely to be hoped that some 

 one equally well equipped may be found to 

 carry it to completion. 



The make up of the volume is excellent and 

 so far as my examination has disclosed it is 

 very commendably free from typographical 

 errors, a point which is perhaps more remark- 

 able when we understand that printer and au- 

 thor were at such distance from each other as 

 Berlin and Honolulu. 



Excepting the omission of locality reference 

 for Amaurochrous cinctipes Say (a common 

 American species) no serious omission has 

 been noticed. 



The inclusion of a number of tabular sum- 

 maries of distribution is very serviceable in 

 showing at a glance the habitat of each group. 



Another good feature is the inclusion of fossil 

 as well as living species. 



Herbert Osborn 



A Synonymic Catalogue of Orthoptera. By 

 W. F. KiRBT. London, 8vo. Vol. I. (1904). 

 (Nonsaltatorial forms), x -|- £01 pages ; Vol. 

 n. (1906). (Saltatorial forms. Part I., 

 Achetidffi and Phasgonuridse), viii + 562 

 pages; Vol. III. (1910). (Saltatorial forms. 

 Part II., Locvistidse or Acridiidse), vii + 

 674 pages. 



The third and last volume of this general 

 catalogue appeared some weeks ago. The 

 three volumes comprise one of the most com- 

 plete catalogues of an entire order of insects 

 ever published and no catalogue of the Orthop- 

 tera covers the entire field as does this one. 

 The three volumes, aggregating nearly 1,800. 

 pages, represent an enormous amount of bib- 

 liographical research, and during their prepa- 

 ration the author went critically over the en- 

 tire field, correcting nomenclature, revising 

 many genera and rectifying synonymy. The 

 resulting catalogue is a model of its kind. 

 The number of genera entered, not including 

 synonyms, are as follows, given by families as 

 used in the catalogue: 



Forficulidae 52 Phasmidae 195 



Hemimeridae 1 Phasgonuridse .... 689 



Blattids 197 Locustidie 826 



Mantidae 209 Achetids 154 



Total C323 



Some additions are entered in the appendix 

 to Volume III., and since the catalogue was 

 published many genera have been established, 

 especially in the Phasmid». There are now 

 nearly or quite 2,500 genera in iise in the en- 

 tire order. 



While little but favorable comment can be 

 passed upon this valuable catalogue it still 

 contains, in the opinion of the reviewer, a few 

 more or less serious faults. The first of these 

 in importance is the method of geneotype 

 citation, which is done by referring to the 

 number under which the type species occurs 

 under the genus. Two features about this 



