August 22, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



277 



new ideas in their classification and their 

 bearing on the system of recent caddice-flies. 

 It is thus a work of great use to all who study 

 these insects. 



M. E. GuYENOT is the author of a morpho- 

 logical study on the papillae of the proboscis of 

 Lepidoptera.^ These occur on all Lepidop- 

 tera, but are variable in number and slightly 

 in structure. The ordinary form is a sub- 

 cylindric or fusiform process with the tip 

 margined by a ring or a row of spinules. 

 From the middle of the tip arises a short 

 cylindric process or a spine. This process 

 contains a nerve extending back through the 

 main part of the papilla. Those on different 

 parts of the proboscis vary in length and in 

 development of spinules. Sometimes the pa- 

 pillae are ribbed on the outside or with whorls 

 of spinules. The author reaches no conclu- 

 sion as to their function, but criticizes the 

 tactile theory of Breitenbach. 



The increasing interest in medical ento- 

 mology results in new treatises thereon; one 

 of the most recent is by Dr. E. A. Goeldi.' 

 It is a very good and well-illustrated compila- 

 tion on the subject. There are three principal 

 chapters: I., Stinging, Biting and TJrticating 

 Insects; II., Parasitic Insects; III., Insects as 

 Disease-carriers. Mites and other arachnids 

 are included, and also the life cycle of the 

 various Hsematozoa. 



The stable fly, because of its biting habits 

 and abundance, has been suspected of trans- 

 mitting several diseases. In the Philippines 

 it has been accused of carrying surra. Re- 

 cently Dr. M. B. Mitzmain has investigated 

 the matter.* He conducted a long series of 

 experiments, and only when the fly had bitten 

 several hundred times was there a case of 



- ' ' Les papilles de la trompe des Lepidoptferes, ' ' 

 Bull. Sci. France Belg., XL VI., pp. 279-343, 3 pis. 

 (1918); many text figures. 



'"Die saaitarisch-pathologische Bedeutung der 

 Insekten und verwandten Gliedertiere, namentlieh 

 ale Krankheits-Erreger und Krankheits-XJber- 

 trager, " 155 pages, 171 figs., 1913, Berlin, Fried- 

 lander u. Sokn. 



* ' ' Eole of Stomoxys calcitrans in the transmis- 

 sion of Trypanosoma evansi," Philipp. Journ. Sci. 

 (B), Vol. VII., pp. 475-518, 1913, 5 pis. 



transmission. The trypanosome does not pass 

 through any development in the fly, and so 

 rarely is the fly an accidental vector that it 

 may be absolved from connection with the 

 disease. 



Keilin has lately noted" that among the 

 higher Diptera those forms that have on the 

 ventral wall of the pharynx longitudinal 

 chitinous folds are saprophagous, while the 

 parasitic (including plant-parasites) and pre- 

 daceous forms do not have these folds. It is, 

 therefore, possible by examination of struc- 

 ture to learn the habits of certain Diptera. 

 Thus Graphomyia, supposedly coprophagous, is 

 probably carnivorous, and feeds on the other 

 larvffi present in its habitat. Later Keilin 

 shows that the Trypetidae living in fruits have 

 these folds which would indicate that they live 

 on tissue attacked by a microorganism, intro- 

 duced perhaps with the egg. 



The first volume on the flies of India is by 

 Mr. Brunnetti," who for some years has re- 

 sided in that country. Forty-four pages are 

 devoted to an introduction including direc- 

 tions for the preparation of specimens for the 

 cabinet. Over 425 species are described, a 

 very large number being new, or recently de- 

 scribed by the author. The Tipulidse (with 

 Ptychopterinse) occupy a large part of the 

 work. The genera are mostly the same or 

 similar to our own, and only a few are de- 

 scribed as new. There is also a glossary of 

 terms used in Dipterology. 



Many entomologists will be interested in 

 the new color manual' of Dr. R. Ridgway. 

 On the fifty-three colored plates are 1,115 

 named colors, and in text an alphabetical list 

 of colors. A shorter series, if made available 

 to all entomologists, would do much to stand- 

 ardize descriptions. Nathan Banks 



° ' ' Structure du pharynx au fonetion du regime 

 ehez les larves de Diptferes cyclorhaphes, " C. B. 

 Acad. Sci. Paris, t. 155, pp. 1548-1551, 1912. 



° ' ' The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon 

 and Burma. Diptera Nematocera (exclusive of 

 Chironomidse and Culicidje)," 581 pages, 7 pis., 

 1912. 



' ' ' Color Standards and Color Nomenclature, ' ' 

 Washington, 1912, 43 pages, 53 col. plates. 



