September 6, 1901.] 



SCIENCE. 



373 



The Insect Book. A popular account of the 

 bees, wasps, ants, grasshoppers, flies and 

 other North American insects, exclusive of 

 the butterflies, moths and beetles, with full 

 life histories, tables and bibliographies. By 

 Leland O. Howard, Ph.D., Chief of the 

 Division of Entomology, U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture. New York, Doubleday, Page 

 & Company. 1901. 



The very complete subtitle indicates the 

 scope of the work, and if we add that ' where 

 possible a typical life history has been given 

 in each family treated,' we have the leading 

 characteristic which distinguishes it from other 

 American works which are nominally ' popular.' 

 Another feature of importance is that these 

 life histories, while interestingly and entertain- 

 ingly presented, are nevertheless strictly correct 

 and scientifically accurate, in strong contrast 

 to some other ' popular ' works where vague 

 and extravagant statements to attract the 

 wonder-loving are relied upon to win public 

 favor. 



Dr. Howard's book, then, in its plan and in 

 its performance stands by itself in that it 

 makes interesting reading for him who reads 

 merely for general information, and helps the 

 amateur who wishes to go a little further and 

 learn something of the classification. 



But it is in this latter feature that the only 

 notable defect in the work is found ; there is no 

 introductory chapter that familiarizes the young 

 student with the characters referred to in the 

 tables, nor is there any explanation of how the 

 tables are to be used. At the bottom of page 2 

 the last two lines read : 



" 1. — Pronotum not extending back to the tegulse 



2 

 Pronotum extending back to tegulte, or the 



latter are absent 3" 



But what a pronotum is, or what are tegulse, 

 has not been previously indicated and is no- 

 where clearly explained. 



Of course there are other books that explain 

 all this ; but it is a question whether in a book 

 of this expressed scope these tables in such 

 form are of any real assistance to the owner. 

 They could have been omitted without any 

 loss whatever. 



On the other hand, the chapter on collecting 



and preserving insects is in all respects ad- 

 mirable and exactly what is needed by the 

 tyro whom the book may interest in the sub- 

 ject. The ground covered by the book is so 

 great and the general treatment is so concise 

 and to the point that, aside from the statement 

 that it could scarcely be better done, little re- 

 mains to be said. 



A book of this kind, put out in attractive 

 form, liberally illustrated and at a really low 

 price ($3), will do much to create an interest 

 in a series of insects concei-ning which little is 

 generally known. 



The illustrations ai-e deserving of separate 

 commendation. There are 264 text figures 

 and almost without exception these are admir- 

 able. There are 48 half-tone plates, of which 

 a fair proportion are colored, and these illus- 

 trate interestingly the limitations of this pro- 

 cess where detail is required for identification. 

 Nothing better has ever been done by this pro- 

 cess and perhaps nothing better can be done. 

 Some plates, like I. and II., are eminently satis- 

 factory ; in others, like XIV. in the same order, 

 the majority of figures are useless for specific 

 identification. 



The book is well printed, small 4to, with 

 xxvi + 429 pages. It contains a very complete 

 index and a well-arranged bibliography cover- 

 ing the orders treated. 



John B Smith. 



SCIENTIFIC JOURNAIS AND ARTICIES. 

 The Journal of Comparative Neurology for 

 September (Vol. XL, No. 2) contains, in addi- 

 tion to the usual reviews of literature, but one 

 paper, entitled, ' The Neurones and Support- 

 ing Elements of the Brain of a Selachian,' by 

 Dr. Gilbert L. Houser, of the University of 

 Iowa, a monograph of 110 pages, with eight 

 plates. The entire central nervous system of 

 the common dog shark, Mustelus, has been ex- 

 amined by a variety of the best neurological 

 methods, both new and old, and the attempt is 

 made to give a picture of the complete neurones 

 characteristic of each important region of the 

 brain. So far as this can be attained by the 

 methods of Weigert, Golgi, Nissl and Haiden- 

 hain, among others, it has been quite success- 

 fully accomplished, and thus an important ad- 



