38 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



volumes in the future, in the determination of genera and species, 

 and the demarcation of families, will carry very largely the 

 classification along at the same time. 



This classification is distinctly based on evolutionary prin- 

 ciples, depending almost entirely on wing structure. The 

 author, as an evolutionist, makes himself clear. " The present 

 families and genera are not of course derived from other existing 

 ones, but from their ancestors ; and when a family or genus is 

 said to be derived from another, all that is meant is, that in 

 order to reach their present stage of specialization, their ances- 

 tors must have passed through a stage which would in essential" 

 points of structure come within the definition of the other 

 family or genus. And as a corollary, the plan of the book is 

 " to begin with the most highly specialized families, genera, 

 and species, and gradually work down to the most generalized 

 forms." 



The Syntomidse, as treated in this volume, number 1184 

 actually described species, of which a very large proportion indeed 

 is figured, generic characters pourtrayed, and full synonymy 

 given. The last does not represent the mere useless occupation 

 of a specialist as some theoretical writers incline to stigmatize. 

 A zoologist is supposed to know the animal kingdom and its 

 members under one and not various names. This promiscuity 

 is not altogether unavoidable by workers residing in different 

 centres of activity, and of course absent from one general collec- 

 tion of types. To assist this work, material has been lent and 

 given from all sides, which, added to the immense and almost 

 unique Heteroceral wealth now contained in the British Museum 

 and in private collections in the country, makes the specific 

 verdict of this volume one likely to provoke little " appeal." 

 These books mark a very prominent aspect of our age in all 

 departments. " The rich are getting richer " ; in commerce the 

 large undertakings are swallowing up the smaller ones ; every- 

 where we see centralization as a necessity exerting its sway ; and 

 so in the technical zoology of the future it will be understood that 

 only large national collections worked by State aid can give the 

 last words in the zoological nomenclature which will be accepted 

 as a canon, and liberate naturalists for other work. If we 

 compare this and other catalogues with the encyclopaedic work 



