326 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [VoL. XXXIV. 
influence on future lexicographers must be at least confusing, and 
should even a small proportion of the terms proposed be adopted, 
the uninitiated might be led to believe that with a command of 
Anlage and Zug almost any idea could be expressed in German. 
In one respect the English edition is a noteworthy advance over 
the German original. The latter is paged continuously and is con- 
cluded with a subject and an author’s index. The English parts 
have each their own paging, a table of contents, and double indices, 
thus rendering them much more readily usable as reference books. 
It is to be regretted that this general improvement has not extended 
to the presswork. Unfortunately in this respect the English edi- 
tion is decidedly behind the German. In the first and second parts 
the illustrations, particularly, lack the clearness of the German cuts, 
and in the third the muddiness of the figures is often a really serious 
defect. Notwithstanding these shortcomings, the unabridged trans- 
lation of such a masterly work is a boon to the English-reading 
zoological student, and one can do no less than wish that good 
fortune may aid in the completion of so worthy a task. P. 
A Recent Book on Insects. — In Our Insect Friends and Foes, 
How to Collect, Preserve, and Study Them (G. P. Putnam's Sons, New 
York and London, 1899. xix, 377 pp., 225 illustrations), Miss Belle 
S. Cragin gives directions for collecting, raising, and preserving 
insects, brief notes on their structure, habits, and habitats, with more 
detailed notices of some of the commoner forms of hexapods and 
shorter accounts of related arthropods. 
Miss Cragin's book shows a purpose so sincere, and her project is 
so praiseworthy, that it is especially unfortunate not to be able to 
commend her effort. The directions for the collection and preserva- 
tion of insects, though not better than others equally available, do 
not seriously offend by what they contain or omit. The more detailed 
accounts, however, show so slight a personal knowledge with the subject 
that very little can be said in favor of the book as a guide to instruct 
young students or to quicken their interest in the study of insects. 
The essential characteristics for a book on insects, written for 
young people, are an attractive literary style, clear, concise, and 
accurate statements arranged in logical, scientific sequence. Judged 
from this standpoint, Miss Cragin's book cannot be regarded as even 
moderately successful. It would be hard to find a book dealing with 
insects in which the orders and families are arranged in so confusing 
and unscientific a manner. Misleading and inaccurate statements 
