436 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



Indian Forest Insects of Economic Importance : Coleoptera. 

 By Edward Percy Stebbing (of the Indian Forest 

 Service, &c). Agents for Indian Government Publications. 



This large and excellently illustrated volume will take its 

 place by the side of Prof. Maxwell-Lefroy's ' Indian Insect Life,' 

 published in 1909, and is an example of the work now being 

 done by the Indian Forest Service in the domain of economic 

 entomology. Gamble is quoted for the statement that " the 

 Indian forests contain some five thousand different species of 

 trees, shrubs, climbers, and bamboos, covering about one-third 

 of the Indian flora." It was thought at first by Mr. Stebbing 

 that the forest tracks might be divided into climatal districts, 

 and that the injurious insects might fall somewhat into a 

 similar distribution ; but this was found to be inexact in appli- 

 cation, though in general features suggestive. A large number 

 of Coleoptera are figured, and their depredations described, so 

 that the book, although primarily of economic value, will also 

 add largely to a knowledge of the beetles themselves, for the 

 Coleopteral portion of the Insecta in the ' Fauna of British 

 India ' is still only in process of publication. Economic ento- 

 mology is now fostered and supported in a manner beyond 

 the dreams of entomologists a few years ago. We have an 

 Imperial Entomological Governmental Bureau in London, and 

 young men are being distributed as economic entomologists in 

 all our colonies. The United States of America were first and 

 are still foremost in this field ; the next decade should produce 

 enormous results. 



This volume has been produced with care ; we notice, 

 however, that one large order of insects is referred to as 

 "Rhynchota" (p. 20), and as "Hemiptera" (p. 632). Both 

 names are available, as both are employed in preference by 

 different writers ; but one only should be used in the same 

 volume. 



