438 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
British Plant-galls ; a Classified Textbook of Cecidology. By 
K. W. Swanton. Methuen & Co., Lim. 
Tuts volume describes the galls arising in plant-tissues 
through the presence of parasitic insects, &c., and fungi, and of 
which the well-known ‘‘ oak-apple ” is a good example. As the 
author clearly states: ‘‘ A plant-gall may be defined as abnormal 
erowth induced by the irritation of an animal or fungus para- 
site,” but ‘“‘to term the parasite a ‘ gall-maker,’ as many writers 
have done, is to convey an utterly erroneous idea of its function. 
It makes nothing, but induces much.”’ The biological chapters 
are clearly informative, and are supplemented by coloured 
illustrations—both botanical and entomological—which will be 
valued by those students of entomology and botany who seek 
economic knowledge. A classified and descriptive catalogue of 
British galls brings the subject well up to date, and the biblio- 
graphy is practically complete, so far as the English language 
is concerned. 
Of the Rhyncotal family Tingidide, Mr. Swanton only refers 
to two species of the genus Coprum, which ‘“‘ deform the flowers 
of Teucrium chamedrys and T. montanum on the Continent, but 
I am not aware of their occurrence in Britain.” In ‘The 
Zoologist’ (1910, p. 395) another Tingid (Stephanitis rhodo- 
dendri) was figured and described as infesting rhododendrons 
at Fulham, and since then reports have been received of its — 
undesirable presence on rhododendrons in other parts of the 
country. 
The author, Mr. Swanton, is Curator of the Educational 
Museum at Haslemere, and Sir Jonathan Hutchinson, who is 
practically the mainstay of that excellent institution, contri- 
butes an introduction to the volume. 
The Humble-bee ; its Life-history and how to Domesticate it, with 
Descriptions of all the British Species of Bombus and 
Psithyrus. By F. W. L. Suapen. Macmillan & Co., Lim. 
THIS is a very welcome contribution to our books on British 
entomology, and is outside the field of compilation, though 
happily not exclusive of the work of our best authorities. Seven- 
