1880. ] Recent Literature. Sit 
lower invertebrates, are erroneous and useless.” We would allow 
this, but none the less, in our view, are the Lamellibranchs a 
lower, less specialized division of moilusks, than the Cephalophora 
and their gasteropod representatives. 
e memoir on the oyster is succeeded by a brief discussion on 
the acquisition and loss of a food-yolk in molluscan eggs. 
TuHomas’s Cuincn Buc.'—In this Bulletin, Professor Thomas 
has given the leading known facts regarding the ravages of the 
chinch bug, in the western corn growing States, and has collected 
the different views of entomologists as to the best means of pre- 
vention. The author shows by a lengthy series of statistics, that 
corn is injured much more than wheat. Enough for practical 
purposes is stated regarding the form and habits of this destructive 
pest, and as a brief manual, showing the best means of preventing 
its attacks, the pamphlet is timely, and will prove most useful to 
western farmers. The edition of 2000 copies issued by the De- 
partment of the Interior, was at once exhausted, and a new and 
much larger edition has been ordered by Congress. This is an 
evidence of the demand throughout the country for accurate in- 
formation concerning this injurious insect, of the great need of 
careful, widely extended and comparative studies upon the other 
more destructive forms, and the wide diffusion of such knowledge 
among those most interested. 
Tue GeorocicaL Recorp.2—This valuable publication is again 
before us, and we bespeak for it the support of geologists and 
scientific men generally. Publications of this character are neces- 
sary for the student, and hence to the progress of science. They 
are not published for profit, and their editors are chiefly rewarded 
by a sense of their usefulness. While we congratulate the editor 
of the Geological Record on the general result of his work, we 
must encourage some of his collaborators to a little more care in 
Some important details. Thus (p. 279) it is stated that among the 
“new” species of Mammalia described in the quarto report 
Lieut. Wheeler, is “an undeterminable species of Protohippus |” 
Same page, bottom, it is stated that a paper “ describes the gene- 
ric characters of Evisichthe, adding specific descriptions,” etc. “No 
age or locality given.” The paper quoted states that the genus 
and one of the species are from the Niobrara Cretaceous of 
Kansas, Page 280, a list of species is given ending with Mono- 
clonius crassus, which are said to be “new species founded on 
Dinosaurian teeth.” The M. crassus was, as stated in the paper, 
" Department of the Interior, United States Entomological Commission, Bulletin 
No. 5- The Chinch Bug : its history, character and habits, and thé means of destroy- 
Bo it or counteracting its injuries. By Cyrus Thomas, Ph.D., Washington, 1879. 
YO, PP. 44, with a map. 
Sa 7; he Geological Record for 1877, with supplements for 1874-5. Edited by W. 
HITTAKER, F.G.S. London, Taylor & Francis. 
