1895.] Recent Literature. 559 
vampires occur in the West Indies. An interesting chapter is devoted 
to the habits of the rare Papilio homerus of Jamaica. 
On the whole, the book will probably serve its purpose, viz., to stim- 
ulate young people to an active, wholesome interest in the field work of 
natural history. 
L’Amateur de des Papillons.‘—This handy volume is one of 
the series, Bibliotheque des Connaissances utiles, contributed by M. H. 
Coupin, and is intended for the use of amateur butterfly collectors. 
After a brief discussion of the organization and life-history of this order 
of insects, in the course of which is given a concise account of “ mimi- 
cry,” polymorphism and parthenogenesis, the author comes at once to 
the main idea of the work, namely, advice to the amateur collector. 
Descriptions of articles included in a good outfit for collecting and pre- 
serving material are followed by advice as to where and how to find 
different species, not only of the adult but of the chrysalid, caterpillar 
and egg. Finally, a chapter on mounting and displaying the collec- 
tion completes this admirable book of instruction. 
The book is profusely illustrated, a matter of considerable import- 
ance where the text is necessarily so concise. 
Monographic Revision of the Pocket Gophers.’—This 
work is one of the North American Fauna Series, published by the U. 
S. Dept. of Agriculture. It has been prepared by Dr. Merriam after a 
critical study of over a thousand specimens, including many types, and 
constitutes a monograph of the family Geomyidae, exclusive of the 
genus Thomomys. The systematic descriptions of the genera and 
species are prefaced with a discussion of the morphology of the skull, 
and a description of some remarkable dental peculiarities as to the dis- 
tribution of the enamel discovered by the author during his investiga- 
tion. The opening chapter contains an interesting account of the hab- 
its and distribution of these animals, variation, both sexual and indi- 
vidual, and a key to the genera. 
The book is well illustrated with 20 full-page plates, 71 text figures 
and 4 maps, 3 of which show the distribution of the different genera, 
and one gives the distribution of the species of Geomys and Cratogeo- 
mys. 
*L’ Amateur des Papillons. Guide pour la Chasse, la Preparation, et la Con- 
servation. By M. Henri Coupin, Paris, 1895. B. Balliére et Fils, Editeurs. 
*North American Fauna, No. 8. Monographie Revision of the Pocket 
Gophers, Family Geomyidae (Exclusive of the species of Thomomys). By Dr. 
C. Hart Merriam. Washington, 1895. 
