1894,] Recent Literature. 43 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
The second and concluding part of J. Roth’s Allgemeine 
und Chemische Geologie’ completes the valuable set of volumes 
the first two of which have proven such a boon to chemical and petro- 
grapical geologists. That portion of the volume before us has been edited 
by the author’s daughter, who has attempted to present the subject matter 
contained in it as nearly as possible in the form in which it would have 
appeared had her father lived to complete his work. The title of the 
book describes the nature of its contents. The discussion relating to 
the weathering of rocks comprises 59 pages, on many of which are 
found analyses that serve to illustrate the subject. Seventy-two pages 
are devoted to the decomposition of rocks through the influence of vol- 
canic and other examinations from beneath the surface of the crust and 
thirty-two pages deal with rock distintegration consequent upon tem- 
perature changes, the action of organisms, and the effects of wind and 
water. Three appendices to the three volumes follow, and to each there 
is added an excellent index. The brochure just issued, like all the 
others that have come from the pen of its author, is a masterly and 
thorough treatment of the subject of which it treats. It is a fitting 
capstone to the excellent monument which the authors reared to him- 
self during the concluding years of his life. It is so replete with 
interesting information that it must prove a necessity to every student 
of rocks. W.S. B 
Our Household Insects.’—Under the title Mr. Edward A. 
Butler has written a book which is decidedly better as regards accuracy 
coherence and scientific value than the usual popular works on ento- 
mology. Eighteen chapters are utilized to discuss a great variety of 
household insects—many of which in America at least could only rarely 
be viewed in the light of “ pests ” : the list includes wood boring, club- 
horn and long-horn beetles, meal-worms, ants, wasps, horn-tails, clothes 
moths and meal moths, crickets and ear-wigs, flies of many kinds 
including gnats, midges and mosquitoes, the flea and bed-bug, the book- 
louse and “ silver-fish ” and lastly human Pediculi. Besides a consider- 
1 Allgemeine Geologie, von Justus Roth. 2te Abt. Verwitterung, Zersetzung und Zer- 
stérung der Gesteine. Nachtrige. Berlin. W. Hertz., 1893. Pp. 211-530 and ix, 
2 Our Household Insects: An Account of the insect pests found in ening ers 
By Edward A. Butler, Longmans, Green, and Co. 
