No. 418.] NOTES AND LITERATURE. 861 
certain fresh-water snails and many Turbellaria. Palmate hairs on 
the third to the seventh abdominal segments, with branches in the form 
of a cup, constitute the means by which the larva cling to the surface 
flm. The studies are to be continued, and from their precise and 
detailed character bid fair to become a most valuable source of 
information regarding the genus. H. B. W. 
The Insect Book. — The complete title! indicates the effort of 
the author and of the publishers. The former is widely known for 
many valuable monographs, both systematic and biological, and for 
energetic and successful practical work ; the publishers are equally. 
well known for their enterprise in numerous undertakings tending 
towards the promotion of nature study. Such a combination should, 
it would seem, be eminently satisfactory. That it is not so is disap- 
pointing ; that the title should be modified is evident. The Insect 
Book should not exclude the groups to which the “ majority of col- 
lectors of insects confine their attention”; moreover, the standard 
must be low that considers the life histories “full”; the tables are 
confined to families or higher groups, and the bibliography, pp. 405- 
416, copied with but few additions from Banks’s List (Bulletin 24, 
Division of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 1900), 
however useful from a taxonomic standpoint, is not of primary impor- 
tance in a book planned “to encourage the study of life histories of 
insects"; moreover, the very evident deficiencies of Banks’s work 
are unnoticed and the mistakes not only are uncorrected but are 
augmented. 
The Text is readable, though not altogether well balanced in pro- 
portion; it shows evidence of haste, of a lack of continuity, and 
also of the most important essentials for a popular book, namely 
dau v conciseness. Dr. Howard evidently does not believe 
we k ie should be left for the tombstones, but his extravagant 
adi several contemporary authors can but jar many of his 
ak errors of statement are amusing, others are serious : 
oral) rimi may be placed the classification (p. 295) of the 
w as one of the “older books " relating to insects ; 
"^ai dre £n 1 " popular account of the bees, wasps, ants, grassh pers; 
and beetles, with £u SAEPE: Insects, exclusive ot the butterflies and moths 
Howard, "t uo an uu py tables, and Bibliographies. By Leland O. 
Bibicilture. vision of Entomology, U. S. Department of 
265 text EL Doubleday, Page & Co., 1901. xxvii + 429 pp., 47 pls., 
