BOOKS RECEIVED. 



587 



both to be congratulated on its issue. Until comparatively recently very 

 little attention had been paid to this family, most interesting both from 

 an economic point of view and also from the strange forms and the curious 

 life-history of the insects themselves. The literature of the subject is con- 

 siderable, but it is chiefly in the form of papers published in our 

 entomological periodicals, and in those of our colonies and other countries. 

 Up to the publication of the work now under review the only one in 

 which these insects in general were treated was one by the well-known 

 French entomologist, V. Signoret. This, however, was first published in a 

 French scientific publication ("Ann. de la Soc. Ent. de France") nearly 

 twenty years ago. A few copies only were printed separately, and it is a 

 difficult book to obtain ; consequently it was very difficult to obtain any 

 information about these pests. Now, by the aid of Mr. Newstead's two 

 handsome volumes everyone has the means of naming any scale insects 

 that they are likely to meet with in this country, either in their green- 

 houses or out of doors. Most, if not all, of the species found under glass 

 have no doubt been introduced from abroad. On this subject the author 

 says in his preface : " As my investigations have extended over a period 

 of nearly fourteen years, it may reasonably be assumed that the work is 

 thoroughly representative of the Coccid fauna of this country ; but owing 

 to the means of rapid transit it is highly probable that aliens may from 

 time to time arrive here on freshly imported plants." The number of 

 species dealt with in these volumes is 88 ; of these 37 are indigenous to 

 the British Isles, the remainder have been introduced from abroad. The 

 scale insects may be roughly divided into three groups. The first is that 

 in which the insect when in its adult condition is covered with a scale 

 formed of the skins which it has previously cast off and a secretion from 

 its body, the insect living beneath this shelter. The first volume is 

 devoted to this group. The second includes those insects in which the 

 skin of the adult hardens, becomes globose, and the insect assumes 

 more or less the appearance of a miniature tortoise, and is commonly 

 known as "tortoise scales " ; and the third group contains those which 

 have no scale-like covering, such as the mealy bugs. The last two groups are 

 described in the second volume. This work is illustrated by a series 

 of very charming coloured plates, one being devoted to each species, and 

 some in outline of anatomical details ; the descriptions and life-histories 

 of the insects are also admirably given. In the first volume there is a 

 very interesting chapter on " Methods of prevention and remedies," 

 which will appeal forcibly to the horticulturist. At the end of the 

 second volume there is a very useful glossary, which in a work of this 

 description is very necessary, as it is sometimes impossible to avoid using 

 technical terms. Everyone interested in these insects or in the plants 

 which they attack should, if possible, obtain a copy of this work, which 

 will be found invaluable. 



"A Naturalist in the Guianas." By Eugene Andre. (8vo. Smith, 

 Elder & Co., 1904. 14s. net. xiv + 310 pages. With a preface by 

 Dr. J. Scott Keltie, thirty-four illustrations and maps.) 



A most interesting record of the wanderings of a collector and 

 naturalist in the, as yet, little-known regions]of Venezuela, the Eldorado 



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