70 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
should not have any more of his popular works to review in these pages. 
We are happy to say that we have been mistaken, for the work we have 
now under notice, if it is not one of his best works, is certainly by no means 
an illustration of the theory that as a writer advances in public favour, he, 
as a rule, diminishes in excellence. In point of fact, the “ Insects at Home ” 
bears evidence of being carefully prepared by the author, and it is very well 
illustrated by its publishers. Of course it must be borne in mind that we 
are speaking of it as a merely popular work ; for if we were to criticise under 
any other view, we should have to call many of the views expressed by the 
author into serious question. Taking it, then, as a popular book, we may 
express ourselves as very well pleased with the author’s labours. To be 
sure, he has not dwelt much on the anatomy of the insects, but then he has 
omitted this specially, because he does not, we suppose, think that so many are 
interested in it ; but on the habits of the several insects he has described, we 
know of no work, save the immortal 11 Kirby and Spence’s Entomology,” 
which contains so much information. 
Of Mr. Wood’s method of classification we cannot speak very favourably ; 
but then most probably he would say in opposition to this, that he did not 
consider the subject at all, and merely gave that classification which he 
found most generally adopted ; and with this argument we can find no 
fault whatever. There is, however, one suggestion which he makes in his 
preface to which we must call attention ; it is as to colouring the plates. 
These, he suggests, may be readily coloured by the reader, and he gives the 
various means by which the process of coloration may be completed. We 
entirely object to this. If the author had sold with the work a number of 
plates which, if damaged, would not deface the book, we could not object ; 
but such a suggestion to most readers of the volume looks like a “ Yankee ” 
desire to improve the sale of the work by the destruction of copies — a desire 
which we are sure the reverend author never for a moment conceived of. 
As regards the substance of the book, we can only say that it is full to 
overflowing with accounts of the beauty, intelligence, and peculiar habits of 
all species of insects which have their home in these islands, and that it 
concludes with some practical hints on the subject of mounting the speci- 
mens which the young entomologist has captured. Although the anatomy 
of the work is, as we have said, remarkably deficient, still here and there it 
finds a place, as, for instance, in the account of the great green grasshopper, 
in which the author says : u Among other points, one of the most interesting 
is the ( gizzard.’ Before it is opened it looks very like a swelling of the 
digestive tube ; but if it be carefully slit horizontally and spread flat, a 
number of narrow parallel bands will be seen. On placing one of these 
bands under the microscope, it will be seen to consist of a number of very 
small teeth, arranged with perfect regularity, and admirably calculated for 
triturating morsels of the leaves which have been cut off by the powerful 
jaws, and then swallowed. As for the jaws themselves, their power may 
be easily ascertained, for the insect is generally given to biting.” We 
thoroughly coincide with Mr. Wood in his recommendation of Lowne’s 
il Anatomy and Physiology of the Blow-fly;” and we can go further than he 
does, and say of it that it is the most important monograph, with some 
noted exceptions, that is to be found in any language on the anatomy of a 
