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Notices of Books. 
129 
epoch, but before the period of greatest cold in Northern 
Europe.” It is noteworthy that, notwithstanding its vastly 
superior magnitude, Etna is far poorer in mineral species than 
is Vesuvius. 
We must here conclude our brief survey of a book which can- 
not fail to prove attractive at once to the general reader, the 
historian, and the man of science, especially as there exists no 
other separate work on the same subjeCt. 
First Annual Report of the United States Entomological Com- 
mission , for the Year 1877, relating to the Rocky Mountain 
Locust. Washington : Government Printing-Office. 
The ravages of locusts have forced themselves upon the notice 
of mankind for some thousands of years ; but in no country has 
this subjecft been dealt with in so thorough a manner as in the 
United States. Rightly judging that an accurate knowledge of 
the enemy must be the first step towards his destruction, an ACt 
of Congress appointed a Commission to examine and report 
upon the “ depredations of the Rocky Mountain locusts, and the 
best practicable methods of preventing their recurrence and 
guarding against their invasions.” This Commission consisted, 
not as would have been the case in England, of lawyers, civil 
engineers, or sportsmen, but of three skilled and well-known 
entomologists — Messrs. Riley, Packard, and Thomas. The 
result has been the report now before us, which may safely be 
pronounced a mass of accurate evidence upon the ravages of 
the locust such as the world has not hitherto possessed. The 
national — and more than merely national — importance of the 
subjeCt will best appear if we state that the direCt and indirect 
losses sustained during the years 1874 to 1877 are estimated at 
not less than 200 million dollars, and that in certain districts 
immigration has been checked and the value of land depreciated. 
That the commissioners have been able to show how so gigantic 
an evil may be successfully combatted is strong testimony to the 
economical value of Entomology. It must not, however, be 
supposed that the report in question is merely utilitarian in its 
character. The authors have carefully investigated the distribu- 
tion, the migrations, habits and vital conditions, the anatomy, 
embryology, and metamorphoses of the locust, and in studying 
its natural enemies — evertebrate as well as vertebrate — they 
have thrown useful side-lights upon a great number of animal 
species. 
Much of the information here given will be no less useful in 
Australia, South Africa, &c., than in the United States, and the 
VOL. IX. (N.S.) 
K 
