New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Iendix of practical instrnetons. by SALEM H.
PIP. 3d.. Henry Holt 4 Co.
This beautiful volume il not q systematic cata-
logre descriptive list OF the butterflies OF any
specified localities, but careful and comprehensive
treatise upon this particular form Of insect life. The
work is thoroughly well done. Clear and vivid
impressions acquired by personal and enthusiastic
research have enabled the author 70 write in fresh
and pictorial STYLE, an accomplishment which is
rarely attained by writers who get their facts at
second hand His vocabulary Is less violently tech
meal than is usual in works of genuine scientific
worth. His fancy never over-maseeTs his Judgment
unless the facts are forced trihe at page 121
in order to adjust them to the theory that there
is a general harmony between the prevailing
colOrs of the landscape and the ints of the insects
which abound at any given season. Perhaps it is a
genuine chromatc concord which Mr.. Scudder's
cultivated eye dScerns but after all this passage
seems to have been written under some unnecessary
mental excitement. The illustrations are excellent,
the reproductions being taken from the best Ameri-
plates, while she are vigorous and
curate III the 200 figures. 80 different species are
shown as butterflies, while at least 20 species are
pictured in some stage of growth which
is large proportion probably ane-tenths of those
which the ordinary student Will find III given To-
,ality.
The opening chapters of the book arc devoted to
an account of the structure of the insect beginning
very properly with the egg and following it through
all its immature stages until it reaches its highest
form. OF course these chapters arc more than de-
scrption of external appearances, but it should
be said that the study Of the internal
organs of caterpillars, chrysalids and butterflies
and the transformation of these organs the insect
passes from state to another is most satisfactory
The relation between the earlier and the perfected
form of the organism is constantly kept in view,
and all the foreshowings of the buttcrfly's
ultimate structure which appear iD the cater
pillar the chrysalis carefully noted.
Mr. Scudder shows himself familiar with
tho results of the most recent investigation, and
this part of his work presents many interesting and
skilfully grouped facts which have never before
been published together The discussion Of the in
sects' structure is followed by a still more fasci-
mating chapter on their habits and then comes an
elaborate study of their seasonal changes,
with ample illustrative examples The laws
winch govern coloring in the image, sexual diver
sity, the development of characterization, ancestry,
affinities and geographical distribution the
naming subjects of Importance which conSid-
cred at length, making altogether a comprehensive
array of topics whose adequate treatment fur
nishes complete life-history of butterflies
class, their existing relationships and
something of their development from the more re-
mote and primitive type. The :" Doctrine of De-
scent" presented by the author, is a modified
Darwinsm, which holds that while natural selec-
ton eagerly sezes upon every possible variation in
color and structure and inteusities them all into
established Universities it nevertheless works within
limits and under still imperious law.
This theory of an all-pervading law of evolution
to which natural selection is subordinated is
enforced by a skilful marshallng of fact and
argument, although its application does not appear
prominently in the work to justify its sub
title The treatment of the subject of classification
is however. more defiuite and consequently moro
valuable because of the specific direction given to
1T in support of the theory.
Practical directions for constructing breeding
cages and other appliances to assist in rearing but
teres from the egg, well instructions for coll
Letting preparing and preserving specimens in every
stage of development for future comparison and
study, are given in an appendix. The
student will be materially aided, too by list
of the plants on which the different species
of American caterpillars feed This list would
have had still greater value if in each instance the
time when the caterpillar could be found had been
noted Another improvement may here be sug-
gested Most of the Illustrations throughout the
book could be made more useful to beginners by the
addition of brief notes indicating the colors of the
object figured.
The constant employment of popular names
as well as scientific ones for the various
species is to be commended without reserve
Common names applied to plants have led to
much confusion, inasmuch the same plant
frequently bears several names and single name is
often applied to many different plants. The Ord-
nary necessities of life, however, have given no oc
for distinguishing between the varieties of
butterflies in every day language. The names
adopted by Mr. Scudder distinctive, and since it
is the first serious work which common names are
systematically employed, there is no reason why
they should not be established. A sufficient
reason indeed why these terms should be liked and
permanently adopted is found in the fact that the
scientific nomenclature is variable luc-
gUSfa Of
tication supersedes another. The practice of
Mr.. Scudder himself illustrates this confu-
sion Five new genera here take the place of
the modern genus Paplio, while this name is
transferred to subdivis Oh of what has hitherto
been called the genus Vancssa Specific names are
shifted with the freedom. The Mk-weed
butterfly loses its distinctive title, Archp-
pus, which reappears as the of
another species and the confusion is aggravated
because of a general resemblance between the two
insects. Under the circumstances common names
will be of great value in explaining what particular
butterfly is meant by any given scientific name
just as scientific names in botany are used to iden-
tify any plant which is spoken of under one or an
other of its more less promiscuous popular
names.
work much needed is an nalytical key to the
various genera and species of butterflies by the aid
of which students would be enabled to identify the
specimens they meet without being forced to COM
pare them with the plates in elaborate descriptive
lists, like Edwards's Butterflies of North
America" These volumes are too expensive for
general use. KEYS of this character have long
been used in text books of Botany, and to our
knowledge a complete and useful one has been pre-
pared for students of certain tribes of mousks. No
illustrations would be needed bevond those which