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REVIEWS
Vol.10: no.5
The few above inaccuracies cannot diminish the scientific value of the Psychidas book by KOZHANTSHIKOV, and his work must be recognized as promoting the study of the family and therefore very important for specialists working upon this group.
NICHOLAS S. Obraztsov, 68 Glenlawn Avenue, Sea Cliff, N. Y., U. S. A.
A SILKMOTH REARER'S HANDBOOK. By W. J. B. Crotch. 165 pp., 26 pis. (2 colored), 21 figs. 1956. Publisher — The Amateur Entomologists' Society, 1 West Ham Lane, London E. 15, England. (Price, paper cover, 18 shillings, postpaid.)
Mr. CROTCH has completely revised the earlier edition of the Handbook by Beowulf A. COOPER. This is a wonderful compendium of tricks of the breeders' trade, certain to have many new and useful suggestions for any lepidopterist who rears the Giant Silkworms — Saturniidae — of any part of the world. There are notes on food-plants, descriptions of larva?, cocoons, even eggs, notes on clock-times of pairing of many species, the formula for SMITH'S ELIXIR (a nutrient solution to be sprayed on leaves in a poor state to nourish caterpillars), the method of distinguishing the sex of pupae, and much more. Most of the species in the world are at least mentioned in the text, with the genera in alphabetical order. North American species are particularly fully discussed. The plates are full of excellent photographs, and the figures are clear. There are points which really should have been included or improved: the nomenclature is unnecessarily antiquated, the hand-pairing method is not men tioned, MlCHENER'S excellent revision of the major groups of Saturniidae (see Lepid. News 6: 109-111; 1952) is old enough to have been included. But this is not a pretentious treatise; it is a handbook for all of us, whatever the focus of our interest in Silkmoth rearing.
C. L. Remington
The long awaited monograph of the genus Ancea by the late WILLIAM P. COMSTOCK has been announced as nearing publication by the American Museum of Natural History. This large and complicated genus of magnificent butterflies of the American tropics was the principal focus of COMSTOCK'S exceptionally fine taxonomic talents during his later years. His part was completed some time ago, but funds were not available to publish the monograph in the elegant style needed for suitable treatment of a group in which color characters are so important. The Museum has now announced that, if there is sufficient pre-publication response, it is now ready to proceed with publication. The book will contain 30 exquisite color plates, 19 pages of black-and-white drawings, and 292 pages; the page size will be 934 by 13 inches. In addition to the high scientific quality which COMSTOCK'S authorship brings, the very beautiful color plates and the rich format will make this a volume the equal of which appears only once in decades. The announced price is surprisingly low: before publication it will be $20.00; after publication it will be $25.00. The book will be published in only a limited quantity and may go out of print soon. Lepidopterists who have not yet received the prospectus, with specimen plate in color, should write to: The American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, Netv York 24, N. Y., U. S. A. Payment may be made directly to the museum or to: W. S. Coivell Ltd., Butter Market, Ipswich, Suffolk, England.
C. L. Remington