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Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 46(2), 1992, 166
Die Raupen der Schmetterlinge Europas, by Prof. Dr. Arnold Spuler (Zweite Au-flage von Dr. E. Hofmanns Gleichnamigem Werke). Erlangen, Weihnachten 1904. Reprint edition 1989, Apollo Books, Svendborg, Denmark. In German. 38 pp. "introduction" and appendix; 60 color plates, 2000+ figures. Hard cover, 21 x 29 cm, ISBN 87-88757-12-9, Danish Kroner 780 (about $125 U.S.).
The title indicates that this is a book about the caterpillars of European butterflies, but 6.5 plates are butterfly immatures, 42.5 plates are moth immatures, 1 plate is eggs, and 9.5 of the 10 addendum plates are moth larvae.
The book appears to be an exact reprint of the 1904 edition (but I have not compared it with the original). As a consequence, the text is vintage 1904, and has limited value (especially if one is not fluent in German). The "introduction" of 26 pages is the entire text and covers a diversity of topics, including a general review on insects, a similar, but more detailed review for Lepidoptera, including details on eggs, larvae and pupae, ranging from structure to biology, behavior, and life cycles. Useful and harmful larvae are listed, examples of natural enemies are given, diseases are discussed, and culturing techniques are described. Other techniques are also provided, including killing adults by chloroform, cyanide, tobacco juice or smoke, and how to anesthetize and inflate larvae. The eleven-page "appendix" contains indices to common names and scientific names of plants, and an index to the Lepidoptera species associated with them. The genera of the insects are not indexed, so, for example, one cannot easily look up which species of Malacosoma are covered. The extensive use of German common names is also a drawback unless one is very familiar with the language.
However, the book's primary value is in the beautiful color illustrations, not the text, and it is certainly more useful for Europeans than North Americans, unless one wants to gaze upon a cabbage butterfly larva or a gypsy moth larva and a few others. The plates are nicely laid out as is characteristic of many of the old Lepidoptera books, with the caterpillars resting on vegetation in more or less natural positions, and with many flowers included. I judge most of the larvae to be last instars, and, as a general rule, the larger and more distinctive the larva is, the easier it will be to identify it using the illustrations. However, the gypsy moth larva is rather poorly done, and it would be easy to overlook it in making comparisons. The smaller illustrations cannot show much detail, and the best they can do is give an overall impression of the color and of any patterns or distinctive structures that are readily apparent. The illustrations are generally grouped by families, but families are not given anywhere, making the book less useful to those who are not very knowledgeable. The nomenclature is obviously outdated, but can't be corrected in a strict reprint edition. The paper, printing, color reproduction, and binding appear to be excellent. I don't know what the original 1904 edition sells for on the used/rare book market, but the $125 price of this reprint will probably deter all except those who are lovers of old color plates (and a reprint is not quite the same as an original).
In summary, the book is a nice reproduction of an old caterpillar plate book that some may find enjoyable and useful.
Frederick W. Stehr, Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1115. [The assistance of Renate Snider in accurately reading the German is gratefully acknowledged.]
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 46(2), 1992, 166-167
A Revision of the Indo-Australian Genus Attacus, by Richard S. Peigler. 1989. Lepidoptera Research Foundation, 9620 Heather Road, Beverly Hills, California 90210. xi + 167 pp., 24 text figs., 4 color plates. Soft cover, 20 x 28 cm, ISBN 9611464-2-7, $30.00.
Peigler has done an outstanding piece of work in revising the "well known" moths of the genus Attacus. The members are among the largest of moths, and are arguably the