H. M. Parshley.
Book Review.
Psyche 23(4):128-129, 1916.

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Psyche
BOOK REVIEW.
A NEW LIST OF NORTH AMERICAN HEMIPTERA.
The New York Entomological Society has recently published a "Check List of the Hemiptera of America, North of Mexico, " by Professor E. P. Van Duzee, the first complete enumeration of the group as found in the Nearctic region .and a most valuable contri- bution, fully upholding the reputation of its author as the foremost American Hernipterist. Though modestly designated a "check list," the paper gives full synonomy, dates, a complete view of the present classification of the group, and the general distribution of the species, in addition to the numbered list of forms. Thus the work is similar in character to Oshanin's excellent "Katalog der Palaarktischen Hemipteren " (19 12), making it easy to draw faunistic comparisons. Professor Van Duzee has adhered strictly to his well-known nomenclatorial beliefs, applying the principle of priority not only to generic and specific designations but also to those of higher groups, a procedure which seems logical and results happily in the retention of most of the long-used family names. In going over the work critically, I have noted a few points to which exception might be taken. Personally I believe that the Corizidse, Alydidse, Meziridse (Dysodiidse), and Piesmidae should have family rather than subfamily rank, but further studies, espe- cially in Embryology, will be necessary to answer finally this and many other questions in the taxonomy of the higher groups. Per- haps it will not be out of place to suggest that submission of the parts of the work to specialists on the various families would have improved it in certain details, as may be noted here and there, for instance in the families Lygseidse, Nepidse, and Corixidae. As in most catalogues, a large number of new names are proposed and new synonomies given without explanations or references. It is to be hoped that in his large catalogue, or in a special paper, the author will fully explain synonomies proposed by himself, and give references to those proposed by others. The absence of such in- formation in most catalogues has always seemed to me to be a serious defect.




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19161 Book Review 129
In the Heteroptera I have noted the following points which call for comment :
p. ix, 17, Neidiinse should read Neidinse. p. 4, Graphosominse should read Graphosomatinse. Podops is feminine.
p.
8, No. 181, hilaris should read hilare.
p.
8, Acanthosominse should read Acanthosomatinse, according to the International Code ruling.
p. 10, No. 236a, C. distinctus I consider a distinct species. p. 12, No. 288, vittiger should read vittigera. p. 13, Leptocorisiini should read Leptocorisini. p. 23, Lethiini should read Lethseini.
p. xi, p. 25, Tingididse should read Tingidse, as indicated by Fabricius' use of the genitive Tingis (Syst. Rhyng., p. 124, footnote).
p. 25, No. 639a, C. cratcegi I consider a distinct species. p. 27, Ploiarioliinse should read Ploiariolini. p. 30, No. 777a, R. americanus I consider a distinct species. p. 35, Triphleps is feminine.
p. 41, Derseocoriaria should read Derseocoraria. p. 42, No. 1105, amoenus should read amcena. p. 44, No. 1145, instabile should read instabilis. No. 1 147, confluenta should read conjiuens. p. 50, No. 1319, stellata should read stellatus. No. 1324, confluenta should read conjiuens. p. 52, Belostomidse should read Belostomatidae as on p. xi. Belostoma is neuter.
The conscientious preparation of such a work as this involves much painstaking labor, and every page gives evidence of how faith- fully the author has done his task. Mistakes are unusually few and many long standing and oft repeated errors, large and small, are at last corrected. In this, his latest contribution, Professor Van Duzee has again laid entomologists under great obligations and has given a new impetus to American Hemipterology, as the lack of a scholarly list has been one of the chief reasons for the neglected condition of this group, which offers such a fertile field for systematic, biological, and economic researches. H. M. PARSHLEY.
Bussey Institution, Harvard University.




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