F. M. Carpenter.
Book Notice.
Psyche 38(2-3):127-128, 1931.

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19311 Book Notice 127
BOOK NOTICE
GUIDE TO THE STUDY OF THE WINGS OF INSECTS WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR THE INSTRUCTOR.
By Professor J. c.
BradIey.
Daw, Illston & Co., 1931. 41 + 17 pages, 68 plates.
In recent years the venation of the wings of insects has come to pIay a large part in the classification of these inver- tebrates and in our understanding of their phylogeny. This use of the venation has been made possible largely by the application of a uniform terminology to the veins in the wings of all insects. A knowledge of the venation has con- sequently become an essential although troublesome part of the program of the entomological student. Professor Brad- ley's guide is designed to aid the student in his attempt to decipher the venation in the various orders and to under- stand the main lines of evolution along which the wings have advanced. The guide itself consists of a discussion of the general characteristics of the wings and the important features of the venation in the orders and certain repre- sentative families. The 68 plates, which are loose in an envelope, include drawings of 67 species belonging to 13 orders; the figures are printed faintly, so that the student can ink the veins as he studies the wings in the laboratory. The booklet of suggestions for the instructor consists mainly of an explanation of the more difficult and perplex- ing features of the wings illustrated.
The venational interpretation used in the guide is essen- tially that of Comstock and Needham, whose investigations over 30 years ago were responsible for the system of uni- form terminology now in general use. Professor Bradley has modified the poytions of that system which have been shown by subsequent research to be incorrect: the radial sector of the Odonata is interpreted in accordance with the conclusions of Lameere, Martynov, and Tillyard; the cubi- tus and anal veins in the ~europtera, which Comstock and Needham confused, have been comectly determined; and the interpretation of several details in the venation of the



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128 Psyche [ June-September
Diptera has been changed as a result of Alexander's inves- tigations. Professor Bradley has not accepted, however) the identification of Cu2 made by several recent workers (Tillyard, Martynov) Imms) . The author maintains that Comstock and Needham originally designated as IA the vein which these investigators call Cu2 and that the original name (IA) should be retained. If it be true that the vein was independent of Cul in the ancient insects, then the terminology of Comstock and Needham should of course be used. ~ u t if the vein arises from the stem of Cul and is therefore a part of the cubital system, I believe -it should be designated the posterior cubitus (CUP)) as suggested by Martynov. Unfortunately) our knowledge of the convexity and concavity of the veins in the Paleozoic insects is very meagre, most of the insects of that horizon having been described before the significance of that aspect of the wing was realized; but I believe that what little evidence is at hand points definitely to the conclusion that IA (of Com- stock) originally arose from the stem of the cubitus.



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