Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 62.djvu/171

Rh —58 workers, of whom Pilsbry and Dall, in particular, are in the very front rank. H. A. Pilsbry in 1900 published 36 papers, besides three others in cooperation with different workers, and at the same time continued the great Manual of Conchology, which is a monograph of the mollusca of the world. W. H. Dall published 15 papers, and the great value of his work on the bivalves, in particular, is recognized in every country. Other prominent names are those of Beecher, C. T. Simpson, Stearns, Sterki, Verrill, Bush and Whitfield. It must be confessed that there is a lack of good workers on the Pacific coast, though amateur collectors are quite numerous, and are continually discovering wonderful things, which are mostly described by Eastern conchologists.

—There is one paper by Verrill, of Yale, but Professor W. E. Ritter, of the University of California, has this group practically to himself in this country. He is preparing an elaborate work on the numerous species of the Pacific coast, which at present are almost wholly unknown.

—Ten workers; the work relates almost entirely to the fossil forms.

—Eight workers. J. M. Nickles and R. S. Bassler give a synopsis of all the American fossil species, in a work of 663 pages. The principal work on living species is in two papers by Miss Alice Robertson, who has found the Pacific coast prolific in interesting forms.

—Thirteen writers, of whom the two most active are both women—Miss M. J. Rathbun and Miss H. Richardson, of the National Museum.

—(Spiders, Scorpions, Mites, etc.). Only about five workers. This group is much neglected in this country, but Nathan Banks, of the Department of Agriculture, is industrious enough to count for two; while the work of the Peckhams on hunting-spiders is not to be forgotten.

(Centipedes).—Only one paper in 1900, and that bibliographic! In former years O. F. Cook has done important work, but his attention is now diverted elsewhere, at least for the time being.

—107 writers, not counting a considerable number of papers on economic entomology not seen by the editor of the Zoological Record. The more prominent names include Ashmead, Banks, Beutenmiiller, Casey, Coquillett, Chittenden, Dyar, Fernald, Fox, Bruner, Williston, Holland, Howard, Hulst, Needham, H. Osborn, Schwarz, Scudder, Skinner, J. B. Smith, Strecker, Wheeler and Wickham. Much of the work is descriptive; but the economic work of Howard and his associates is the best in the world 3 if we may accept the opinion of European entomologists; while the new entomology, which combines the study of form with that of habits, finds admirable exponents in Wheeler and Needham. Dyar's work on the immature stages of insects has been freely used and acknowledged in Europe, and parasitic hymenoptera are sent from London and Paris to Ashmead for identification. G. B. King, the janitor of the court-house at Lawrence, Mass., has, with everything against him, made a reputation as a student of scale-insects, and his cooperation has been sought even in Germany.

(Star-fishes, Crinoids, etc.).—43 workers, much of the work relating to fossil forms. Prominent names are those of Clarke, Loeb, Springer, Vaughan and Verrill. F. Springer, our best authority on crinoids, has been able to produce the most elaborate and careful works in the intervals of a busy life as a lawyer; works which, it may be remarked, are much better known in London than in New Mexico, where he resides.

—37 writers, but it must be confessed that the papers are mostly of minor importance. Verrill has described a large number of new species. The earthworms and flatworms are greatly in need of more attention.