Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1895 Excerpt: ... PREFACE. - Although this history of Eristalis does not aspire to the dignity of a monograph of the genus to which it belongs, it is offered as a contribution towards the writing of such a monograph. The science of natural things expands, and the problems involved become more and more intricate as we seek the reason of things. Methods conducted on close attention to the individual parts of a biological system must give valuable aid towards understanding the whole, or portions of the same; but master-minds alone can successfully generalize on the accumulating materials they find at their disposal. As this essay does not treat on the important branches of Embryology and Histology, it may disappoint the adept; yet the author has not treated his subject in what may be called the popular style, which, though it may raise wonder and offer some romance connected with insect-life, is not often successful in giving the knowledge only to be obtained by close study, and by a conscientious application to details wbich are necessarily often dry. The author will have fulfilled his task if he has elicited the interest of the general reader, and if in any way he may help some of our rising entomologists, who, possessing good microscopes, wish to take up original research with reference to the Physiology of Diptera, concerning whose history there is much good work yet to be done. As affording convenience in reference, the materials of this essay are ranged under specific headings; but as Physiology cannot be discussed wholly apart from Morphology, indulgence is asked from the reader where unavoidable repetition may occur in the text. The addition of a short table of contents and an index, will help the student in finding his way to those pages which may more particularl..."
