The Nematode Parasites of Vertebrates

The study of parasitic nematodes has proceeded at an extremely rapid rate in recent years, and it has become increasingly difficult for investigators, particularly those who are interested in systematic phases of the subject (and every parasitologist is and must be to a greater or less extent), to keep abreast of the current literature. What constituted single genera fifty years ago, with no more species than one could count ?n his fingers, may now be split into as many genera ^ there were formerly species, and the number of described species has increased many fold. As Dr. Stiles Points out in his foreword, the present tendency is to seek knowledge for the sake of the good it will do rather than for the sake of knowledge itself, and it is because ?f this changed viewpoint that nematology has so Sreatly expanded. Except in a few of the largest library centres of the world, only a fraction of the hterature is ever available, and the worker who is far Removed from these centres is greatly restricted in his field and hopelessly handicapped in much research which he might otherwise profitably pursue. Yorke and Maplestone's book is actually a boiled-down library and museum combined, and makes possible an enormous amount of work in the far corners of the World which otherwise could not have been attempted, and it will be the means of saving countless hours of tedious work for every investigator who interests himself in any phase of the study of nematodes which Evolves determination of genera. The book makes it Possible for anyone with a knowldge of nematode Morphology to place correctly any species of nematode which he may come upon in its proper genus, if it belong to any genus described up to the middle of 1925. The book contains clear and carefully worked out keys to all the superfamilies, families, and genera of Parasitic nematodes, the best available description of the genera, the name and synonyms of the type species, and a list of such species as can, with a reasonable degree of certainty, be ascribed to each genus. Of Iriestimable value are the drawings which illustrate the essential characteristics of each genus. In most cases these are drawings of the type species, but in a few