The Zoology of Tapeworms

Abstract

It is not possible, in the brief space available, to discuss in detail this remarkable book. It describes, to use the words of the authors themselves, "the tapeworms of the world. It attempts to Summarize what is known about their classification, structure, life histories, and ways of life. It discusses the probafcle origin of tapeworms from free-living worms and the lines along which they may have diverged from one another. It provides descriptions of and identification keys for all the known families and genera of tapeworms and the majority of the known species."This is, the reader will find, a modest description of the book. It gives only the bare bones, so to speak, of a work that should be in every library concerned with parasitic animals. We have, in English, no comparable account of the tapeworms and it is doubtful if there is, in any language, a book about them that gives, in one volume, so much detailed and up-to-date information.The book is arranged in two parts. Part 1 deals with the general features, life history, biology, origin and evolution of tapeworms and also with their history and classification. For some readers this will be the most interesting section of the book, for it shows us the tapeworm in its historical and evolutionary perspectives and we see it as a citizen of the world, a living creature related to both man and other animals. Whatever we think of the views expressed, or of the new terms introduced, we find here a fresh and lively story that is well told. The chapter on the physiology of the tapeworms is especially valuable. It brings together a great deal of information that is scattered among the abundant references given. From it we get a glimpse of the physiological parasitology of the years to come, a new science which will transform the principles of control and treatment of the diseases caused by parasites of every kind.Part 2 of the book discusses the individual species in greater detail. In it a much greater mass of material is collated. Six new Orders of tapeworms are created and some old friends appear under new names. The zoologist and systematist will find this part of the book invaluable.The authors have wisely decided to illustrate the book with line drawings only. There are 419 of these drawings and all of them are very well done. The only photograph is the frontispiece portrait of Dr. DOLLFUS, to whom the book is dedicated. The bibliography, which covers 104 of the book's 780 pages, is very valuable and for this alone the book is worth buying. A pleasing feature of the book is the fact that, in spite of its bulk, it is not inconveniently heavy. Further, it opens flat at every page-a triumph of binding for which every reader will be grateful. G. Lapage.