Abstract
SOME years before the Great War, the Russian Academy of Sciences launched an ambitious scheme of publishing detailed monographs on all groups of animals occurring within the Russian Empire and in neighbouring countries, under the title "Faune de la Russie et de pays limitrophes". The programme of the publication was so extensive that the first few volumes which appeared were sufficient to show the virtual impossibility of continuing the work on the same scale. The idea, however, was not abandoned, and the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. has now commenced the publication of a new "Faune de 1'URSS", which aims at giving a full, but concisely written, monographic treatment mainly of the systematics and distribution of all animals already found, or expected to occur, in the Soviet territories. Six volumes and two smaller parts, mostly dealing with insects, have already appeared, and they make a very good impression, particularly as regards the generally high scientific standard, although the paper, printing and illustrations might be improved. Unfortunately, not all the volumes are by outstanding experts in the systematics of the groups treated, and some have apparently been prepared by authors who may be excellent specialists, but not in the groups they had to monograph. All foreign zoologists will be pleased to see that each volume has a very full summary in a Western language, in which all determination keys, new descriptions and more important notes are given. Since the "Fauna" covers the whole of extra-tropical Asia and eastern Europe, its value for systematists working on the palaearctic region will be inestimable, and volumes on their respective groups will be eagerly awaited by all zoologists.
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Fauna of the U.S.S.R. Nature 140, 19–20 (1937). https://doi.org/10.1038/140019c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/140019c0