SOME NEW BOOKS. 



A COMPREHENSIVE WORK ON MOTHS. 



Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British Museum, Vol. I. 

 Catalogue of the Syntomidae in the Collection of the British Museum. 

 By Sir George F. Hampson, Bart. Svo, pp. xxi + 559, with 285 

 illustrations in text, and accompanying volume of 1 7 plates with coloured 

 figures. London: Printed by order of the Trustees, 1898. 



The first volume of this series, the circular relating to which is given in 

 Natural Science, vol. xii. 5, is now issued, and will be received with interest by 

 lepidopterists generally. The volume is accompanied by a preface from the 

 Director of the British Museum (Natural History), by a systematic index of 

 the species included, and an introduction of 20 pages from the author. In this 

 introduction the general classification and phylogeny is categorically laid down, 

 and the structure of the Lepidoptera is discussed in a series of brief paragraphs, 

 of which those relating to the ovum, larva, and pupa have been revised by Dr. 

 Chapman and Dr. Dyar. The classification is mainly based upon an interpreta- 

 tion of the neuration. The primary division of Comstock is adopted, and the 

 Micropterygides and Hepialides are opposed to the rest of the moths, because 

 of the 12-veined secondaries, i.e. the radius has the same number of branches 

 as on primary wings. More recently Crinopteryx familiella has been studied 

 by Spuler and Hofmann. This Tineid represents the final stage in the loss of 

 radial branches, so that a passage is effected between the groups, and the 

 character is vitiated. An ambitious key to the families is given on page 17, in 

 which no use is made of the anal vein of primaries in the Papilionides, while 

 the Satyrids are separated from the Nymphalids by the dilated vein 12. But 

 this vein is dilated in Potamis iris (Nymphalidae), and the dilations are reduced 

 in Agapetes and Oeneis (Satyridae). The more important part of the volume is 

 taken up by the description of the 1184 species of Syntomidae. Purists may 

 write Syntomididae ; others, believing the Tentamen edited, and Glaucopis 

 being pre-occupied, may prefer Sphecomorphidae, while the Americans use 

 Euchromiadae. The family, from observations on all stages, contains specialised 

 Arctians, the limits of the two groups being obscure. The descriptions, both 

 generic and specific, are concise yet sufficient, but the opportunity of considering 

 the male genitalia has been neglected, which may possibly lead some to regard 

 the work as " superficial." The synonymy often lacks the necessary reference 

 to the author of the combined term adopted, thus breaking the historical 

 sequence (e.g. Ctenucka virginica). This fault seems to have been copied, with 

 the citations, from Kirby's catalogue. On page 361 Burtia is dated "1867," 

 on the succeeding page " 1866," as by Kirby. Burtia was published with 

 figure and should have precedence as noted by Moeschler (Lep. Porto Rico, 

 349), who, however, misplaces the synonym Gundlachia. Horama difissa, 

 correctly dated by Kirby, is post-dated, with its synonym, by 20 years. The 

 intention is to include all species agreeing with the family definition. The 



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