The Scottish Naturalist. 361 



E E Y I E W S. 



European Butterflies and Moths. Parts I.-VI. By W. F. Kirby. Cas- 

 sell, Petter, & Galpin. 4to. 187S. — The British collector of Lepidoptera as 

 a rule cares little, and knows perhaps less, about any species that does not 

 occur within the limits of the United Kingdom. In fact he carries his love 

 of native productions so far as to gladly give as many shillings for a specimen 

 "guaranteed British" as an example from the other side of the Straits of 

 Dover would bring pence. A canny Scot, who combines insect-collecting 

 with his other avocations, has recently tried to cultivate this peculiar trait of 

 the British collector's character by offering specimens of a certain moth at 

 prices ranging from £6 to ;i^20 — excellent but foreign specimens of the same 

 insect being obtainable for two or three shillings. We do not blame our 'cute 

 countryman, but we strongly deprecate the narrow-mindedness of collectors. 

 It is true that hitherto there was no work in the English language (if we except 

 Mr Kirby's ' Manual of European Butterflies ') which treated of the European 

 Lepidoptera ; but that excuse can no longer be pleaded, since the enterprise of 

 Messrs Cassell & Co. has placed within the reach of every collector, in a 

 popular (yet scientifically true) form, an illustrated handbook of the European 

 species. The work is based upon Berge's ' Schmetterlings-Buch,' and the 

 coloured plates, which are wonderful for the price, are reproduced from that 

 work. The publishers have been fortunate in securing the services of Mr 

 W. F. Kirby, whose name alone is guarantee that the text will be good. 

 In the plates the more notable species are figured, as well as, in many 

 cases, the caterpillars and pupoe, and the plants on which the former feed. 

 The distribution of the various species is also noticed, though we think 

 that Mr Kirby is perhaps a little too anxious to include as many species 

 as possible in the British fauna ; for he says (p. 15) of the very doubtfully 

 British Melitcea didynia that a specimen " was recently taken in Scotland " — 

 a statement which has, in our opinion, too slight a foundation. 



Either to the young collector who wishes to make acquaintance with the 

 Lepidoptera of his own country, or to the older one who desires to extend his 

 information beyond the limits of the British species, we can heartily recom- 

 mend this work. 



The Fauna of Scotland, with especial reference to Clydesdale and the 

 Western District. Hymenoptera. Part I. By Peter Cameron. Published 

 by the Natural History Society of Glasgow. 8vo. Pp. 52. 1878. — Hold- 

 ing, as we do very strongly, that the proper work of local societies is the 

 compilation of local Floras and Faunas, we hail the appearance of this work 

 as a step in the right direction. The Society contemplates publishing a series 

 of catalogues of the Fauna of Scotland, and has secured for many of the 

 groups the services of zoologists especially interested in them. The part now 

 published is much more than a mere catalogue, as it contains numerous valu- 

 able remarks and notes upon particular species (with descriptions of some new 

 ones), distribution, &c., of the Sawflies, to Avhich group this part is restricted. 

 We cannot do less than wish the Society all success in its very laudable umiei?^ IP "ir*>>. 



taking. /<mM^ 



