332 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



caterpillars, cocoons, pupae, and finally the moths. The perusal of these 

 chapters will greatly help any one trying to rear Lepidoptera and enable 

 him to avoid many mistakes that he would otherwise be sure to make. 

 A sufficient description is given of the external structure of these insects 

 in their various stages to enable the reader to make intelligent records of 

 his observations which will have some scientific value. A chapter is also 

 devoted to the Parasites which so often disappoint one who has been 

 patiently rearing a caterpillar and hoping to secure a perfect specimen of 

 some rare moth. The following passage gives some admirable advice : 

 " The best part of any one's equipment is the power of observation — 

 quick seeing, unfailing carefulness, exactness of noticing and stating, and 

 the patience which works hard and well, can bear the failure of its best 

 plans and experiments, and begin over again next season with as much 

 zest as before. Faithfulness, accuracy and patience are absolutely 

 necessary to satisfactory work of this kind." 



The second and larger portion of the volume records the life- 

 histories, more or less complete, of about fifty species of moths belonging 

 to the Sphinges, Bombyces and Noctuids, and tells how they were reared 

 and brought safely to the perfect state. These descriptions are 

 remarkably good and, what is more, highly interesting, being written in 

 simple language free from all technicalities that are not necessary for 

 accurate statements. The illustrations are regarded by the publishers as 

 a unique feature of the book. They are 80 in number, beautifully 

 executed photogravures, many of them perfect representations of the 

 insect, for instance the moth and caterpillar of Spliinx Kalmict (p. 136), 

 but a large number, we are sorry to say, are most disappointing, the 

 specimens photographed being badly set, often imperfect and in some 

 cases almost unrecognizable. As examples we may mention the moths 

 of Amphion Jiesstis, Ampelophaga myron, and Leucarctia acrcea. The 

 caterpillars are nearly always beautifully depicted, and it seems a great 

 pity that perfect and properly set specimens of the moths were not 

 chosen for representation. These defects impair the beauty but do not 

 affect the value of the book, which will be a source of pleasure and a 

 storehouse of information to every nature-lover who takes an interest in 

 watching and studying the actual living objects and is not content with 

 mere dead and dried specimens. 



Mailed December 4th, 1902. 



