186 REVIEWS. 



escaping if discovered, as well as the difficulty of obtaining uninjured 

 specimens (which, in many instances, is essential to a correct distinguish- 

 ing of genera or species), have thrown difficulties in the way of the scien- 

 tific student, if not insuperable, at least extremely perplexing and tantaliz- 

 ing. Nor does Mr. Stainton profess to clear away all these obscurities, 

 and give us a full and complete description of all the British Tineina. Any- 

 thing but this. Hear him — 



u To avoid misconception, it is, however, necessary to remark, that the present 

 volume does not, cannot, contain descriptions of all the British Tineina. The num- 

 ber of these is increasing upon us daily. All that has, therefore, heen accomplished 

 has been to describe all the known and distinguished species. The latter expression 

 is used advisedly ; for it frequently happens that a so-called new species is not 

 really new, having lain dormant in our collections for years, but mixed with some 

 other species, from which we have only, at length, learned to distinguish it. Con- 

 sequently, in addition to the new species that will be met with in the course of years, 

 it may be also found that many of the species of this volume are little groups of 

 species, which further investigation will enable us to separate ; and as the transfor- 

 mations of many species not now known to us will be discovered, this volume will 

 gradually fall in arrear of the progressive science, and a new edition will become 

 requisite." 



Again — 



u In some few instances, to avoid a premature multiplication of genera, species 

 are placed in a genus, though not quite agreeing with its essential cha- 

 racters. In such cases care has been taken to point out wherein these differences 

 consist ; so that, should the further progress of the science require the creation of 

 new genera, this will be facilitated by the details here given." 



This spirit is something to the purpose ; the author has far too deep a 

 love and respect for his science to pretend to have already fathomed it, 

 while he contributes his utmost towards penetrating its arstna. And to 

 judge from the results of his labours, trouble enough these little gems of 

 GOD's creation are likely to give him and his entomological brethren, for 

 some time to come. We meet with genus after genus, containing, some 

 one, some several, species, of which the larvae are entirely unknown — for 

 example, in the Fam. Glyphipterygidse (taken quite at random) are seven 

 genera, comprising seventeen species. The larva? of three species only are 

 known ; for of that of a fourth, two such different accounts are given, that 

 we can scarcely profess to know anything at all on which reliance can be 

 placed. And a knowledge of these larvae is anything but supplemental to 

 a correct knowledge of the species, since, as Mr. Stainton says, in his 

 remarks on the genus Nepticula, which will apply, with more or less truth, 

 to nearly every family and genus in the group — " The habit of the larva, 

 its colour, and the form and colour of its cocoon, frequently are invaluable 

 helps to prove the distinctness of species ; and it is only during the last 

 two years that we have learned how to collect these larvae, so that this 

 branch of the study is completely in its infancy." 



