THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 379 



BOOK NOTICES. 



The Coleoptera or Beetles of Indiana : By W. S. Blatchley, De- 

 partment of Geology and Natural Resources. Bulletin No. i, State 

 Printers, Indianapolis. 



Since the publication of Dr. Holland's Butterfly and Moth Books and 

 Dr. Howard's Insect Book, enquiries are frequently received respecting a 

 beetle book. Hitherto there has been no work of the kind on North 

 American Coleoptera, and it is, therefore, a great gratification to announce 

 the publication of this monumental work by Prof. Blatchley. It is an 

 octavo volume of 1,386 pages, and is illustrated with nearly 600 excellent 

 drawings and photogravures. 



An introductory chapter is given on the external anatomy of the 

 Coleoptera, with explanatory diagrams. The various families of the order 

 are then taken up, the classification being based upon that of LeConte and 

 Horn, with the exception of the Rhyncophora, which are omitted "for 

 lack of time and space," but which, we trust, the author will be enabled to 

 take up in a subsequent volume. The plan of the work is to give a general 

 introductory description of the family, followed by a key to the genera; 

 each genus is then described in turn, and keys furnished to the species, 

 figures being usually given to aid in recognition of the appearance or 

 characteristics of the family or genus, as the case may be ; to this succeeds 

 a concise description of the species, with bibliographical references, 

 localities, habits, dates of capture, etc. Nothing could well be more com- 

 plete where such an immense field has to be covered. About So new 

 species have been described during the course of the work. We have 

 tested the work somewhat carefully, by taking specimens of various families 

 and tracing out the species by means of the keys and descriptions. It has 

 been a pleasure to do so, and to find that all necessary details are given 

 and that the utmost accuracy prevails. A very full glossary of terms and 

 an index to genera are given at the end of the volume. 



The author has confined his work to the Coleoptera to be found in 

 the State of Indiana, but this limitation does not impair its value for 

 entomologists in Ontario and the States contiguous. A very large 

 proportion of the species described are to be found within our boundaries, 

 and the volume may therefore be safely recommended as a handbook of 

 the order to all students in this region of North America. 



The volume has been issued by the Indiana Department of Geology 

 as a bulletin, owing to the refusal of the State Printing Board to publish 



