THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 179 



the Metamorphoses of Alaska Coieoptera, the Tenthredinoidea, and the 

 (ew Sphegoidea and Vespoidea obtained. Mr. Nathan Banks describes the 

 Arachnida and Neuropteroid Insects ; Mr. O. F. Cook, the Myriapoda ; 

 Mr. Justus Watson Folsom, the Apterygota ; Mr. A. N. Caudell, the 

 Orthoptera ; Mr. Theo. Pergande, the Aphididse and Formicidfe ; Dr. 

 Wm. H. Ashmead, the Homoptera and Hymenojitera; Mr. O. Heidemann, 

 the Heteroptera; Mr. Rolla P. Currie, the Odonata; Mr. E. A Schwarz, the 

 Coieoptera; Dr. H. G. Dyar, the Lepidoptera ; and Mr. D. W. Coquillett, 

 the Diptera. Each writei gives a list, with dates and localities, of the 

 species assigned to him and describes the new forms. Altogether the 

 entire collection consisted of i,ooi species, of which no less than 344 

 were considered to be new to science, and are accordingly named and 

 described in these volumes. 



It is evident from the foregoing summary that a very important 

 addition has been made to the knowledge of the insects of the far north- 

 western regions of Nortli America, regarding which nothing has been 

 known, except in the order Coieoptera, which received much attention 

 from early Russian investigators and was more recently catalogued by the 

 late Dr. John Hamilton. It will now be comparatively easy for travellers 

 in the future to collect and identify the insects found in Alaska, and our 

 friends in British Columbia will obtain in these volumes a large amount 

 of valuable information regarding the forms inhabiting that portion of our 

 country. To them, indeed, this work will be indispensable, and it should 

 find a place in all the public libraries of the Province. 



JOCULAR ENTOMOLOGY. 



The remarks of Prof Aldrich on the above subject in the March 

 number of the Canadian Entomologist suggest to me the existence of 

 a good deal more humour, intentional or otherwise, in scientific (?) 

 nomenclature than appears on the surface. It must sometimes be very 

 difficult, if not impossible, for an author to choose a name, especially one 

 not preoccupied, having some reference to specific characters, habitat, or 

 modus Vivendi, and it is quite obvious that thousands of names in 

 existence were never intended to have any such reference whatsoever. 

 The custom of naming things after people, whether they lived many years 

 B. C. or in more modern times, or after classical myths, might become 

 intolerable if carried too far, and.it seems as if a little humour, which is 

 often the fresher for being unconsciously suggested, is bound to creep in 



