142 The Irish Naturalist, J"ly> 



The two chapters oil the Coleoptera are particularly good. Diagnoses — 

 taken from Fowler's well-known monograph — of the leading sections, 

 genera and species are given, and the life histories of the more important 

 destructive beetles are described at length. RhopaloDiesites Tardyi is 

 mentioned as " almost exclusively an Irish species," but incidentally a 

 record of the weevil from the Hastings District is given. Beech onlj- is 

 mentioned as a food plant ; in most of its Irish localities it also 

 attacks holl}'. The second of the two chapters is entirely devoted to the 

 Scolytidae, which are, naturally, full}- dealt with. Not only will the 

 reader find accounts of such well-known bark-beetles as Hylesimis 

 fraxini and Hylurgus pinipcrda^ but also references and figures of the 

 principal species of Hj'lastes, Cryphalus, Dryocsetes and other genera 

 less familiar to those who are not specialists in the Coleoptera. 



One of the chapters on Hymenoptera deals with the Oak-galls — the 

 other with Saw flies ; the former is illustrated with a selection of excellent 

 photographs of galls, and in the latter Mr. Gillanders has taken full 

 advantage of the recent work of Konow and Morice. The chapter on 

 Diptera deals for the most part with the gall-midges (Cecidomyidae). 

 Quotation is made from much recent English and foreign economic 

 work, but there is no reference to Kieffer's important papers. The 

 chapter on the Coccidae— a famil}- to w^hich the author has paid special 

 attention— has been made exceptionally interesting and valuable with 

 acknowledged help from the writings of Newstead. The account of the 

 Aphidae on the other hand is less satisfactory ; it is surprising to find 

 no reference to the migrations of Chermes between larch and spruce. 



Following the systematic portion of the book, come concluding 

 chapters on collecting and preserving insects, ou insecticides, and on 

 beneficial insects, together with a useful list of species arranged under 

 their food-plants. The illustrations are mostl}' good ; some of the 

 photographs and man}' of the drawings are excellent, but there are a 

 considerable number of rather feeble photographs taken from ill- 

 mounted dead specimens. On the whole, however, the book may be 

 warmly welcomed as filling worthily a distinct place in English entomo- 

 logical literature. 



G. H. C. 



BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



A Natural History of the British Butterflies : Their 

 worldwide Variation and Ceogrraphical Distribution. 



A Text-book for Students and Collectors. By J. W. TuTT, F.K.S., 

 vol. ii. Pp. X. -f 494. Pis. i.-xxviii. London : Elliot Stock, 1907-8. 

 Price 215. net. 



This volume follows— after an interval of little more than twelve 

 months— the first instalment of Mr. Tutt's work on the Butterflies, which 

 was reviewed at length in this magazine last year (vol. xvi., pp. 170-4). 

 The general plan of the book is the same as that of the preceding 



