220 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



BOOK NOTICES. 



An illustrated Essay on the Noctuidae of North America, with " A 

 Colony of Butterflies," by A. R. Grote, A. M. Lge. 8vo., pp. 85. Pub- 

 lished by John Van Voorst, Paternoster Row, London, Eng. 



This little volume is beautifully got up, printed in bold type on fine 

 paper, and illustrated by four excellent colored plates 6n which forty-five 

 species of Noctuids are figured. These mothshave been previously described 

 in various works, but have not been figured before, and, appear to have 

 been selected to adorn this handsome little book on account of their 

 striking beauty ; they are the gems of the genera to which they belong 

 and well deserve to be thus made better known. Each specimen is num- 

 bered and accompanied by a brief reference or description. 



In a preface of 23 pages the author gives a "brief resume''' of the 

 sources from whence he has drawn his information ; an account is also 

 given here of the life history of the Cotton Worm from the egg to the 

 perfect insect. It is to be regretted that the author should have marred 

 this section of the work by a personal attack on Prof Riley, an Entomolo- 

 gist who has done so much good work in Economic Entomology. It seems 

 to us most unfair, whatever the provocation may be, to introduce personal 

 reflections of this sort in a book where the party referred to has no oppor- 

 tunity of defending himself or of an explanation which will reach the 

 same readers. Notwithstanding this defect, the little volume will com- 

 mend itself for its excellencies otherwise, to all those who are interested 

 in the study of the Noctuidae, as a valuable and beautiful contribution to 

 this department of Entomology. 



Transactions of the Ottawa Eield Naturalists' Club. No. 3, 1881- 

 1882 ; 8vo., pp. 66, with two plates. 



We commend this record of the work of the Ottawa Field Naturalists' 

 Club to all those who are interested in Canadian Natural History. In 

 addition to the excellent address of the President, James Fletcher, Esq., 

 it contains reports of the work accomplished by the Geological, Botanical 

 and Entomological branches of the Club ; a list of the birds found in the 

 vicinity of Ottawa, and addresses which have been delivered on various- 

 natural subjects at the soirees held by the Club. 



