1896. SOME NEW BOOKS. 125 



histology. He found a thick gelatinous coat, in structure Hke the 

 umbrella of a medusa, traversed by fibres regularly arranged and in a 

 direction normal to the surface of the body. Very remarkable is the 

 record of a male Rossia macvosoma, which presented no trace of hecto- 

 cotylisation, although it was full-grown and well preserved ; its sex 

 was ascertained by dissection. In the matter of hectocotylisation, 

 moreover, it is strange to find a specimen of Octopus macropns recorded 

 without note or comment as having the third left arm thus modified. 

 There is possibly a little confusion here, for we find both third and 

 fourth arms put down as dorsal, but if the facts be as stated the 

 specimen should be referred to the genus SccBuvgus. 



The species which Dr. Joubin has called Trachelotenthis Giievnei 

 certainly cannot be referred to that genus, for it has the connection 

 between the funnel and mantle characteristic of Ommastrephes. The 

 author is also mistaken in thinking that a cartilaginous plate is shown 

 in pi. 28, fig. 7, of the " Challenger" Report ; the white lines merely 

 indicate the superior muscles of the siphon. Several pages are 

 devoted to a description (reproduced from a previous communication 

 in Bull. Soc. Zool. France) of the curious organs discovered in 

 CUrotenthis Grimaldii, believed by the author to be thermoscopic eyes. 

 This theory can hardly be regarded as demonstrated, but Dr. Joubin's 

 arguments are ingenious and plausible, and it is difficult to find an 

 alternative hypothesis that so well fits the observed facts. 



Dr. Joubin's writings hive made us acquainted with many in- 

 teresting forms of Cephalopoda, and have also thrown much new 

 light on those already known, and the appearance of this beautifully 

 illustrated and sumptuously printed memoir will still further enhance 

 his reputation. W. E. H. 



British Wasps and Bees. 



The Hymenoptera Aculeata of the British Islands. A descriptive account of 

 the Families, Genera, and Species indigenous to Great Britain and Ireland. By 

 Edward Saunders, F.L.S. 8vo. Pp. viii., 391, 3 plates. London : L. Reeve 

 and Co., 1896. Price i6s. 



The systematic study of the aculeate Hymenoptera has not attracted 

 so many English entomologists as the importance and interest of the 

 group would lead us to expect. Mr. Edward Saunders has probably 

 gained a large proportion of the existing devotees by means of his 

 " Synopses," published some years since by the Entomological Society. 

 It is to be hoped that the book now under notice will be even more 

 successful than the previous work, on which it is based. We note in 

 the preface that the author expresses a hope that "the coloured figures 

 in the larger edition of this work will remove, at any rate to a certain 

 extent, the apparent difficulties of the subject"; this hope we echo 

 most heartily, but if the larger edition (which we have not seen) is 

 richly illustrated with a view to enticing future students, then we fear 

 it may fail in its object. Hundreds of boys collect and think that 

 they are interested in butterflies and moths ; not one in a hundred 

 makes an intelligent study of them, nor does the collecting instinct 

 survive the attainment of manhood. Why is this ? We unhesitatingly 

 assert that it is due to coloured plates in works on Lepidoptera. By 

 their means captures can for the most part be identified with a 

 minimum of observation and a complete absence of scientific study ; 

 thus the mind is not trained, and what little interest there is soon flags 

 — the collection is abandoned to its fate in common with stamps, 

 marbles, et hoc gemis omne. These strictures do not apply to the work 



