404 Review 



In his Preface Mr Stebbing has been generous to all who have 

 helped him in any way. From Inspectors-General of Forests and the 

 Lieut. -Governor of a Province down to the toiling camp clerk, acknow- 

 ledgments are freely made. We do not ever remember having seen 

 quite such an array of names in any book before. 



Chapters i-iv are devoted to general remarks on the distribution 

 of insects in the Indian forests, on injurious and beneficial species, 

 remedial and preventive measures and other problems. 



Chapter v consists of a brief introduction to the Coleoptera. We 

 think, however, that the all-important section dealing with Coleopterous 

 larvae might have been greatly extended to advantage. References 

 to the works of Schiodte, Chapuis and Candeze, Perris, Rupertsberger 

 and others would have acquainted the reader with the sources to which 

 he must eventually turn for information concerning life-histories. 

 The greater part of the book is occupied with an account of the forest 

 Coleoptera arranged in systematic order and extending to over 560 

 pages. All the principal species known to the author are figured, 

 and a brief description of each is given. Wherever information is 

 available remarks on the injury they commit are made, which are 

 usually supplemented by really excellent photographic plates. Here 

 and there short descriptions of the larvae and pupae of various species 

 are to be found. These descriptions, however, in most cases are too 

 brief and vague to enable one to determine a particular larva with 

 any degree of certainty. To merely describe, for instance, the pupa 

 of CyrtotracJielus longipes as being white and of the ordinary weevil 

 shape, really does not help very much. Neither can we recognise 

 the larva of Sphenoptera cupriventris when it is simply stated to be 

 yellowish white with stout black mandibles, and the prothoracic segment 

 broader than any of the segments behind it. In fact most Buprestid 

 larvae may be said to agree with that description. One of the best 

 life-histories in the whole book is that of the Longicorn Hoplocerambyx 

 spinicornis, concerning which a good deal of useful information is brought 

 to light by Mr Stebbing. It is not, however, absent from the Sal 

 forests of the United Provinces as he believes. Perhaps the most 

 interesting of the insects found by Mr Stebbing are the predaceous 

 beetles of the genus Niponius. Although usually placed in the family 

 Histeridae, there is something to be said for elevating them into a 

 family of their own. So far, we know nothing of the larva of 

 Niponius beyond what Mr Stebbing can tell us. If he can be 

 constrained to publish an illustrated account thereof, it will not 



