160 THE entomologist's record. 



and a full list of authors and the works referred to is given at the 

 end of each chapter. It is out of the question to enter into a detailed 

 criticism of the work, if, indeed, that were possible ; we can only 

 recommend it to all scientific entomologists as a book that should be 

 on their bookshelves, and as one to which they can turn with a cer- 

 tainty of clearing up most of the difficulties that may present them- 

 selves in those branches of the subject with which the book treats. 

 We heartily congratulate the author on having produced a work which 

 must prove a distinct success, and will afford many entomologists 

 much food for reflection for a considerable length of time. 



Revision of the Orthopteran group Melanopli (Acridiid^), 

 WITH special reference TO NoRTH AMERICAN FORMS. By Sauiuel 

 Hubbard Scudder (422 -)- iv. pp., 26 full-page plates). Washing- 

 ton : Government Printing Office, 1897.— This revision is prac- 

 tically a revolution of that group of Orthoptera dealt with by 

 the author. The known species have been overhauled, and sys- 

 tematically arranged. A large number of new species are described 

 for the first time, and many of the old species are split up into their 

 component parts, forming tAvo or more species, the whole being supple- 

 mented by (1) an analytical key to the genera of the North American 

 Melanopli (including the Old World forms) ; (2) analytical keys to the 

 species belonging to the various genera. Each genus is described at 

 considerable length, and each species, besides having figures of the 

 genital organs, has a detailed synonymy, description of the insect, an 

 account of its geographical distribution, etc. The book must un- 

 doubtedly form the basis of all future work in this field, and the full 

 descriptions, as well as the excellent plates both of the tegmina and 

 male genitalia, will undoubtedly render easy the task of any future 

 workers who may have occasion in the years to come, when knowledge 

 has once more accumulated, to again revise the group that Dr. 

 Scudder has so well brought up to date in the present work. 



The PterophoridjE of-North America. By C. H. Fernald, M.A., 

 Ph.D. (80 pp., 9 full-page plates). Massachusetts, U.S.A. : The 

 Massachusetts Agricultural College. — Professor Fernald has again 

 laid all lepidopterists under an obligation, for although his little 

 brochure deals with the North American rtcrophoridac, many of the 

 species are also Pal^arctic, or have very near Pala^arctic relatives, 

 whilst the general remarks on the family are as important to Old 

 World lepidopterists as to their New World brothers. A systematic 

 work of this kind was much wanted, and we have no doubt that the 

 orderly arrangement of the Plumes in a little work of this description, 

 pointing out as it does the many gaps in the natural history of many 

 of the species, will be an incentive to many American lepidopterists to 

 devote their leisure to breeding these delicate and interesting insects. 

 Step by step the various groups of Lepidoptera are being reduced to 

 order in America, and whilst others have taken in hand the super- 

 families comprising the larger species, Professor Fernald is working 

 at the smaller " fry," and bids fair to become the " Stainton " of the 

 N. American Continent. The plates, which illustrate the general 

 structure, the neuration and the genitalia, are quite worthy of the 

 excellent letter-press, and the general get-up of the little work is 

 altogether praiseworthy. 



