1906 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 89 



to farmers and others. In Manitoba Messrs. Griddle, Heath and Marmont 

 have continued their work enthusiastically and have added very much to 

 our knowledge of the insects of that province. 



Literature. 



Among the many valuable works, reports and separate papers of inter- 

 est to Canadian students of insects, which have been received during the 

 past year, special mention may be made of the following : — - 



Gary, Merritt. The Diurnal Lepidoptera of the Athabasca and Mc- 

 Kenzie Eegion. (Proc. U. S. N. M., Vol. XXXI, pp. 425-457). This paper 

 will be of special value to our western members. It gives as complete a 

 list as can as yet be compiled. The facts are taken from published lists and 

 also from the collections of the author while making a biological explora- 

 tion in the north during the summer of 1903, and of Mr. E. A. Preble in 1903 

 and 1904. Other species will doubtless be added to this list, but it is an 

 excellent starting point for future work. Great care has evidently been 

 taken to give full credit to all who have done anything, however little, in 

 working up the diurnals of this little known region. 



Gasey, Thos. L. Observations on the Staphylinid Groups, AJeocliarirnia 

 and Xantholinini, chiefly of America. (Trans. Academy of Sciences of St. 

 Louis, pp. 125 to 434.) Goleopterists will note with great pleasure that Major 

 Gasey is again at work in the Staphylinidae, a group of insects in which he 

 has done such magnificent work. The present monograph covering parti- 

 cularly the two extremely difiicult sub-families mentioned, will give a stimu- 

 lus to North American collectors who have required just such a revision as 

 is now provided to work up their material. 



Felt, E. P. Insects Affecting Park and Woodland Trees. (Memoir 

 VIII, N. Y. State Museum; 4to, Albany, 1905, pp. 332, plates 48. 20 col- 

 oured.) This sumptuous volume is printed on the best of paper, and every- 

 thing is carried out as well as can be done by skilful printers and binders, 

 a fit setting for the care and skill devoted to its preparation by Dr. Felt and 

 his assistants. It brings together the results of many years' work and is 

 supplementary to Dr. Packard's Forest and Shade-tree Insects. The letter- 

 press is well prepared so as to be of the greatest use to the large number 

 who will consult this work, but who are not trained entomologists. The 

 entomologist, however, will also find that much care has been exercised in 

 the identification of all species mentioned and in working up accurately the 

 life-histories presented. The plates are of unusual beauty; Dr. Felt seems 

 to have the same ideal as actuated Sir Edwin Landseer, who never portrayed 

 in his pictures any animal that was not a thoroughbred or which was not 

 in the best of condition. Dr. Felt's insects, even when reproduced by 

 photography, are not only perfect, but have been set and prepared for re- 

 production with the greatest care. Some of the plates illustrating moths 

 are probably unsurpassable in this respect. 



Fernald, Henry T. The Digger Wasps of North America and the 

 West Indies belonging to the sub-family Ghloronime. (Proc. U. S. N. M., 

 Vol. XXXI, pp. 291-423. 5 plates.) Dr. Fernald has brought a well-trained 

 mind to bear upon the difficult task which he set himself and has done his 

 work in such a wav as to deserve the thanks of all hymenopterists. All the 

 extensive collections in the United States have been examined, and all types 

 so^ far as known have been studied. It is to be hoped that more students 

 will devote themselves to these interesting insects now that this further help 

 has been added to existing literature. 



