88 [AprU, 



diseases, induced the Trustees of the British Museum to have prepared for 

 exhibition in the North Hall of the Museum coloured drawings of many of the 

 British blood-sucking species, and Professor Ray Lunkester rightly considered that 

 the sphere of usefulness of these drawings would be very materially increased if 

 they were published in a convenient form. The result is a volume of 34 plates 

 reproduced by the three-colour process from the drawings, carefully prepared by 

 Mr. A. J. Engel Terzi, and 74 pages of letter-press, by E. E. Austen, Assistant in 

 the Department of Zoology. 



The drawings, more especially of the largei- Tahani, T. hovlnus, sudeticus, and 

 autumnalis, and some of the Pupifara, do great credit to the artist and to Messrs. 

 Witherby and Co., the colour printers ; but in several cases the predominance of 

 a greenish tinge in the plate (a fault in the reproduction") spoi's an otherwise 

 excellent figure. It is a pity that in some cases the species should have been 

 figured with the wings at rest overlapping the body, because it prevents a com- 

 parison of the abdominal and wing markings with allied species. As the intro- 

 duction states that it is only intended to give a popular account of the insects, one 

 does not look for or expect details of the characters by which the genera and species 

 are recognised ; but the more important characters are mentioned, and the dis- 

 tribution and date of appearance are given in considerable detail. The impression 

 left upon one by an examination of the work is, that by its aid, very little difficulty 

 should be experienced in naming the majority of the species, with the exception of 

 those belonging to the genera Ceratopogon, Culex, and Simulium. 



iiiiarn. 



John Emmerson Robson.—lt is with great regret we record the death, on 

 February 28th last, at the ripe age of 74, of Mr. John K. Robson, of Hartlepool. 

 For a very long period Mr. Robson has been known in the North of England as an 

 ardent and successful Lepidopterist, and since kis connection with the " Young 

 Naturalist" (afterwards the " British Naturalist"), equallj' so throughout the country. 

 Mr. Robson edited the "Young Naturalist" and "British Naturalist" for the 

 fourteen years from 1879 to 1893, the first several years in connection with Mr. S. L. 

 Mosley. The journal was very popular and did much good, and will long be 

 remembered on account of the lively, but thoroughly good natured discussions 

 between prominent Lepidopterists of the time on various Entomological problems. 

 Mr. Robson also issued "A List of British Lepidoptera and their named Varieties"; 

 and at the time of his death was engaged in the concluding part of " The Lepi- 

 dopfera of Northumberland, Durham, and Newcastle-on-Tyne." He had been 

 engaged on this work for some years, and three parts had already been issued, 

 completing it to the end of the Tortrices, thus leaving only the Tineina and 

 Pferophorina to be dealt with. ilr. Robson was an enthusiastic and genial 

 companion, as we know from experience, and a charming correspondent. He had 

 been a Fellow of the Entomological Society of London since 1890. Besides his 

 business, and Entomological pursuits, Mr. Robson took great interest in Public 

 vFork, especially Educational, and was formerly on the old School Board, and more 

 recently on the Education Committee at Hartlepool. He was, too, until his death 



