220 [August, 



Bruimr. 



Ejivisiox DEs Ehaphidides : par Herman Albaeda (Tijdschrift voor En- 

 tomologie, xxxiv, pji. 65 — 184, avec 10 planches, 1891). 



This Monograph is a very valuable contribution on a small group of Ncuropterous 

 insects, remarkable in their structure and also in their habits. The whole biblio- 

 graphy is worked out chronologically, the synonymy determined for the most part 

 from types, and each species is described and figured in great detail, the figures 

 referring to the head and pronotum, wings, and anal parts. The two existing genera 

 — Rhaphidia and InoceUia — are retained undivided. The group is essentially 

 PalaBarctic and Nearctic, the species of the former division extending eastward to 

 Japan, those of the latter represented only in occidental North America (in fact, a 

 further eastward extension of the Palaearctic element). Of Rhaphidia the author 

 describes 21 Palnearctic species (7 new), and 4 Nearctic (2 new). Of InoceUia there 

 are 3 Palsearctic (2 new), and also 3 Nearctic (2 new). The greatest care is shown 

 in the descriptions and figures, especially as to neural ion and anal appendages, the 

 former being worked out very minutely so as to distinguish between actual specific 

 characters and individual variation. To some we think that less finished (t. e., more 

 purely diagrammatic) figures of the anal parts would have proved more intelligible ; 

 but that is a matter of opinion. The European distribution is general (4 only having 

 been observed in Britain), but several of the rarer or new species are Mediterranean. 

 We have no space for analysis, but congratulate the author and entomologists on the 

 successful conclusion of the work. The idea emanated from the writer of this notice, 

 who, in asking the author to determine the materials in his collection (160 Palaearctic 

 and 58 Nearctic specimens), suggested a Monograph ; that the suggestion was a 

 useful one the sequel has proved. — E. McL. 



^biiuari). 



Henry Edirards. — With great regret we notice an announcement, from an 

 American source, of the death of Henry Edwards, a man of great originality — actor, 

 theatre proprietor, and entomologist — an Englishman by birth, an emigrant on pro- 

 fessional duties to Australia and New Zealand, a settler in America, firstly in 

 California, afterwards in the Eastern States, where he died. We hope to be able to 

 give more precise details of his history in a future number. The, to some, apparent 

 antagonism of theatrical and scientific pursuits has more than once proved a fallacy. 

 " Ochsenheimer and Treitschke " are familiar names to all Lepidopterists, the 

 majority being probably ignorant of their history, other than that their names 

 appear as " sponsors " for many species. We could cite other cases, and even amongst 

 students of entomology now here in England. Henry Edwards did much good 

 work, both as a collector and writer. No. 35 of the " Bulletin of the United States 

 National Museum " (Smithsonian Institution, 1889), consists of a " Bibliographical 

 Catalogue of the described transformations of North American Lepidoptera," with 

 references to moi'e than 1000 species : this was probably his last work of importance. 



