1901.] 229 



normally I believe builds in holes, &c., made mud covers for the cells of the first 

 nest v?hen the picture was removed ; it is also remarkable that it should choose the 

 inside of a room, at the side away from the window, especially when the window 

 was closed from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. at the time the nest was begun, though open con- 

 tinuously afterwards. On opening some of the cells of the first nest to-day (July 

 31st), I find in each a wasp larva about half an inch in length. — L. Doncastee, 

 Whinfell, Whirlow, near Sheffield : July ^Ist, 1901. 



llculeuLfs. 



Familiar BuTrERFLiES and Moths : by W. F. Kirby, F.L.S., F.E.S., &c. 

 Small 4to, pp. 144, with 18 plates in colour. London, Paris, New York, and Mel- 

 bourne : Cassell and Co., Limited. 1901. 



Those who require a cheap, handsome, and reliable " Butterfly Book " for the 

 drawing room table cannot do better than obtain this. It is well got up, well 

 printed, and the figures are mostly excellent and not too highly coloured. It is not 

 a scientific book, but consists of a series of 216 figures in colour (on 18 plates), to 

 which the text has been written. The greater part of the species receiving attention 

 are British, but a few have not yet been found in these islands, nor are likely to be. 

 It is curious that the author, with his wide experience, cannot get rid of the idea 

 that British insects are not European. He commences his Preface by apologetically 

 saying he has added a small selection of " European " species, and tlien goes on to 

 explain that these are " Continental." It must be understood that the figures go 

 no furtlier than the Geometridce, and that the rest of the series is dismissed in 

 about 16 pp. of text. 



The Steidulating Organs of Waterbitgs {Rhynchota), especially of 

 Corixidce : by G. W. Kirkaldy, F.E.S. Journ. Qiiekett Microsc. Club, Ser. 2, 

 Vol. viii, No. 48, April, 1901. Plates III and IV. 



This is an interesting paper on the above subject, and is illustrated by some 

 very good outline figures of the palse, &c., of the British Corixce. The author 

 considers that the stridulating noises heard by various observers are caused by the 

 friction of the comb of the front tarsus against a " stridulatory area" which the 

 author has discovered on the inner surface of the front femora. This area is very 

 clearly marked, and certainly would appear to be a modification for some such 

 purpose, the only difficulty that confronts the writer is the very considerable gym- 

 nastic efforts which it appears to him the Corixa would have to go through to bring 

 the pala in contact with this femoral area; but, on the other hand, the area is 

 obviously adapted to some special purpiise, and it is hard to see in what other way 

 it could be useful, or what other part of the Corixa could act upon it. The author 

 puts his views forward for criticism, and it is to be hoped that his paper will 

 stimulate othei-s to carefully observe the movements of the insect when stridulating. 

 Unfortunately it seems to be hard to catch a Corixa in the act, and even when 

 caught it would be very difficult to see whether the pala played on the rostrum or 

 the femur. Whichever view is coi-rect, Mr. Kirkaldy has put the facts as to structure, 

 etc., clearly before his readers, and many of the structural details which he gives 

 have not before been published. — Edward Saunders. 



