1911.] 261 



The Macko-Lepidopteka of the Wokld. By Dr. A. Seitz. Part I: Macho- 

 Lepidoptera of the Pal^arctic Eegion. Stuttgart : Alfred Kernon Verlag. 



Tlie completion of the first volume (dealing with the Palffiarctic Bvitter- 

 flies), not only in the German, but also in the English edition, and the progress 

 which is being made with varioixs other sections of the work, afford good 

 evidence that lioth editor and publishers, together with the many other colla- 

 borators, are taking their gigantic task in earnest, and that the present 

 generation of Lepidopterists may look forward to the possession, at no very 

 distant date, of what has never before been possible of attainment — a tolerably 

 complete iconography of the known Macro-Lepidoptera, together with letter- 

 press adequate for the determination of species, and often even further infor- 

 mation as to their habits and the outlines of their life-history. When the 

 work was first launched some five years ago, the fear was expressed in some 

 quarters that its scope was almost too vast to be capable of actualisation, and 

 that it might fall throvigh after the better known families had been worked 

 out ; but we are now assured that all the principal families are in the hands of 

 competent specialists, the preparation of those which are not already actually 

 in progress, well advanced, and material accessible for figuring from the 

 richest collections. A rvamour that the English translation might be aban- 

 doned is, we learn on the highest authority, absolutely without foixndation, 

 and certain sections of the work are even contributed originally in English. 

 Already 69 parts of the Palsearctic section are to hand, and 60 of the Exotic. 



As regards the general scheme of classification, the Introduction disclaims 

 any purpose of deciding between rival scientific systems, and Dr. Seitz is only 

 concerned to find a practicable sequence. Perhaps some critics will say he has 

 erred in the direction of ultra-conservatism in this respect, and although he 

 recognizes the soundness of some of the findings of modern research (such as 

 the Tortricid affinities of Cossus) he shows no interest in such revolutionary 

 proposals as those of Tutt in Vol. i of " British Lepidoptera." Indeed, Entomo- 

 logists to whom Staudinger's Catalogue has been the " last word " in taxonomy, 

 will have little difficulty in finding their way throvigh their" Seitz," or through 

 the Palsearctic Ehopalocera, at least. At the same time, individual collabora- 

 tors have been allowed a good deal of latitude in matters of detail. 



The Eastern Palasax-ctic Eegion is given a wider extent than in Staudinger, 

 reaching southward to about 30° N. lat. This is certainly much truer to the 

 known facts, although naturally there are districts here and there in which 

 there is a real overlapping in faunistic character. 



The first volume is the work of several hands, and it is no disparagement 

 to say that its quality is not quite equal throiighout. We have no space for 

 detailed criticism, and can merely indicate that Seitz himself is responsible for 

 the Danaidae, Erycinidae, Lycxnidae, and, in large measure, for the Papilionidx, 

 Satyridx, and Nymphalidse, besides a general introduction to the Grypocera ; 

 Rober has worked out the Pieridx ; Stichel, Doritis, Parnassms, Morphidx, and 

 a part of the Nymphaiidx\: Mabille, the Hesperidx ; Eiffinger, the genus Erebia. 



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