48 THE entomologist's record. 



white round the abdomen like Sjiluw albmcta, is supposed similarly to 

 utilise for its own egg-laying the stores laid by the latter. To follow 

 the author through his account of the ways of .S. jiavipennh is impos- 

 sible. As to the conditions of the food stored, Fabre says : "Crickets 

 sacrificed by S. fiavijioutis are no more dead, in spite of all appear- 

 ances, than are Aveevils- struck by a Cera-ris. The flexibility of the 

 integuments displays the slightest internal movement. If one closely 

 observes a cricket stretched on its back a week, or even a fortnight 

 or more after the murder, one sees the abdomen heave strongly at long 

 intervals. Very often one can notice a quiver of the palpi and marked 

 movements in the antennae and the bands of the abdomen, which 

 separate and then come suddenly together. By putting such crickets 

 into glass tubes I have kept them perfectly fresh for six weeks. Con- 

 sequently, the ^pliex larvte, which live less than a fortnight before 

 enclosing themselves in their cocoons, are sure of fresh food as long 

 as they care to feast." 



It is quite beyond the space at our disposal to give any further 

 details. His notes on A)umupli'da hirsuta, A. sabidom, and A. holo- 

 sericea, Bembex rostrata, B. tarmta, Cerceris tnberciilata, Chalicuduitia 

 wiiraria and other mason bees, are all equally delightful and interest- 

 ing. To those who are interested in the so-called intelligence of 

 insects, and who draw conclusions as to their actions based on the 

 human standpoint, the book is absolutely necessary as a corrective. 

 The conclusion of his chapter on " The Ignorance of Instinct " is 

 delightful, and the author's views are proved, one feels, most com- 

 pletely. He says: "Instinct knows everything in the unchanging 

 paths laid out for it ; beyond them it is entirely ignorant. The sub- 

 lime inspirations of science, the astonishing inconsistencies of stupidity, 

 are both its portion, according as the creature acts under normal con- 

 ditions or under accidental ones." 



The Entomological Society of London honoured itself in electing 

 M. Fabre one of its honorary Fellows recently. To Mr. Merrifield's 

 insistence on procuring an English translation, and to the talented lady 

 who has translated the diflficult Provencal so excellently, every field 

 naturalist owes a debt of gratitude. The book is clearly printed, well 

 illustrated, and the contents are altogether delightful. We hope that 

 when fathers have read and re-read the book they will hand it on to 

 their children, for in such books as this lies the training of our 

 future naturalists. To our educationalists we commend pp. 271-274 ; 

 we suspect that in some districts of England things are not much 

 better even now, and if Cockertonian views are to prevail, as seems 

 all too likely, in a few years' time things may even be worse. 



:^OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



Lepidopteka at Seathwaite. — I had long anticipated spending a 

 week in the neighbourhood of Seathwaite, the main object being the 

 capture of Mdampias cjn'phrou. I had already made three or four 

 unsuccessful attempts to do so, and considered that a week must give 

 me at least one fine day in this, the wettest place in the kingdom. 

 With Mr. J. Malcolm, I left Carlisle on the afternoon of June 15th, 

 1901, for Keswick, where we were fortunate in getting a ride to Lodore. 

 A\'e, however, still had several miles to walk in the hot sun, hampered 



