190 THE entomologist's record. 



wards, the 3 hanging by its two anterior legs to a leaf or grass-stem, and 

 supporting the whole weight of the 5 by means of them. At the 

 moment of uncoupling, the 9 drops the prey, and the two insects 

 fly oft'. 



We are in receipt of " A Guide to the Natural History of the Isle 

 of Wight,"" a bulky volune of 560 pages, Avith a number of good 

 illustrations, edited by F. Morey, F.L.S. The various chapters 

 and lists are written and compiled by specialists in their own subjects. 

 There is a considerable amount of difference in the value of the 

 chapters, although most ;'each a really good standard. Of the insects, 

 the chapter on " Orthoptera " is by Malcolm Burr, B,A., F.Z.S., etc., 

 the Neuroptera by W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S., the Hymenoptera, by 

 Claude Morley, F.E.S., the Coleoptera, by E. A. Newberj-, A supple- 

 mentary list of Coleoptera, by H. St. J. K. Donisthorpe, F.Z.S.,. 

 F.E.S., Lepidoptera, by Hubert F. Poole, Diptera, by F. Morey, 

 F.L.S. , Hemiptera, by E. A. Butler, B.A., B.Sc, F.E.S. The lists 

 are on the whole exceedingly good, and where there is any weakness, 

 the mere fact of putting on record what is known, makes very clear to 

 local Avorkers what yet remains to be done. 



There is something unsatisfactory in the tone of some of Mr. 

 Newbery's preliminary remarks on the Coleoptera, and his statement 

 as to " two insects taken in the Island by a member of the Entomological 

 Society " (Mr. Newbery, we presume, means a Fellow of the Entomo- 

 logical Society of London) " and exhibited by him at a meeting of that 

 body" is as remarkable, as it happily is unusual, in connection with 

 a compilation of this description. Mr. Newbery must be wanting 

 in a sense of humour to suppose that, after species have been seen and 

 accepted by the Fellows of the Entomological Society of London, e.i/., 

 Mr. Champion, Mr. Donisthorpe, Prof. T. H. Beare, or any other of 

 our leading coleopterists, that they must necessarily be submitted to him 

 before they can be admitted to the fauna of the Isle of Wight, or to a 

 place in the British List. As Mr. Newbery says, " comment is 

 superfluous." 



It is not surprising that the editor asked Mr. Donisthorpe to 

 prepare a " Supplementary list of the Coleoptera," and that this list 

 numbers 125 species besides varietal forms, not included in Mr. 

 Newbery's list. The combined lists number 1434 species of Coleoptera. 

 The list of Lepidoptera appears to be an excellent one, as might be 

 expected when we state that Mr. Poole has had the help of Messrs. 

 L. B. Prout and E. E. Bankes in its compilation. Considering how 

 little the other orders are worked the lists must be considered very 

 satisfactory, but they show the need of workers in orders other than 

 Coleoptera or Lepidoptera. Every entomologist who goes to the Isle 

 of Wight to spend an entomological holiday will be certainly wasting 

 time if he does not consult this book. 



The Thirtij-Secoiul Annual Eeport and Prnceedin(/s of the Lancashire 

 and Cheshire Entoniolotjical Society, 1908, has just come to hand, and, 

 although interesting, appears to be something below the usual 

 standard in bulk and quality of contents. There are brief reports of 

 the meetings held, and a continuation of the " Preliminary Catalogue 

 of the Hemiptera-Homoptera and Hemiptera-Heteroptera," by Oscar 



* Published by William Wesley and Son, 28, Essex St., IStrand, W.a 

 Price 8s. 6d. net. 



