68 THE entomologist's record. 



onward flow of science. The present volume, however, deserves more 

 than usual notice from lepidopterists outside the Society, owing to the 

 j)apers by Messrs. Adkin and Cockerell (pp. 62-84), and a further 

 paper by Mr. Adkin (pp. 150-168), as well as one by Mr. Billups and 

 another by Mr. Carrington. For these papers alone, the Proceedings 

 are worth buying by all entomologists, who will find them interesting 

 and well worth reading. There are a more than usually large number 

 of printer's errors. Our friend Mr. Ovenden of Strood, figures as 

 " Mr. Ovington," on p. 141 ; Peronea more than once becomes " Pero- 

 nia " ; and lietinia becomes " Retinea,'' and so on. We only mention these, 

 as such errors are usually very rare in The Proceedings of this Society. 



Die PALEARKTISCHEN CxROSS-SCHMETTEIiLINGE UNO IHKE NaTUR- 



GESCHicHTE, Bearbcitct von Fritz Kiihl. Published by Ernst Heyne, 

 Leipzig. First Part (Nos. 1 and 2), 2s. 6d. — The double number before 

 us contains an introduction of 76 pp., and descriptions of the species in 

 the early genera of the PapiUonklce, and their varieties. Slowly, but 

 siirely, entomology as a science is extending itself : the ordinary books 

 on the subject are leaving the old beaten tracks in which the systematic 

 work of other days was done, and the describers of both insects and 

 larvEe generally add some observations to the bare bones of description 

 which sufiiced not long since for the purely scientific aspect of our 

 work. Much more slo^vly than in Ijotany, perhaps because workers are 

 fewer, and that the preliminary systematic work has yet been less 

 thoroughly done, but just as certainly, the scientific aspect of our 

 subject, rather than the systematic, is growing uppermost in our minds, 

 and we want to know not only what is, but what are the probable causes 

 which have made entomological facts what they are. Scattered over 

 the entomological literature of the Continent, are endless descriptions 

 of local forms, varieties and aberrations of lepidoptera, and to inform 

 entomologists of these, as well as to give some general hints to collectors, 

 is the stated object of the present work. If this were done, it would be 

 a good work, but the method adopted is likely to lead to very different 

 results. As the first book of its kind attempted in Germany, it should 

 receive a hearty welcome, and it is, perhaps, not well to look for every- 

 thing at once, or criticise its method. The writer, however, appears to 

 ns to have fallen into one great error. Instead of quoting original 

 descriptions and notes, he re-describes from specimens, wrongly called 

 *' types," which have been sent from various collectors and dealers. 

 This must necessarily lead into gross error, not so much among the 

 well-defined Macro-Lepidoptera, as among the species of Argynnis, 

 Li/ccena, and endless genera of GEOMETRiE and Nocture. Of course, we 

 know that reference to original descriptions and ty^^es entails hard 

 work, but all useful scientific work presents difficulties, and this rough- 

 and-ready method of work is hardly scientific. To describe specimens 

 sent from a dealer, as " types " of certain varieties, is a farce ; we have 

 five specimens sent from one of the best-known Continental dealers, as 

 types of Agrotls tritici var. aquilina ; these represent, not only five 

 different forms, but three distinct species. As the author is getting 

 some of his " types " from the same source, his book will not be alto- 

 gether reliable. We hope it is not yet too late for him to consider 

 this. The Introduction is interesting and useful, giving full notes and 

 hints on capturing and setting insects, larva? rearing and preserving, 

 etc. We wish we could criticise the method of the book as satisfactorily 

 as the obvious intentions of the author. — Ed. 



