VARIATION. 221 



Vaeietiks of the larva op Smerinthus populi. — In a brood of 

 larvae of this species from a batch of eggs laid by a 5 captured in the 

 heart of Islington, there are three distinct forms. (1). The majority 

 are of the usual form, with bright green bodies, and yellow spots and 

 lines. (2). Two specimens resemble the foregoing in colour, but in 

 addition to purple blotches round the spiracles, have a sub-dorsal row 

 of the same colour. (3). Three specimens are grey-green or sage-green 

 in general colour, and the lines are much fainter. I am keeping the 

 three forms separate, in the hope of determining whether there is any 

 difference in the resulting imagines. — F. J. Buckell. August 24:th, 

 1894. 



Variation in Ephyra annulata. — I have bred a good many Epliyra 

 annulafa (omi'cronaria) this year. They are decidedly darker in their 

 markings and larger than those I bred and captured last year. The 

 moister, colder weather, certainly seems to have produced finer forms. 

 Again, I have found the smoke-coloured ring in the centre of the fore- 

 wings absent from several ; is this variation common in other parts of 

 the country ? I have also bred another interesting variety, in which 

 the smoke-coloured lines and rings are replaced by ochreous ones. — 

 W. S. KiDiNCx, M.D., Buckerell, Honiton. Jime 14i'th, 1891. [In our 

 Kent woods, this species is jxartially double-brooded, the early brood 

 being much larger and less orange than the later specimens. Ed.]. 



OTICES AND REVIEWS. 



Species des Hi/mmopteres cVEurope et d'Algerie, by Mons. E. Andre. 

 — We have to acknowledge the receipt of the July part of this well- 

 known work, which is being published m quarterly parts by M. 

 Dubosclard, 78 Boulevard St. Michel, Paris, the annual subscription 

 being 16 francs. The part just to hand comiDrises pp. 337-400, and 

 contains descriptions of some of the genera of the Opiidae, and of the 

 species in nine genera of the Alysiidae, together with three beautifully 

 executed plates. As an inducement to such hymeno])terists as have not 

 yet subscribed for the work to do so, the publishers offer to forward the 

 complete work to would-be subscribers, to be paid for at the rate of 

 lOfr monthly, or 30 fr. quarterly. Four volumes have already ap- 

 peared, and the fifth and sixth (dealing with the Braconides and 

 Chrysides) are now in course of publication. 



Victorian Butterflies, and how to collect them, by E. Anderson and F. P. 

 Spry. — We are pleased to acknowledge the receipt of the second and last 

 part of this work. This part contains an account of the Lycaenidae 

 and B.esperiidae,vfh.\c\\, considering how little has hitherto been done in 

 the way of systematic work on the butterflies of any of the Australian 

 colonies, reflects great credit on the authors. The fauna of Australia 

 will always have a great fascination for naturalists. The great anti(iuity 

 of its isolation as a zoological region, and the traces everywhere 

 apparent of an old Antarctic fauna and flora, have made Australia of 

 special interest to palaeontologists, botanists and naturalists in general. 

 When we come to study the insects of such a district we have to con- 

 sider them from two points of view: — (1). Those that belong to 

 dominant types, that have spread widely in comparatively recent times. 



