306 THE entomologist's record. 



cabinet, showing no trace of the niiuiipiilation it has undergone. The 

 shellac is recommended to prevent any possible future springing or 

 drooping, but the pure Naphtha produces an equally satisfactory effect 

 so far as relaxing goes. The old tedious process of damping may thus 

 be obviated, and the most delicate colours left luiinjured. — J. P. Mutch, 

 P.r,0, Hornsey Eoad, N. 



OTICES AND REVIEWS. 



Traiisactioufi of the Leicester Literanj and Philnsophical SacJet)/. Vol. 

 iii., Pt. viii., July, 1894. — (Published by Geo. Gibbons & Co., 49, King 

 Street, Leicester. Price 9d.) — From this we find that the Entomological 

 section of this Society consists of 7 members and 18 Sectional 

 Associates, and that five papers were read between Jan. 25tli and May 

 23rd. Five periodicals, lent by various members, are circulated among 

 the members, whilst a sixth. The American Natnralist, is subscribed for 

 b}' the Council. Two interesting papers are printed in extenso (1), " A 

 short paper on the British Micro-lepidoptera " by the Eev. C. T. A. 

 Cruttwell, M.A., which shows a combination of keen observation with 

 antiquated and obsolete notions as to the distribution of species and 

 methods of work. Thus we read : — " Speaking generally, the Pyralites 

 and Tineas do not vary," a remark sufficiently wide of the mark in 

 many genera of the Tineina ; whilst, the remark that " Leicestei-shire 

 shows a decided admixture of northern forms. It is sufficient to 

 mention the occurrence of the melanic forms of A.hetularid, A.pilosariu 

 and H. progemmaria, hitherto scarcely recorded south of the Humber," 

 shows a quaint clinging to the old notion that melanism is a northern 

 phenomenon. We read too that " N. hispidaria, chiefly, though not 

 exclusively northern," occiu's in Leicestershire, another rather droll 

 statement considering the general scarcity of the moth in really 

 northern localities, and its local abundance in Surrc}', Cheshire, 

 Herefordshire, Essex, etc. The practical advice to collect and i-ear 

 larva^ in large, closely-fitting tins is contrary to our experience. 

 Close-fitting receptacles of any kind will make all but the smallest 

 larva? sweat, and few enough will be reared unless the larvte are full-fed 

 at the time of capture. But for all that there are a number of sound 

 practical suggestions, which show that Mr. Cruttwell knows a great 

 deal about capturing insects. A somewhat different paper is Mr. F. 

 Bouskell's " Urtication in certain lepidopterous larvae : its causes and 

 effects," which is a very fair summary of the more recently recorded 

 cases, together with the reasons which have been given by various 

 authors to explain the irritation wliicli is frequently produced. We 

 were ourselves very badly stung by Bornbijx qnercns in August last, and 

 until the whole of the epidermis, under which the tiny hairs were 

 embedded, was worn off, the irritation under certain conditions (body 

 temperature, &c.) remained. It is probable that the irritation is not 

 always set up in the same way, but there can be little doubt that the 

 urtication set up by B. qaercnn is to a large extent mechanical, and not 

 due to poison. If it were due to poison, the irritation should be 

 continuous, whereas, as a matter of fact, the irritation is spasmodic and 

 recurrent. We strongly advise our readers to obtain the Transactions, 

 and read these papers. 



Social Progress. — (The Scientific Press, Limited, 428, Strand, W.C., 

 64 pp., Price 2s. 6d.) — This new scientific magazine apjieals to 



