NOTICES AND REVIEWS. 307 



scientific naturalists rather from a general than from a special standpoint, 

 and to those of our readers who are general naturalists first and special- 

 ists afterwards, we cannot recommend a more valuable or a more 

 readable magazine. The Nos. already published contain many articles 

 of the gi'eatest interest to naturalists. 



The Literaational Journal of Microscopy and Natural Science. (Pu)j- 

 lished by Bailliere, Tindall & Cox, 20, King William Street, Strand, 

 W.C. Price 10s.) — We are inclined to think that the volume before 

 us is, if anything, an advancement on its predecessors. It contains 

 some very interesting papers on general science of which perhaps that 

 entitled " Bacteria of the Sputa and Cryptogamic Flora of the mouth," 

 by Flandi'o Vicentini, M.D., merits the first place. Of the articles 

 specially interesting to us as specialists are '• Predaceous and Parasitic 

 enemies of the Aphides," by H. C. A. Vine, a first-class article, illustrated. 

 " Heredity and its bearing on the Phenomena of Atavism," by Gustav 

 Mann, M.B., CM. "The Structure of Insect Trachea?.," by Dr. Alfred 

 C. Stokes. Besides these there are a number of very interesting short notes. 

 To entomologists who have microscopes we suppose that the magazine 

 is well-known and needs no introduction. To those who have not, 

 there are -±43 pp. of highly interesting readable matter which would 

 occupy the leisure of winter most profitably and combine pleasure with 

 instruction. — Ed. 



Societies. 



The meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological 

 SociEi'Y, on Nov. 12th, was signalized by the reading of a paper by 

 Mr. Hewett, of York, on " Arcfia lubricipeda, and its varieties, rad/ata, 

 fasciata and ehoraci, etc., in Yorkshire, Durham and Lincolnshire." 

 After speaking of the older specimens of var. radiata, Mr. Hewett gave 

 a complete history of the present brood, stated that he believed this 

 form to be genuine, and congratulated Mr. Harrison on his success. 

 Mr. Hewett also exhibited two olive-brown specimens ( <? & ? ) of 

 Bombyx quercm, from Rhanbolds Moor, Yorkshire. Mr. Arkle, of 

 Chester, exhibited a female Erehia aethiops, from Witherslack, with five 

 ocelli on each fore-wing. Mr. Watson exhibited Farnassiius delius and 

 P. siaintheiis, witli microscopic preparations of their palpi and antennae, 

 and stated that as the result of careful examination he had come to the 

 conclusion that these so-called varieties were really distinct species. 



The Secretary of the Entomological Section of the Yorkshire 

 Naturalists' Union reports that entomologists in all parts of the county 

 are agreed that the season of 1894 has been one of the worst known. 

 One member, who has collected in a great number of Yorkshix'e localities 

 for the last 17 years, has never before experienced such a uniform 

 scarcity of Lepidoptera in all stages. A few species have, in one stage 

 or another, been as common or perhaps commoner than usual ; among 

 these are the following: — Larva3 oi Agrotis agathina at Scarborough. 

 Imagines : Aspilates sijhata, abundant at Drewton Dale and Eglington 

 Wood, but very scarce at Sledmere, where it is usually common ; 

 Agrotis obsciira, more than 100 specimens taken at Hull, the highest 

 number on any one night, 10 : Hadena dissimilis also at Hull. The season 

 up to the end of April was decidedly early ; since then everything has 

 been very late. Instances of melanism have been rare. Sallows and 

 sugar were miserable failures, save at Hull, where the latter seems to 

 have maintained its seductive powers. 



