286 tHE entomolo(;ist's record. 



specialists than to read a book in which the beauties of nature are 

 described in choice language, and without incorrect statements and 

 impossible observations being forced upon them on every page. Yet 

 so few writers have the requisite knowledge and power of expression 

 to produce such a book, that the strictly scientific man religiously 

 eschews everything in this direction, until, by rare good chance, he 

 finds an author who combines the requisite knowledge with a good 

 command of the English language, and, once a successful author of 

 this description is found, those who know the value of writing which 

 they can, more than any others, appreciate, are fain to read all that 

 such an author can present to them. It was with these preconceived 

 ideas that we opened the above book, and, on the whole, we must say 

 we are well satisfied at the result of our temerity. In the main, the 

 various chapters are well written, the information is accurate, and some 

 of the ornithological notes really good. We can, therefore, recommend 

 this as an addition to the row of volumes which every scientific 

 naturalist should keep on his book-shelves, and to which he can turn 

 when he wishes for a quiet hour after having put aside the labours of 

 the day. The chapter on " Idleness " is, however, weak though- 

 out, and such remarks as are to be found on pp. 56-57 are altogether 

 out of place. We have before stated, and repeat again, that when 

 theology and science are mixed up it is bad both for the science and 

 theology. Repetitions also are much too frequent. One uets an 

 excellent chapter — " A Chorister " — on the nightingale, but when the 

 same remarks are repeated again on pp. 108-106, and yet again on pp. 

 121-122, the good thing becomes wearisome ; so also with the 

 oft-repeated remarks on the kestrel, halcyon and other birds. l^ut 

 such a book the author will naturally tell us was not written to be 

 read straight off' — a chapter in an easy chair, to be repeated not 

 oftener than once a day — would probably be his prescription, and 

 the book was evidently conceived in order that it should ])e taken this 

 way, and is excellently suited for the purpose. 



The Honey Bee. — By Frank Benton, M.S. — lllH pp., 11 plates 

 and 76 woodcuts. — Washington (rovernment Printing OflUceJ . — This 

 is a manual of instruction in apiculture, and an excellent manual too. 

 It should be read by all those interested in bees and bee-keeping. 

 Being a (rovernment publication, it may, Ave believe, be obtained by 

 all interested societies and individuals on application. The chapter 

 on "Bee Pasturage" is especially interesting, and the plates illus- 

 trating the plants referred to are excellent. 



A Stepping Stone from the Old Entomology to the New.*- 



Nothing has been so much wanted by entomologists generally as a 

 book which should distinctly and clearly set forth the connection 

 between the old entomology and the new, and we have to congratulate 

 Messrs. Houtledge on the publication of one. The book that Mr. Tutt 

 has written for them is intended to replace the Kev. J. (i. Wood's 

 ( '(iiiniKin Ilritis/i MdIIis, but what that author would think of the new 

 work we can hardly venture to surmise. Instead of the old inaccurate 

 scissors-and-paste friend of our youth, we have a book written dr imro 

 by one who knows practically every branch of the study he professes. 



* British Moths, by .T. W. Tutt. F.E.S. [.SfiSpp., 12 coloured plates, and (il 

 woodcuts, i'ublislied by G. lioutlcd^'c & Sous, Ltd., Ludgate Hill, E.G. Price -js.]. 



