280 THE entomologist's RECOliD. 



considerable doubt about his record on September 24th, that N. ditra- 

 jiezuim occurred in Yorkshire. 



:KiEYIEWS AND NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



Monograph of the Bombvcine moths of America, North of Mexico,, 

 includiiig their transformations and origin of thk larval markings 

 AND ARMATL'RE. Part I. — NoTODONTiD^, by Dr. AlphfBus S. Packard. 

 —Quarto, 292 pp., 49 Plates and 10 Maps.— [Published by the 

 National Academy of Sciences, New York, U.S.A. Price £3.] . — This 

 monograph is, without doubt, the best piece of work ever yet done on 

 the Notodonts, and no entomologist who aspires to know anything of 

 the group can afford to be without it. Although the descriptive part 

 deals with American species, it must be remembered that these are, in 

 some cases, so closely allied to the European, that even the descriptions 

 (especially of the early stages) are as interesting to European as to 

 American entomologists, especially as they are illustrated by 49 well- 

 executed coloured plates, and a large number of woodcuts. The ten 

 general chapters with which the work opens are indeed excellent, and 

 without committing ourselves to an agreement with the details of 

 some of the theories discussed, we have no hesitation in saying that 

 they are far beyond anything yet offered on the subject by any writer. 

 We recommend this work as being especially worthy of the most 

 serious attention of all lepidopterists. 



Uber die Palpen der Rhopaloceren. Ein Beitrag zur Erkenntnis 

 DER verwandtschaftlichen Beziehungen unter den Tagfaltern, von 

 Enzio Reuter. Quarto, 578 + xvi. pp., 6 Plates. — [Published, 

 Druckerei der Finnischen Litteratur Gesselschaft, Helsingfors, 1896.. 

 Price 16s.] . — This bulky quarto volume is probably the most compre- 

 hensive study ever given to the relationship of the Rhopalocera of the 

 world, based upon the consideration of a special structure of the 

 imagines. To enter into a discussion of the contents of this pains- 

 taking and monumental work is quite impossible here, but we have no- 

 hesitation in asserting that the diagnoses of the various tribes, genera, 

 etc., of the Rhopalocera, have never before received such judicious treat- 

 ment, and that it is rare to find an author who has so closely searched every 

 possible source of information to compare with his own conclusions. 

 As a result of the author's labours, we find the butterflies divided intO' 

 two sub-orders : — (1). Grypocera (the Skippers). (2). Rhopalocera (all 

 other butterflies). The latter are divided into six Gentes, viz.^ 

 Papilioncs, fjijcaenae, Lihi/thcae, Danaiilae, Satyri and XijnipJiales. 

 These again undergo sub-division into Families, Sub-families, Stirpes, 

 and Tribes. We find a close relationship between the Papilionids and 

 Pierids maintained, contrary to Dr. Chapman's views, and a close 

 alliance between Lycfenids and Erycinids, in accordance with the latter. 

 We find practically our own grouping of the Satyrids, as set forth in 

 our most recent work, British Buttcrjiics, upheld, although the author 

 adversely criticises the position we assign to the Apaturids. Our sub- 

 division of the Theclids and the Argynnids also falls in with the 

 author's conclusions. We can congratulate the author most heartily for 

 having brought us a step nearer to the desired end of a rational 

 classification of the butterflies of the world, and recommend this 

 monumental and painstaking work to the attention of all scientific 

 lepidopterists. 



