20 [.luue, 



Syria, Suez, Asia Minor, Transcaucasia, the north-west comer of Persia, Turlscstan, 

 Daungaria, and Siberia. The reason given for this is that political and geographical 

 limits are by no means identical with those of Natural History ; and with respect to 

 Hemiptera specially the author finds that tlie species of Asia, the North, and the 

 Mediterranean countries are for the most part European, and that the fauna generally 

 exhibits an essentially European type, although, as happens in certain parts of 

 Europe, many species are found in one part which do not occur in another. 



It is evident that the more comprehensive the area thus traced out the less ex- 

 haustive can any descriptive work be at this time, when so much of the ground has 

 been absolutely unworked with regard to Hemiptera, yet there is no doubt already a 

 great amount of species collected and waiting description or revision, and to this end 

 the author seeks the assistance of the directors of museums as well as of amateurs. 



With the rules to be observed in the application of specific names we may in 

 main concur, but with respect to genera, however much they may be held to be de 

 riffuettr, there appear to be many logical reasons for objection. Modern genera, even 

 with the most rigid and fine-drawn definitions, are the most unstable idealisms, not 

 only of authors, with regard to the creations of others, but also to those of them- 

 selves at some recently previous time, of which this work exhibits many examples 

 (e. ff. Psallus) ; but this is not the place for a dissertation on the subject, and we 

 reserve for another opportunity some remarks we are tempted to offer. It would, 

 however, be very desirable if, in a work of this kind, the faulty orthography of many 

 generic names were corrected. 



The work begins with the Capsidce, the reason given by the author being that 

 he regards them as the lowest in the system, that he has resolved to work from the 

 lowest to the highest, moreover, that these inferior groups specially require revision, 

 and that he is specially acquainted therewith : 148 species are described, forming the 

 Division Plagiognatharia, Keut. 



Tlie preface is written in French, and the descriptive matter in Latin ; the 

 printing, done at Helsingfors, is clear and distinct ; the plates, engraved and coloured 

 in Paris from Fieber's drawings, are excellent, and the entomological world may 

 congratulate itself tliat it will here reap the benefit of the labours of a very competent 

 authority. 



ExTOMOiiOGicAL SociETT OF LONDON : April 3rd, 1878. — H. W. Bates, Esq., 

 F.L.S., &c., President, in the Chair. 



Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod, of Scaring Grove, Isleworth, was elected a Member. 



Mr. Grut exhibited, on behalf of the Rev. T. A. Marshall, a collection of insecta 

 captured by the latter in the West Indian Islands of Antigua, Martinique, &c. 



Mr. F. Smith exhibited a series of examples of a Harvesting Ant, apparently 

 identical with Myrinina barbata, sent to Mr. Darwin from Florida, by Mrs. Mary 

 Treat. These were remarkable for the variation that existed in the teeth of the 

 mandibles, some having acute teeth, others rounded teeth, and in others the teeth 

 were obsolete, but no intermediate conditions were present, and he had no inform- 

 ation as to whether the forms inhabited different nests or otherwise. 



Mr. Berens exhibited a pair of Thesior mauriianica, Staudingcr, from the Atlas 

 Mountains. 



i 



