18 [J™c, 



Ants and Coccida. — The Lecania, this year much less nnmorous than usual 

 on the trees thcj affect, have been about ten clays late in their nuptial preparations, 

 but the few bright, hot days last week stimulated their dormant energies, and both 

 sexes have thrown off their brown winter covering. The males now appear in a 

 grey or grey-white suit ; some have pushed out of it the pnpa skin ; some have even 

 got a stage further, and have extruded the long silvery tails, and in a few days more 

 the perfect bridegroom will come forth in full array, his late covering being then 

 clear white. The female, having the care of a family before her, has appropriately 

 a sober garb of variegated brown and yellow, which will soon become of a iniiform 

 brown hue ; this will serve for her dwelling as long as she lives, and also for a nest 

 for her eggs and young ones, and she will die there. In this community the 

 gentlemen, and not the ladies, on bridal occasions are dressed in white. Just now 

 these females are the object of special attention by ants {Formica nigra) ; sometimes 

 three or four diligently watch and wait on one Lecanium, no doubt for some tributory 

 exudation which is grateful to them. I do not remember hearing of this phase of 

 their character, though their devotion to Aphides for a consideration is well known. 

 — J. W. Douglas, 8, Beaufort Gardens, Lewisham : May \Oth, 188G. 



lUuiciu. 



The LAETiE of the Britisu Butterflies and Moths ; by the late Wm. 

 Buckler. Vol. I : The Butterflies. Kay Society, 1886 : 8vo, pp. 202, with 17 

 coloured plates. 



Probably most British Lepidopterists have looked forward to the appearance of 

 this volume as much as I myself have done, and certainly none will be disappointed 

 with it, now that it is before them ; the great storehouse of facts given in this book 

 will enable us all to gain a much larger knowledge of our native butterflies than was 

 before possible, and it is well here to pause and feel the power of united work, how 

 many heads and hands have joined together to make this volume what it is ; none 

 the less honour on this account to the memory of the man who worked out and 

 noted the results so carefully ; how many hours of patient labour must he have 

 given, not only to the figures, but to the invaluable remarks on the life-histories of 

 the larvae ; how thankful, also, must all be that Mr. Buckler found so true a coadju- 

 tator as Mr. Hellins, who has been enabled so ably to supplement the labours of his 

 late friend and fellow-worker. Thanks to the Eay Society, there is in the volume 

 before me the commencement of a series that promises to add more to the know- 

 ledge of our native Lepidoptera than any work we have seen for many years. 



"Much would have more," is an old saying ; here it is used by me in a double 

 sense — first, it implies an increased longing for the nest volume ; and, secondly, it 

 means that our native entomologists must be stimulated to supply the gaps in the 

 work before them, and though very few indeed can have either the pencil or the 

 power of accurate observation given to our late friend Mr. Buckler, yet all may help 

 to the utmost of their ability. Would that he had been left amongst us long 

 enough to perfect the work himself. 



After this preface, let me now briefly indicate what this volume tells us, and 

 somewhat also of what it leaves untold. Most readers will, it is probable, turn to 



