1882.1 47 



discoveries would be gladly acknowledged by the author if communicated to him. 

 The Preface is most distinctly not a compilation, but a very vigorous exposition of 

 the author's views on the burning question of priority ; he declines to be bound by 

 any absolute rule, but deplores the changes constantly made. As this is the very 

 latest of the somewhat numerous lists of British Coleoptera, it might have been 

 useful had the author stated the number of species enumerated, for comparison with 

 pi-evious lists. 



Our author is very severe on writers of " unrecognisable " descriptions. These 

 are of two classes. Firstly, those by writers utterly incompetent (from want of 

 knowledge) to perpetrate a description ; secondly, those by writers fully compe- 

 tent, so far as knowledge is concerned, but who fail to impart that knowledge to 

 others in an educational sense. 



A Bibliography of Fossil Insects. By Samuel H. Scudder, republished 

 from the Bulletin of Harvard University. Pp. 1 — 47. Cambridge, Mass., 1882. 



A very laborious compilation of between 900 and 1000 references, with short 

 explanatory notes to each ; indispensable to all who are engaged in the study of this 

 branch of Palaeontology. In a short introduction Mr. Scudder explains that it was 

 originally made for private use ; he has done wisely in publishing it. 



Insects injurious to Forest and Shade Trees. By A. S. Packard, Jun., 

 M.D. Pp. 1—275. Washington : Government Printing Press, 1881. 



Forms Bulletin No. 7 of the United States Entomological Commission. De- 

 cidedly one of the most valuable of the many publications on Economic Entomology 

 that have issued from the pens of American entomologists, very copiously illustrated 

 by excellent woodcuts. All the insects known to feed upon the principal trees are 

 enumerated, and very many of the references form concise life-histories of particular 

 species. Under " oak " we find 214 references, under " elm " 43, under " pine " 102, 

 under " birch " only 19, under " beech " only 15, and so on. Of these, of course, 

 only a few can be classed as really injurious insects. We commend this work alike 

 to biologists and to foresters, and those having the care of public or private parks; 

 these latter, however, should not suppose that the presence of wood-feeding beetles, 

 &c., is the primary cause of trees being in a bad condition ; it is probable the insects 

 are often there because the trees are unhealthy. 



Entomological Society of London : Maj/ 3rd, 1882. — ^H. T. Stainton, Esq., 

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



Dr. Evald Bergroth, of Helsingfors, was elected a Foreign Member, and Mr. 

 Williams, Zoological Society, Hanover Square, an ordinary Member. 



The President, in alluding to the death of Mr. Darwin, one of the original 

 Members of the Society, and to the great loss entomology and natural science 

 generally had sustained, mentioned that Mr. Darwin's connection with the Society 

 occurred during the voyage of the " Beagle," the Society having been founded after 

 his departure and before his return. 



The Secretary read a letter from the " Epping Forest and County of Essex 

 Naturalists' Field Club," asking the Members to sign a Memorial in favour of the 

 Forest being retained in its wild condition, to which request the Members who were 

 on the Council had ah'cady given adhesion. 



