FOREST ENTOMOLOGY. 



211 



species, and the larva is said to generally feed on the willow and apple, 

 though I have found it feeding on the leaves of the black Italian 

 poplar." The larvre of (ydssus lij/niperda "live for about three or 

 four years in the larval stage." Xcic^era amcidi "is Koid to live from 

 two to three years in the larval stage." " I have not found Or;iyia 

 (Dttif/iia so numerically strong as to be considered a serious pest." 

 " The caterpillars of Centra riniila are sometimes very injurious to 

 willow and poplar." " The larvae of J^i/naera hiicephala often do con- 

 siderable damage to various forest-trees by feeding on the leaves of 

 elm, oak and other trees ; in some cases, oak-trees have been quite 

 defoliated." " The larvae of Trachea piniperda feed on the ttcif/s of 

 Scots pine-trees." " The larvae of Diorijctria abietella are injurious to 

 the cones of the spruce-fir and silver-fir. This species belongs to the 

 family of Crambites, the typical moths of the same may be seen flying 

 or rather leaping on the grass fields, in a summer evening walk." 

 When the larva of Hedya ocellana " injures the leading shoot of 

 Popiilits ari/entea, considerable damage is done to young woods." "The 

 terminal shoots of a holly hedge are often drawn together by a small 

 silken thread, thus forming a sort of rosette, each rosette tenanted by 

 a single caterpillar of Paedisca ophthalinicana." " Hi/ponoineiita evony- 

 mellni^ is found on bird-cherry and spindle-tree," etc. 



There is no need to discuss such statements as these, which, when 

 not absolutely erroneous, can be of no possible service to anyone. Ento- 

 mologically, of course, they are hopeless ; and their value may explain 

 the author's statement (p. 281) that hitherto the genus Coleophora 

 " has not received such special attention from economic entomologists 

 as to assure us that the habits given by naturalists are over-reliable," 

 etc. This suggestion that the knowledge of naturalists must be con- 

 firmed by economic entomologists before it can be considered reliable 

 is very funny, yet it seems to be ofiered in all innocence by the author. 

 Of course, we may admit at once that lepidopterists among other 

 " naturalists" know little of the "habits " of anything, but, judging 

 from the knowledge of "economic entomologists," as set forth in this 

 book, we can assure the author that the latter are not at all likely to 

 surpass the former at any rate for the next century, even if the 

 " economics " keep steadily on, and the "naturalists" do no more. "We 

 would refer Mr. Gillanders to some notes on the Coleophorids — Ent. 

 ZiVc, xviii., pp. 11-12; 41; 65; 103; 118-123; 173, 174 ; 311, etc. 

 There are very many others, but these will do. If he will turn to 

 p. 311 he will discover something about Coleophora fuscedinella, not 

 quite in accordance with his remarks on p. 284. No doubt, if he sent 

 the cases of his unknown birch Coleophorids to any of our specialists, 

 he could get them reliably named. 



The book is excellently printed and well got up. We can only 

 regret that the contents are so poor. America has given us the lead 

 ni "Economic Entomology" — good, bad, and indifferent. It has 

 shown us how to make a "trade " of it. In Britain, so far, we have 

 escaped. Any interested gardener or agriculturist can always, by 

 reference to any of the reputable entomological magazines, get reliable 

 information on almost any species that interests him. There are books 

 almost three-quarters of a century old far ahead in many respects of 

 " Forest Entomology," and the success of Miss Ormerod was largely due 

 to the fact that, in any trouble, she immediately sought expert ento- 



