208 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S KECOKD. 



Metcalfe, M.A., F.E.S. Oiindle, Northants, 1292, 25/-.— This long- 

 expected volume has at length been published. We congratulate 

 the authors, Mr. F. N.Pierce and the Eev. J. \V. Metcalfe, on the work 

 they have done, and entomologists generally should feel that they owe 

 them a deep debt of gratitude for taking upon themselves the expenses 

 of publication with such a meagre promise of support. Eighty sub- 

 scribers only is apalling, and 22 of that 80, booksellers and institutions. 

 The Entomological Society, with more than 700 members, only has 81 

 subscribers, and further, the South London Entomological Society, 

 with the bulk of its 180 members workers on the Lepidopterous fauna, 

 has only nine subscribers, of whom eight are fellows of the Entomo- 

 logical Society, leaving only one additional subscriber. This apathy, 

 this absence of a desire to acquire knowledge, this failure to help the 

 skilled worker seems most unaccountable. One would think that every 

 lover of insects would use his utmost endeavour to get a working 

 liljrary together consonant with his needs or his resources, if only as a 

 saving of time in the acquirement of knowledge. No; the average 

 collector cares nought for books. The sale of the valuable entomo- 

 logical library of our late, esteemed colleague, Dr. T. A. Chapman, 

 in the past spring, was a record of such a state of mind. Possibly 

 more entomologists on that occasion had an opportunity of viewing the 

 books than had ever happened before, as on the previous day there was 

 the largest assemblage ever known in the sale room, where they were 

 on view, attendmg the disposal of the Farn collection of Lepidopcera. 

 It is scarcely credible, but not a half a dozen of those then present came 

 again the next day to the sale of the books. 



As the result of their special investigation the authors put forward 

 a classification " based on the structure of the male and female Geni- 

 talia " entirely. The nine large groups are arrived at in accordance 

 with the structure of the signum in the female. The genera are in 

 numerous cases rearranged and renamed, and Mr. Pierce recognises the 

 aid he has received in the nomenclature from our colleague Mr. J. H. 

 Durrant. Seven new species have been added to the British list during 

 their investigations, and the authors have pointed out that in the 

 following five pairs of species thsy can find no difference from a 

 genitalic point of view. Anjyroplacr carhonana and A. niiiricostana ; 

 Ar(jijrotoxa schalleriana and A. jitr/ilexana ; Celyjja sti-icuia and C. 

 }niriiurana ; Spilonota oeellana and S. lariciana ; lihopobata naeva)ia 

 and li. (jeminana. They may or may not be separate species in each 

 pair. We notice an act of self denial extremely praiseworthy, but most 

 unusual we think in the present age, and that is the refraining from 

 adding names to the newly arranged genera, for which the classification 

 of the authors afi'ords numerous opportunities. 



The general get up of the volume is quite good. Handy size, clear 

 good type, figures well drawn of both sexes, which is very essential in 

 this group. There are about 100 pages of concise descripi;ions and 34 

 plates, containing figures of each species. We are promised a further 

 volume " at no distant date," giving an account of the genitalia of the 

 Tineidae. May the intending subscribers to the present volume come 

 forward and help in defraying the expenses of publishing this valuable 

 pioneer work in our knowledge of the structure of Tortridiccw, and thus 

 give cheering encouragement to our authors to " keep going." — 

 H.J.T. 



