—59— 



means of knowledge used by the author in his work. It does not appear that 

 he had any personal knowledge of the insects of our fauna, or of the fact 

 that since the publishing ol Dr. Packard's Monograph above 185 species 

 have been described by various authors or have been found in our fauna! 

 limits. The author will without doubt be informed upon these matters 

 in time to incorporate the most of them in his work, but it is a serious 

 drawback to the value of the work in the eyes of American Students and 

 gives a suspicion that sufficient personal investigation and study has not 

 been given to that fauna which includes nearly one-third of the species of 

 which he treats. 



However in its system of classification the work is a very notable 

 one and in that respect will rank among the few great works upon this 

 family ol the I epidoptera, even though the system must be condemned. 



Geo. D. Hulst. 



* 

 Synopsis of the North American Syrphidae, by Samuel W. Williston, M. D., 

 Ph. I). Bull. U. S, Nat'l Mus., No. 31. 8°. pp. I to XXX, and 1 to 335, pi. XII. 

 Washington, 1886. 



This Bulletin has just been distributed, and is by all odds the most 

 valuable recent contribution to American Dipterology. It contains first 

 a "Classification," in which a synoptic table of the subfamilies and genera 

 are given, and second, "Descriptions," in which all the genera and species 

 are carefully described, the synonomy and bibliography given and all in- 

 formation on the species collated. 



The best praise that can be given this book, is to say that no intelli- 

 gent student can fail to identify his specimens from it. More such works 

 would quickly increase the number of students and consequent knowledge 

 of the order. John B. Smith. 



Editor Entomologica Americana. 



Dear Sir : — There are few beetles, or indeed insects of any order 

 more beautiful than are the Buprestids of the genus Brachys. We have 

 just reared in our Laboratory two species, B. ovata Web., and B. cerosa 

 Mels. The former was taken last ( Ictober in leaves of the Poplar (Popu- 

 lus tremuloides) and the latter in leaves of Oak. The larvae were mining 

 under the epidermis, and were like all the larva; of this genus. The head 

 is prominent, and the borer or miner tapers gradually to the pointed 

 posterior end. The B. ovata came forth as a mature beetle the last week 

 of April, while B. cerosa came forth from the pupa state to-day, May 9th. 



Last year, 1886, peach trees in portions of Michigan were seriously 

 injured by a Longicorn borer. The twigs were cut off so as to nearly destroy 

 some of the trees. The beetles are just now emerging from twigs kept over 

 winter in the Laboratory. They prove to be Ellaphidion farallelum Newm. 



A. |. C'ooK. 



