146 



BOOK NOTICES. 



New Check List of N. Am. Moths, and Illustrated Essay on 

 THE NocTuiD^. By Aug. R. Grote. 



Mr. Grote is well known not only in this country, but throughout the world, 

 as one of our hardest-working entomologists, and the labor that he accom- 

 plishes, even against the pressure of a poor state ot health, is absolutely sur- 

 prising. His " New Check List " is a model catalogue, and is perhaps the tru- 

 est evidence to be found of the vast knowledge of its author of the subject upon 

 which he treats. It embraces the whole of the known species of Heterocera 

 published up to August, 1882 (exclusive of the TineidcC), and includes Prof. 

 Fernald's late catalogue of the Tortricidas. The following are the number of the 

 species catalogued in each family: Sphingid^, 91 ; ^geriadse, iii ; Thyridas, 

 4 ; Zygaenidse, 57 ; Bombycidce, 375 ; Noctuidce, 1409 ; Geon.etridas, 403 ; 

 Pyralioce, 326; Tortricidce, 406. In his preface Mr. Grote says : -'The present 

 list of names ot described species of N. Am. Moths is as correct and complete 

 as I can make it in the present state of our knowledge of the families here in- 

 cluded ;" and it is not too much to add that the work is by far the most perfect 

 catalogue yet issued from the press wfth reference to American Lepidoptera. 

 It displays in an eminent degree Mr. Grote's knowledge of the groups to which 

 he has devoted most of his attention, and is a volume absolutely indispensable 

 to all who study the Heterocera of this country. To catalogue properly one of 

 the groups alluded to is no mean labor, and we do not hesitaie to say that no 

 ten entomologists in the U. S. could, without his aid, have accomplished the 

 work here performed by Mr. Grote alone. The " Check List " contains 

 seventy-three pages, including the preface, and is admirable in its "get up" 

 and general appearance. It is printed and published by the " Spectator Press 

 Company," New York. 



The "Illustrated Essay" is a dainty book, in which the author treats his 

 subject in a half-scientific, half-gossipy strain, and thus renders it interesting 

 and instruciive to those who do not follow the hard road of technical study. 

 The " Structure and literature" ot the Noctuidse are treated in the first chapter, 

 a second is devoied to "Mr. Walker's types in the B. Museum," a third to 

 " Notes and descriptions of rare N. Am. Noctuidce," and the work is illustrated 

 by four exquis.tely colored plates by the Messrs. Mintern, of London, in which 

 forty-five species are figured. Mr. Grote's cliapter on a "Colony of Butter- 

 flies," originally published in the A^. A7?i. Naturalist, closes the volume, which 

 has been issued by Vrm Voorst, of London, and is a notable contribution to 

 N. Am. Entomological literature. 



NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA. 



Femoral Tufts. It may interest the readers of "Papilio" to know 

 that from reading my paper on this subject Dr. Ehrich Haase, an assistant to 

 the Zoological Museum of Breslau, Germany, has undertaken the patholog^ical 

 study of these appendages. He has requested the sending of such species of Cat- 

 ocalce as I have captured this season, after an examination of which we shall 

 have an opportunity of availing ourselves of the observations of this en?.inent 

 pathologist. This season I have examined fresh specimens of Catocala and 

 find the tufts in the males of all the larger species. I have not been able to 

 detect them in Catocala grytiea. C, praeclara. C, gracilis and its varieties. 

 James S. Bailey, M. D. 



Fans on the feet of catocaline moths. I have found these fans 

 abundantly displayd on specimens of Parthenos nubilis captured by me during 

 the summer, and have also detected them on Catocala desperata and Catocala 

 amatrix, in all cases only upon the $ sex. Hy. Edwards. 



