RECENT LITERATURE. 139 



form of the pupa. The volume iviii.) under notice treats of the 

 Platypezidae. Pipunculidae, and Syrphidje, three famiUes belonginc^ to 

 the second suborder, and in these families the student of Bridsh 

 Diptera will now have an authoritative guide to aid him in his work. 

 There are tables of genera and species, and tliese, in conjunction with 

 the admirable descriptions, should greatly facilitate the labour of iden- 

 tification of species. The bulk of the four hundred and fifty-eight 

 excellent illustrations, from drawings by Mr. J. E. Collin, represent 

 the more important ornamental or structural characters ; full figures 

 of the perfect insect are given of only twenty species. Tlie matter of 

 synonymy is critically discussed in a note, after the remarks on geo- 

 grapliical distribution of each genus and species, and there is a full 

 synonymic catalogue at the end of the volume. 



If the succeeding tiiirteen volumes are to be of the same stately 

 form as that now before us, the entire series will constitute oue of the 

 most valuable additions to British entomological literature tbat has 

 been published during recent years. In his prefatory remarks with 

 reference to the scheme of his work he says : " In default of other 

 assistance, the author of the present volume believes himself capable 

 of dealing with all the contemplated volumes, except those portions 

 of vol. i. which concern the Cecidomyidje and Sciaiinas, which will 

 necessitate extensive biological and minute microscopical work, far 

 beyond his available time and eyesight. If some young student will 

 give a few years to these groups, the Bi-itish Diptera may soon be as 

 well worked out as the British Lepidoptera or Coleoptera." 



We trust that there will not be any great intervals of time between 

 the appearance of the volumes yet to be issued of this gieat work. 



LEprooPTERA. — Chr. Schroder discusses the value of the male 

 genitalia, for specific purposes, in Eupithecia (1900, lUustr. Zeitschr. 

 fiir Entom. v. pp. 305-7, fig.). 



Nenijkow has experimented with the eggs and larvfe of Pieris rapm, 

 which he reared under light passing through solutions of various 

 colours. The development was most rapid — both as a whole and in 

 its component periods — under the influence of ordinary white light ; 

 after white light, the order of effectiveness is red, violet, green ; but 

 under the green rays the development was markedly retarded, and 

 there was great mortality. Neither with Pieris nipce, nor with Vanessa 

 itrtica;, was any change in the coloration of larvae, pupfe, or adults 

 observed, as the result of development under red, violet, and green 

 rays." — 1900, Journ. Roy. Microsc. Soc. p. 456, abstract from 1899, 

 Physiol. Piusse, i. pp. 244-50. 



Arnold Voelschow records the capture, on July 2nd, 1900, in a 

 swampy meadow in Mecklenburg Schwerin, of a male of Aivjynnis 

 aglaia, with beautiful blue upper surface. — 1900, Societas Entom. xv. 

 p. 122. 



H. Stiz discusses at some length the genitalia of the Micro- 

 lepidoptera, Pyralid^e, Tortricid^e, Tineidfe and ButalidaB. (1900, 

 Zoolog. Jahrb. Anatom. xiv. pp. 135-76; 5 plates). 



The ' Entomologische Nachrichten ' (1900, p. 365) announces the 



