RECENT LITERATURE. 268 



life occurring in Australia. The sequence of the orders is as follows : 

 — 1. Aptera. 2. Orthoptera (7 plates). 3. Neuroptera (2 plates). 4. 

 Hymenoptera (7 plates). 5. Coleoptera (2 plates). 6. Lepidoptera 

 (Rhopalocera, 3 plates ; Heterocera, 5 plates). 7. Diptera (4 plates). 

 8. Hemiptera (2 plates ; Horaoptera, 4 plates ; Anopleura ; and Mallo- 

 phaga). 9. Thysauoptera (1 plate). 



The Termitidae — here included in Orthoptera, and placed immedi- 

 ately after the BlattidaB, and before the Embiidae — are well represented ; 

 thirty-five species have been detected, and it is thought probable that 

 others may yet be found in Australia. The reproductions of photo- 

 graphs of the mounds built up by " white ants," on plates iii. and iv., 

 are extremely good ; the termitarium of Eutermes pyriformis is said to 

 sometimes attain a height of eighteen feet. 



Some of the insects belonging to Neuroptera are of curious struc- 

 ture. Croce attenuata, for example, has the fore wings like those of a 

 mayfly, but the hind wings are very slender affairs, and greatly exceed 

 the body in length. Among the Odonata, of which family over one 

 hundred species are found in Australia, there is Petalura giyantea, 

 measuring from 5 to 6^ in. in expanse. Australia is rich in Hymeno- 

 ptera, but the Coleoptera are perhaps better known, as our author 

 states that some thousands have been added to Masters' Catalogue, 

 in which 7200 species were enumerated. In Lepidoptera the number 

 of NymphalidfB has not been indicated, but of Lycsenidae about 114 

 species appear to be known, although many are local and rare. Just 

 over thirty species of Pieridfe and about twenty species of Papilionidas 

 occur in Australia ; whilst of Hesperiidae seventy-nine species have 

 been identified. Moths are well represented in all parts of Australia, 

 and among the Noctuidae are noted Leucania tinipuncta, Hdiothis armi- 

 gera, and Prodenia littoralis, all of which have occasionally been 

 observed in England. In 1864 Schiner estimated the number of 

 described Australian species of Diptera at 1056, and since that date a 

 large number have no doubt been added. In this order, and also in 

 Hemiptera, there seems not to be any complete catalogues of Australian 

 species. 



Of course, only some of the species in the families of each order 

 are dealt with, but the selection made appears to be a useful one. 

 Discussing the Sphingidje, our author, on p. 237, states that " they 

 take their scientific name from the fanciful resemblance of their stiff 

 horny pupae ... to the Egyptian Sphinx." We had always supposed 

 that the sphinx-like attitude of the larva when resting suggested the 

 name. Further down on the same page the larva of ChcBrocampa 

 celerio is said to have eye-like spots on the hind segments ; in this 

 statement hind is probably a misprint for front. There are one or 

 two other observations that are new to us, but space does not 

 permit of further reference to them. 



Butterflies of Hong Kong and South-east China, By J. C. Kershaw, 



F.L.S., &c. 



Part VI., completing this work, has recently come to hand. On 

 pp. 121-140 the HesperiidaB are dealt with. General notes, appendix. 



