304 THE ENTOMOLOGIST, 



its geographical position, possesses one of the poorest butterfly faunas 

 in France? But apart from these unnecessary repetitions, M, Frionnet 

 condenses much useful and new matter into the two hundred and 

 thirteen notices which more than cover the splendidly diverse cata- 

 logue of France's butterflies, and we may hope that the tempting 

 array will further encourage those who enjoy the opportunity of 

 studying them at first-hand to supplement our knowledge alike of 

 their earlier stages, and of the area of their distribution in Western 

 Europe. 



H. R.-B. 



Some Moths and Butterfliea and their Egtjs. Gowan's Nature Books, 

 No. 15. Pp. 8, 60 plates. London and Glasgow: Gowau & Gray. 



We have here a little book, 6 in. x 4 in., in paper cover, intended 

 for the general public, but requiring notice also amongst entomologists. 

 We have photographs of sixty species of Lepidoptera and their eggs, 

 by Mr. A. E. Touge, reproduced in half-tone, as perfectly as we are 

 accustomed to see such work in our best Transactions and magazines. 

 The half-tone process does not reproduce the minute sculpture of the 

 eggs, as one would like, but it shows as much as one can see of the 

 egg itself by aid of an ordinary hand-lens. We can detect nothing 

 that is not scientifically accurate, and we admire the portraits of not 

 a few of the imagines. The remarkable point about the book is its 

 price, so much and such good material got up for sale amongst ento- 

 mologists would probably be sold at 5s. or lO-s. Here it is for Qd. 

 The secret is that it is to be sold by the thousand on bookstalls and 

 elsewhere. If we could make the usual scientific works as popular, 

 we might get them as cheaply. Will this suggest to anyone to think 

 furiously with practical result ? 



^— T. A. C. 



The Story of Insect Life. By W. Percival Westell, F.L.S., 

 M.B.O.'U. Pp. 1-339. London : Robert Culley, Paternoster 

 Row, E.G. 1907. 

 The first of the seven chapters into which the author has divided 

 his subject comprises general remarks on the structure, metamor- 

 phosis, habits, &c., of insects. Chapters ii.-vi. deal respectively with 

 Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Neuroptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera. 

 The seventh and last chapter is devoted to Hemiptera and Diptera. 

 Only some of the commoner species in each order are referred to, and 

 these are just those insects that are most likely to come under the 

 notice of rural dwellers or country ramblers. There are fifty figures 

 of insects on the eight coloured plates, and a further sixty-two in 

 black and white. Only ten species are shown in the larval stage, and 

 of the egg stage we only find three examples. The story is pleasantly 

 told, most of the illustrations are well done, and altogether the book 

 is distinctly attractive. 



Obituary. — We regret to learn that Mr. A. H. Shepherd, of 

 81, Corinne Road, died on October 26th last. 



lBJe'08 



