48 



THE ENTOMOLO<jHST. 



NOTES FROM CURRENT ENTOMOLOGICAL LITERATURE. 



Economic Entomology, — •The ' American Naturalist ' for January, 

 1882, contains, amongst the usual entomological notes edited by Professor 

 C. V. Riley, an announcement that a State Congress of entomologists and 

 fruit-growers was to be held in the senate-chamber, Sacramento, Gth and 

 7th December last, for the purpose of consultation and discussion as to the 

 most practical means of exterminatiug the insect pests now infesting the 

 orchards and gardens of the State of California. 



In the London 'Standard' of January, 18th appeared a leading article 

 upon Miss Ormerod's work and report relative to the economic entomology 

 of this country. This has been followed by several letters on the subject. 

 Other London and provincial papers have also drawn the public attention 

 to Miss Ormerod's work. Are we to have a State entomologist after all ? 



The Neuroptera of Madeira and the Canary Islands. — In the 

 current journal of the Linnean Society appears a paper by Mr. Robert 

 M'Lachlan, F.R.S., which forms an interesting contribution to the study 

 of island Hfe. Although the Coleoptera has been carefully studied by the 

 late Messrs. Wollaston, Crotch and others, little systematic work had been 

 hitherto done towards elucidating the natural history of the Neuroptera of 

 those islands. The bases of this paper was a collection of Neuroptera, 

 taken by the Rev, H, E. Eaton during the winter of 1880-1881. His stay 

 in such of the islands visited by him was, however, of short duration, 

 Madeira having but fourteen days devoted to it during the unfavourable 

 month of November, nevertheless yielded twenty species, several of which 

 were previously unknown. Six days in the Grand Canary, and one day 

 only in the island of Palma, resulted during December in the capture 

 of some eighteen species in that group of islands. Added to these the 

 author finds in scattered papers references to other species. An analysis 

 of all yet recorded shows "that 53 species are known from these islands ; 37 

 are found in Madeira and 31 in the Canaries, 10 being common to both. 

 Of these 53 species, 19 are known inhabitants of the continent of Europe 

 and 5 others are doubtful in this respect, owing to imperfect identification. 

 Four Odonata are African species not known to occur in Europe." Twenty- 

 five species or thereabouts seem to be peculiar to the islands. 



After some further remarks upon the probability of certain other 

 genera being ultimately found in those islands, the author concludes by 

 describing in detail the new species, and referring to those already known to 

 Science. * 



J. T, C. 



