346 



PS rCHE. 



[February 1S96. 



THE CAMBRIDGE NATURAL HIS- 

 TORY: INSECTS. 



The fiftli volume of the Cambridge Natural 

 History (Maciiiillan) treats of Perlpatus, 

 Mvriapods and a portion of the Insects, the 

 otlier portion being left for another volunie. 

 The insects are done by Dr. David Sharp, 

 but the present volume contains onlv the 

 Aptera, Ortlioptera, Neuroptera, and a part 

 of the Hymenoptera. The classification of 

 the orders adopted is given on pp. 172-1,73, 

 and differs but slightly from the old Linnean 

 divisions, while the classifications proposed 

 by Packard and by Brauer are fully explained 

 and acutely criticised. No explanation what- 

 ever is given of the low position assigned 

 the Hymenoptera in the series adopted, which 

 seems wholly indefensible. Apart from this, 

 the work promises when completed to be the 

 most useful introduction to the study of in- 

 sects which exists, and it is a veritable store- 

 house of interesting facts. Nothing but 

 praise can be given to the method, the execu- 

 tion and the judicious attitude of the writer; 

 it is, moreover, a very readable book, couched 

 in excellent English. .\s a general rule it is 

 veiv equal in excellence, though some points 

 are elaborated with more care than otheis 

 equally important; while the wooticuts are 

 numerous, largely new, admirably executed, 

 and distinctly illustrative of the text. Four 

 introductory chapters treat respectively of 

 the external structure, the internal structure, 

 the development of the individual and clas- 

 sification ; in the first, the treatment of the 

 venation and of the genital armor is unsatis- 

 factory, these subjects being dismissed in a 

 very few words. The several orders are next 

 taken up, first as a whole, and then family bv 

 family, the order of subjects treated being in 

 general that of the introductory chapters, 

 followed by remarks on the distribution of 

 the insects in question both in space and 

 time, and closing in some cases with a table 

 of genera. It is well up to date. Refer- 

 ences are abundant and sufficient, and we 

 have noted but exceedingly few inaccuracies. 



Figs. 45 and 46 are wrongly credited. Al- 

 together it is a most desirable hook for the 

 entomologist's library. 



The grand prize for the physical sciences 

 has been awarded by the French academy of 

 sciences to Mr. Charles Brongniart for his 

 recent work on fossil insects of Commentry. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE CLUB. 



10 Jan., 1896. — The iSgth meeting was held 

 at 156 Brattle St., Mr. S. Henshaw in the chair. 



Messrs. Justin W. Folsom and Herbert V. 

 Neal, both of Cambridge, were elected to 

 active membership. 



The several annual reports were read. 



The following officers for 1S96 were chosen : 

 President, H. S. Pratt of Haverford, Penn.; 

 secretary, R. Hayward ; treasurer, S. Hen- 

 shaw; librarian, S. H. Scudder; members 

 at large of the executive committee, A. P. 

 Morse and S. H. Scudder. 



Messrs. Henshaw and Scudder were ap- 

 pointed a committee with full powers, to 

 revise the list of exchanges of the Club at 

 the close of vol. 7 of Psyche. 



Mr. S. H. Scudder exhibited the American 

 and European species of Podisma in his col- 

 lection and drew special attention to the 

 apterous forms, which were represented in 

 America by two species possessing a tyni- 

 panuni on the sides of the first abdominal 

 segment; while in Europe there were not 

 only two species with a tympanum but five 

 species without, all found at high altitudes 

 or latitudes. One of our species, best known 

 from Mt. Washington, N. H., has also been 

 found at high elevations in Maine, Massa- 

 chusetts and New York, and at Sudbury, 

 Ontario; in the latter place at the general 

 level, though Sudbury itself has a consider- 

 able elevation ; the second American species 

 has only been found near Ithaca, N. Y., at 

 less than 500' above the sea. The species of 

 Podisma generally, both winged and apter- 

 ous, were usually found at high levels, gener- 

 ally above or near the forest line. 



