THE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Vol. XXXII.] MARCH, 18 99. [No. 430. 



BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA.* 



Having revised some small portions of this book, where my 

 own work was referred to, I am probably in an appreciable 

 degree prejudiced for and against it in various particulars ; but 

 as this is the normal condition of most reviewers, it is perhaps 

 hardly necessary thus to refer to it. One's first impression 

 before opening the book is a doubt as to the necessity for more 

 systematic works on British Lepidoptera at present. We have 

 recently had Meyrick's useful and comprehensive volume, and 

 Barrett's ponderous tomes are continually increasing on our 

 shelves, whilst the less aspiring, but very often admirable, little 

 handbooks, of which Mr. Tutt himself is not one of the least 

 prolific authors, are endless. Though the doubt may remain in 

 some of its aspects, there can be no question that the present 

 volume covers a somewhat, I might almost say a quite, un- 

 occupied field. The next impression is as to the gigantic amount 

 of work involved in the whole work if it is ever to be completed. 

 This large volume deals with only eighty species. Man is 

 mortal, but this volume, with Hampson's and Barrett's works, 

 remind us strongly that no man believes he himself is. 



The volume begins with nine chapters (112 pages) of general 

 matter concerning the structure of Lepidoptera at all stages, and 

 their varieties, protective resemblances, &c. The author, in fact, 

 incorporates in a series of special essays the leading facts that 

 have been published during the past twenty or thirty years by 

 Dyar, Scudder, Poulton, Dixey, Speyer, Walter, Packard, Hamp- 

 son, and a host of others. Many of these chapters are very full, 

 especially those treating of the larvae, both as to their internal 



* 'A Natural History of the British Lepidoptera: a Text-book for 

 Students and Collectors.' By J. W. Tutt, F.E.S. Vol. i. pp. 560. London, 

 1899. 



ENTOM. — MARCH, 1899. G 



