330 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Lift!- Histories of American Insects. By Clarence Moores Weed, D.Sc. 



With 21 plates and many figures in the text. Pp. 278, sm. 8vo. 



New York and London : The Macmillan Company. 1897. 



Comprises twenty-six nou-technical essays on certain species or 



groups of species occurring in America. Tliese appear to have been 



prepared with great care, and although written in simple language 



they are nevertheless generally scientifically accurate. The plates and 



figures in the text are admirable. Altogether the book is one that 



should prove both interesting and instructive, not only to American 



but also to British readers, 



Eeport of the State Board of Agriculture on the Work of Extermination of 



the Gi/psi/ Moth. Plates 6, pp. 85, 8vo. Boston : Wright & 



Porter. 'l897. 



Since 1893 something like 100,000 dollars have been received by 



the Committee each year from the State for carrying on the war against 



the moth, but this sum is not considered sufficient ; and it is suggested 



that if the enemy is to be completely overcome an appropriation of not 



less than 1,575,000 dollars spread over a period of fifteen years, an 



average of 105,000 dollars per annum, will be required. 



It certainly seems remarkable that while unsuccessful attempts 

 have been made to turn down Porthetria (^Ocneria) dispar in Britain, 

 the most elaborate measures taken by Extermination Committees 

 have failed to destroy this species in certain States of America where 

 it has become established and is recognised as a pest. It is estimated 

 that if the insect were allowed to spread it would do damage to the 

 extent of one million dollars in the State of Massachusetts alone. 



Proceedinqs of the Davenport Academy of Natural Science, Vol. vi. 

 1889-1897. Davenport, Iowa. 1897. 

 The Entomological papers comprised in this volume are : " A List 

 of Coleoptera from the Southern Shore of Lake Superior, with Re- 

 marks on Geographical Distribution," by H. F. Wickham, M.S., and 

 " Revision of the Truxalimie of North America," by Jerome McNeill, 

 with six finely executed plates, on which thirty-nine species and 

 structural details are fiafured. 



The following have also been received : — 



Biological Effects of Civilization on the Insect Fauna of Ohio. By F. 

 M. Webster. Reprint from the Fifth Annual Report of the Ohio 

 State Academy of Science, Pp, 15, 



Tlie Protective Value of Action, Volitio)ial or otherwise, in Protective 

 Mimicry. By F. M. Webster. Pp. 67-77. Journal New York 

 Entomological Society, June, 1897. 



Tlie Food Plants of Scale Insects [CoccidcB). By T. D. A. Cockerell. 

 Pp. 725-785. Proc.' U. S. Nat. Mus. vol. xix. Washington, 1897. 



Further Coccid Note.i ; with descriptions of new species and discussion 

 of points of interest. By W. M. Maskell. Pp, 293-331 ; plates xviii- 

 xxii. Trans. N. Zeal. Inst. 1897. 



