168 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Present knowledge of the Arctianse of the world embraces 2060 

 species, and of these no less than 1215 are brought forward in the 

 work before us. The number of genera in the subfamily is here 

 increased by 25, thus giving a grand total of 172. 



Eighty species are added to the Phaloenoididffi (= Agaristidse, vol. 

 iii) and 7 new genera are introduced, the present number of genera and 

 species in this family now being 60 and 305 respectively. 



Over 100 species, with structural details, are figured in the text, 

 and we gatlier from the Preface that the plates in connection with 

 this volume are numbered xlii-lxxi. We have not seen the latter. 



A Monograph of the British Orthoptcra. By William John Lucas, 

 B.A., F.B.S. Pp. i-xii f 1-264. London : The Pay Society, 

 1920. 



The Pay Society as publishers, and Mr. Lucas as author, are to 

 he congratulated on the highly successful maimer in which this 

 volume has been produced. The author has performed the some- 

 what laborious task of bringing together all that is at present known 

 concerning members of the Orthoptera occurring in the British Isles. 

 Hitherto the insects belonging to the group have received but scant 

 attention from the majority of entomologists in our islands. We 

 may reasonably hope, however, that with the advent of this impor- 

 tant work, as guide and mentor, our orthopterous fauna will henceforth 

 receive the recognition of which it is in every way worthy. 



Rejecting all accidental or occasional visitors that are reported as 

 having been detected, in Britain, some 46 species in all, Mr. Lucas 

 deals with 39 species of Orthoptera as British. Of this number 

 several are not really indigenous, but may be regarded as well-estab- 

 lished colonists. 



These 39 species, representing 28 genera, are considered under 

 five suborders as follows : (1) Forficulodea (Earwigs), 7 species ; 

 (2) Blattodea (Cockroaches), 8 species ; (3) Gryllodea (Crickets), 

 4 species; (4) Locustodea (Long-horned Grasshoppers), 9 species; 

 (5) Acridiodea (Short-homed Grasshoppers), 11 species. 



The original description, we are pleased to note, is given of each 

 species. Both sexes are then described in the vernacular, followed 

 by notes on the earlier stages, remarks on variation, times of appear- 

 ance, habits and distribution. 



All the species are figured on the plates, of which there are twenty- 

 five, and there are twenty-five figures in the text. Nearly all these 

 illustrations are reproductions of drawings or photographs by the 

 author. 



Although some changes in nomenclature are made, students of 

 the group will not experience much to perplex them in this matter. 



There can be little doubt that when greater interest is taken in 

 the Orthoptera by entomologists, it will be found that some, especially 

 the commoner species, have a more general distribution throughout 

 our islands than they would appear to have from the records up to 

 date. Again, more information would accrue on the important 

 matters of habits and life-histories. 



