RECENT LITERATURE. 327 



and D. carpophaga, Bkh., all from the same locality. — Mr. A. D. Imms, 

 a specimen of a Trichiosom.a, which he said he thought was different 

 from the common cmtccfii, taken in Montgomeryshire. — Mr. Bethune- 

 Baker, a boxful of Lyc{enid03 from Queensland, chiefly species which 

 were associated with ants, and including larvae, pupje, and specimens 

 of associated ants in a few cases. He gave some interesting particulars 

 of their life-histories. He also showed a beautiful lot of LycsenidaB 

 from Sierra Leone, which he had just received, and which included 

 some new species. 



Correction. — In the report of the meeting of this Society on 

 Feb. 16th (Entom. xxxvi. 151), the species of Ogyris are spoken of as 

 ant-feeding Lycrenids. It was not meant to imply that they fed upon 

 ants, only that they lived in association with ants ; the loose expression 

 "ant feeding," however, carries a wrong impression. — Colbran J. 

 Wainwright, Hon. Sec. 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



The Butterflies of Switzerland and the Alps of Central Euroim. By 

 George Wheeler, M.A. 8vo, pp. i-vi, 1-162. London: Elliot 

 Stock. 1903. 

 English collectors of Alpine Rhopalocera have long been feeling 

 acutely the want of a new handbook which should bring together the 

 vast amount of additional knowledge of species, varieties, and localities 

 gathered since the publication of Kane's ' Manual.' Such informa- 

 tion, scattered through various periodicals, was difficult of access even 

 in the study, and, of course, never at hand in the field. Mr. Wheeler 

 has given us a handy volume, the product of very considerable labour 

 and large practical experience, which will be welcomed as almost en- 

 tirely supplying the want. We may safely predict that every one of 

 the annually increasing number of English lepidopterists who collect 

 in Central Europe will carry this new work in pocket or valise. For 

 though Switzerland receives the largest share of attention, the whole 

 of Alpine Central Europe is included in the scope of Mr. Wheeler's 

 excellent work, i.e. from the Jura on the north to the Alpes-Maritimes 

 and Basses-Alpes in the south; and from Savoy on the west to Carin- 

 thia as far as the Julian Alps on the east of Switzerland. It will be a 

 matter of regret to some that the Black Forest and the Bavarian Alps 

 are not included, which geographically and in fauna seem more akin 

 to Switzerland than, say, the Alps of the Mediterranean. But it 

 would be ungracious to complain at the author's right of choice. 



The special features of the work and Mr. Wheeler's aims are 

 clearly and succinctly set forth in the Introduction. It is a pity that 

 the method adopted does not include a description of each species, so 

 that, at least for beginners, some other guide, such as Kane's, is still a 

 necessity. But the prevailing colours of each tribe or genus are given, 

 and often a distinguishing character of the latter ; then, under each 

 species, the synonyms, size, food-plant, and the superficial differences 

 between male and female are noted, and one or more characteristics 

 given by which each may be distinguished from its neighbours. These 



