406 Chronicles of Science. [July, 
insects, therefore, less disturbed in them than in the others. 
Partially Kyanized wood had been found ineffectual to prevent their 
eating through to the untainted part beyond ; and tin-plate, owing 
to the corrosion of the metal from the probably acid secretion of 
the animals, afforded no permanent protection. So far the ravages 
had been confined to the town. 
At a recent meeting of the Oxford Microscopical Society, Mr. 
Robertson exhibited some Acari obtained from the chest and 
abdomen of a common fowl, which had been killed for the purpose 
of dissection. They presented the appearance of small white 
specks on the peritoneum, and in the chest around the bifurcation 
of the trachea ; they were also dotted over the surface of the lungs. 
All the acart had four pairs of legs. 
We have lately received a work on Italian Entomology, pub- 
lished at Padua. It is entitled ‘ Entomologia Vicentina,’ and com- 
prises a list of imsects of all orders found in the province of 
Vicenza, with descriptions of the commoner species. It is by the 
“ Abate Francesco Disconzi,” and forms a royal octavo volume of 
318 pages and 18 plates. Such a work from the Italian press 
deserves to be recorded in the ‘“ Chronicles.” 
The Royal Society of Sciences of Liege has just issued the first 
part of Dr. Chapuis’ monograph of the Scolytidx, with excellent 
outline figures representing all the species. These are the insects— 
one of which is our well-known Scolytus destructor—which are 
popularly supposed to do so much injury to trees. There is little 
doubt, however, that they attack exclusively trees in a state of 
decay, and that therefore, as has been well observed by Mr. 
Wallace, they are to be regarded rather as benefactors, “ teaching 
us, by their presence, that there is something wrong” than as 
enemies. 
To those in want of a good and reliable work on our native 
Coleoptera, we would recommend Mr. Rye’s ‘ British Beetles,’ just 
published, with sixteen coloured plates—the best as to the drawing 
and engraving this country can produce ; it is at ten-and-sixpence, a 
marvel of cheapness. If “not, i the common sense of the term, a 
popular book, it is, in fact, something much better,” and it has the 
advantage over many popular books, of being written by one who 
understands his subject. 
ENtTOMOLOGICAL Socrery. 
March.—At this meeting two Japanese collections of insects 
were exhibited, one by Mr. Stevens from Hakodadi, the other by 
M. Tegetmeier from Nagasaki, formed by a native. These and 
other collections clearly prove that Japan, like Northern Asia 
generally, derives the insect portion of its fauna from Europe, 
