lii 



good feature, being far more intelligible to the beginner than tbe 

 intervention of a variety of named divisions, group under group, 

 which vary in almost every systematic work, while the families 

 themselves are comparatively stable. 7. The full index of names, 

 the clear arrangement, and excellent quality of most of the wood- 

 cuts and i^lates, the good paper and clear type, are to be 

 commended. 8. And lastly, the introduction of the Araclmida 

 and Myriapoda, which ought certainly to form part of every 

 general work on Insects. On the whole then, the book contams 

 a mass of information compactly arranged and clearly conveyed, 

 which is to be found combined in no other English work, and as 

 such it will be a great boon to all who wish to obtain a general 

 knowledge of modern discoveries as to the structure, habits a,nd 

 physiology of insects ; while it will prove very unsatisfactory to 

 those who want a guide to their classification and geographical 

 distribution. We must remember, however, that Entomology has 

 become too vast a subject for any one man to master; and to 

 produce such a work as we now require, it would perhaps be 

 necessary for a number of special students to combine, while a 

 skilful editor, with a good general knowledge of the subject, should 

 have unlimited powers to determine the space to be devoted to each 

 subject according to its comparative importance, and to connect 

 the separate portions into a uniform and consistent whole. Let 

 us hope that the appearance of Dr. Packard's work may supply 

 the necessary stimulus for such a combination among British 

 Entomologists. 



The very original paper by Mr. Andrew Murray, " On the 

 Geographical Eelations of the chief Coleopterous Faunse," which 

 was read before the Linnean Society in December, 1868, has 

 appeared during the present year in that Society's 'Journal,' 

 where it occupies nearly ninety pages. It contains a variety of 

 curious speculations, supported by a large array of facts ; and, as 

 it brings up some of the fundamental questions of geographical 

 distribution as aifecting insects, it may be wellto consider it at 

 some length. 



Mr. Murray first remarks, that of all classes of organized 

 beings, beetles are best adapted to throw light on the past history 

 of the earth by a study of their geographical distribution. This 

 is partly on account of their vast numbers and their universality, 

 but chiefly, he thinks, because they are little liable to be 



