I08 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, 



5. Catalogus Hvmenopterorum, . . . , by Dr. G. C. de Dalla Torre, 

 vol. viii, Fossores (Sphegidae), 8vo, Leipzig, 1897, pp. 1-749. — This praise- 

 worthy work is Hearing completion. With the appearance of the present 

 volume but four volumes remain to be published. Vol. viii is brought 

 down to the Zoological Record for 1894, and the Zoologischer Anzeiger 

 (Jahrg. xviii), 1895. Considerable lumping of genera is evident, but as 

 the work is bibliographic and not systematic, this must not be taken too 

 seriously, inasmuch as lumping is convenient in bibliographic works, es- 

 pecially where some confusion exists in regard to the disposition of certain 

 species to their proper genera. Therefore one is not surprised to find 

 Brachycisiis, Chyphotes, Ephuta Say (which, by the way, has priority 

 over Sphcerophthalma, having been proposed for the species of Mutilla, 

 with round eyes, in 1836) and Myrmosa placed under Mutilla. This has 

 consequently led to the renaming of several of our species, for instance 

 Brachycisiis atratus Blake becomes Mutilla agatna D. T., and Myrmosa 

 parvula Fox is to be Mutilla aiitisemitica — how the author knew this 

 species to be a Jew-hater he does not state — and many other changes 

 occur. It is our opinion that it would have been better to have not 

 changed any of the preoccupied names unless the author wishes to ad- 

 vance his system of lumping to the claims of a systematic work, in which 

 case he will probably find but few adherents. It is difficult to comprehend 

 that Myzine caroliniana, confluens, dubiosa, frontalis, hyalina and texana 

 should be separated generically from M. interrupta, obscura and sex- 

 cincta, which are placed under Plesia, a name which we liad supposed 

 was long determined as synonymous with Myzine. Two species are con- 

 fused under Crabro texanus on p. 631, as Entotnognathus texanus Cress, 

 is not the same as Crabro texanus Cress, 



The work is of extreme value from a bibliographic standpoint, and 

 notwithstanding the idiosyncrasy of classification will be found indispen- 

 sible to hymenopterists. — W. J. I^. 



6. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- 

 delphia, 1897, pp. 135-141. — New fossorial Hymenoptera from New 

 Mexico, T. D. A. Cockerell and W. J. Fox. 



7. Thirty-fourth Annual Report of the Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural College. Boston, January, 1897.— Report of the Entomolo- 

 gist, C. H. Fernald. 



8. Second Annual Report ok the Entomologist of the State Ex- 

 periment Station of the University of Minnesota to the Governor for the 

 year 1896. By Otto Lugger. Delano, 1896, x, 244 pp., 187 figs., 16 pis. 

 The first 43 pages deal with a number of familiar insect pests. The re- 

 mainder of the volume is an extensive treatise on arachnid and insect 

 parasites of man and domesticated animals. 



9. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History. London, 

 March, 1897. — New species of Hymenoptera from Central America, P. 

 Cameron. 



