272 Miscellaneous. 



are both the special Clavuline modification (Climacammina antiqua) 

 in the Carboniferous group and the Bigenerine (B. patula) ; and it 

 seems uncalled for to thus break up and commingle, on mathema- 

 tical or geometrical principles, what seems to be a good and well- 

 defined generic Eoramiiiiferal series. One or two varieties of Haplo- 

 phragmium also seem to be mixed in with " Gnhrostomum." This, 

 moreover, is a bad generic name, being founded on a feature present 

 in several accepted genera of Foraminifera. 



The topographical and general geological distribution of the 

 forms described, as well as tbeir special and relative abundance, are 

 carefully treated of, and are shown in elaborate tables, by Prof, von 

 Mciller, who has hereby done some good service to the palaeon- 

 tology of Russia. T. E. J. 



Aid to the Ide)ttiJicntion of Insects. Edited by Charles Owen 

 Watekhotjse. Lithographs by Edwin Wilson. London : E. W. 

 Jans on. 



We learn from the prospectus that the intention of the Editor of this 

 work is to give " a series of haud-coloured lithographic drawings of 

 insects of all orders " not previously figured — to be issued in monthly 

 parts, each containing eight or nine small quarto plates. Three parts 

 are now before us, illustrating five of the orders. That Mr. C. 0. 

 Waterhouse is the editor is a sufficient guarantee for the accuracy of 

 the work. Mr. Wilson, the artist, is doing his part in a manner that 

 leaves little to be desired ; and the colouring is very carefully at- 

 tended to. Such a work should do for entomology what the ' Bota- 

 nical Magazine ' has done for botany ; and it is to be hoped it will 

 receive sufficient support to induce the spirited publisher to con- 

 tinue the work beyond the twelve parts announced to complete a 

 volume, which will contain " a systematic index, together with such 

 remarks on the insects as may appear absolutely necessary." 



Among the insects figured, attention may be called to : — Noso- 

 derma cordicoUe, an East- African beetle belonging to a remarkable 

 group otherwise confined to America : Latheticus oryzcv, a small beetle 

 recently found in rice in Calcutta and Arabia, and now imported into 

 England ; Myrmecosis Saimdersii, a curious mimetic form, belonging 

 to the Hemiptera ; and the beautiful little Homalus nanus, one of 

 the ruby-tailed flies (ChrysididEe) from the Ionian Islands. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 

 On the Starfishes dredged in the deeper Regions of the Oidf of 

 Mexico and the West-Indian Sea by the American ship 'Blahe.' 

 By M. E. Peerier. 



In 1 878 the number of species of Starfishes known from the region 

 explored was twenty-seven ; the collections of the ' Blake ' bring the 

 number of species to seventy, of which forty-three were unknown, 

 while a considerable number must constitute new generic types. 

 Most of the genera discovered by the ' Challenger ' expedition are 



