Bibliographical Notice. 269 
is enough to mention Madame Merian, Miss Jermyn, Miss Catlow, 
Frau Lienig, Mrs. W. F. Kirby, and Miss Ormerod, the last of whom 
is still with us and by no means one of the lesser names among our 
English entomologists.  ~ 
“‘ Nearly all of the woodcuts have been engraved from nature by 
the Junior Author...... Although the chief work of the Junior 
Author has been with the pencil and graver, many parts of the book 
are from her pen.” So writes Prof. Comstock ; and the excellence 
of the work can speak for itself. All the illustrations, however, 
are not new, nor was it necessary or desirable that they should be. 
Thus, the illustrations of scale-insects are taken from one of 
Prof. Comstock’s reports on the subject; and at p. 68 Lyonnet’s 
figures of the muscles of the larva of Cossus ligniperda (the Goat 
Moth) are reproduced, which we do not remember to have seen in 
any recent popular work on entomology. The woodcuts are 
numbered up to 757; but several of them are repeated twice, and, 
in one instance, even three times in different parts of the book, a 
proceeding which, though far from indefensible, is yet fairly open 
to criticism. 
Much information about the habits of insects is scattered 
tbrough the book, and a great’ many typical American forms are 
figured and fully described, especially among the Jepidoptera and 
the other orders which are most fully discussed. But, although 
we are fully in accord with the author as to the extent of the field 
of entomology and the desirability of original observation in any 
promising direction, yet we cannot quite agree with his concluding 
remarks :—“ There is a large literature concerning the intelligence 
of bees; but those who love to see rather than merely to think 
about interesting things will find keenest pleasure in intimate 
associations with these little communists.” Surely study and obser- 
vation must go hand-in-hand, or we shall merely repeat and, perhaps, 
misunderstand what others have often observed and probably mis- 
interpreted before us ; whereas, if we know what has already been 
done, we need waste no time in going over old ground, but proceed 
at once and intelligently to the study of points which still require 
verification or elucidation. 
We must now take our leave of a book which, though not perfect 
in all points (as what book is ?), is yet one of the most important 
general introductions to entomology which have come under our 
notice ; while, as regards most orders of insects, it will prove of 
great value, not only to those interested in entomology in general, 
but to specialists as well. We must not forget to add that there is 
a good index, as well as a table of contents. Few books are now 
published without the former; but, unfortunately, some recent 
authors seem to undervalue the importance of the latter. 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol, xvi. 19 
