RECENT LITERATURE, 219 



frequently ichneumoned in the autumn, he had not found any treated 

 thus when feeding in the spring. Larvae, too, of 0, bidentata were 

 occasionally ichneumoned in the autumn, but he had never known the 

 larvae of Amphidasys hetularia to suffer in like manner, although he 

 had collected and taken them for years. The following exhibits were 

 shown by the members: — Mr, G, Keary, B. sulphurella, bred from 

 fungus obtained at Cheetham, near Manchester; Mr. J. Ray Hardy, 

 specimens of Psalidotpiathus friendi from South America, showing the 

 remarkable difference in size during the dry and wet seasons, — Robekt 

 J. WiGELSWORTH, Hon. Secretary. 



Entomological Club. — A meeting was held on July 14th last, at 

 27 Hereford Square, S.W., the residence of Mr. Arthur J. Chitty, host 

 and chairman of the evening. Twenty-one sat down to supper, 

 including fourteen visitors and the following members of the Club : — 

 Professor Poulton, Messrs. Adkin, Donisthorpe, Hall, Porritt, and 

 Verrall. 



EECENT LITERATURE. 



Eleanor Ormerod, LL.D., Economic Entomolorjist, Autobiography and 

 Correspondence. Edited by Robert Wallace. Pp. 348. London : 

 John Murray. 1904. 



When, in 1852, Miss Ormerod commenced the study of insects, 

 making beetles her first objects of observation. Entomology was by few 

 taken seriously, and the economic side of the subject was scarcely 

 thought of. It seems to have been in 1868 that Miss Ormerod took 

 up what was practically pioneer work in this phase of insect life, and 

 from that time almost up to her death her intense energy was centred 

 upon it. There are still some who think that the hosts of living things 

 which make up the greater part of the animal kingdom — the insects, 

 that is — are not worthy of serious study. Consequently, we meet 

 occasionally with some one who would belittle the work of the economic 

 entomologist. The honours and distinctions heaped on Miss Ormerod 

 by Universities and other Learned Societies, as related by Mr. Wallace 

 in the delightful work before us, enable us to assess the opinion of 

 such detractors at its proper value. 



Miss Ormerod's delightfully fresh autobiography is followed by a 

 biographical sketch by the Editor, the rest of the volume being occupied 

 with correspondence. At first sight the last division seems dis- 

 proportionate in length to the other two ; but we think the reader 

 will certainly agree with us in finding it by no means too long, 

 especially as by this means we are introduced to very many of the 

 beautiful insect pictures that add so much value to Miss Ormerod's 

 "Annual Reports." The work is, in fact, abundantly illustrated with 

 thirty full-page plates, and eighty-two illustrations in the text. 



In the United States and some other countries the State Entomo- 

 logists are recognized servants of the Government. In our own country 

 — unfortunately, we think — we seem to be behind in this respect. 

 Perhaps it may be thought that agriculture here is in such parlous 

 state as to be almost beyond hope ; but, if this were the case, Science 

 might just possibly help to redeem it. Economic Entomology, however, 

 concerns the allotment-holder and the kitchen-gardener, not to mention 



