30 BRITISH PERIODICAL WORKS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 



originals ; and we are enabled to bear our testimony to their 

 accuracy ; and are convinced that engravings of this kind, tend 

 more to fix the characters of genera on the mind than the most 

 laboured descriptions. 



Mr. Curtis frequently, in his plates of Lepidoptera, gives a 

 figure of the larva, together with the plant on which it feeds : 

 and, unwilling as we are to find fault, we feel we shall not be 

 doing our duty to the public without expressing our disappro- 

 bation of a practice which Mr. Curtis has latterly too frequently 

 adopted ; we mean, that of copying the larvae from the figures 

 of Continental authors, instead of from real British specimens. 

 Mr. Curtis must be thoroughly aware, that the same species 

 varies so much in different climates, as to size, colour, and 

 form, that it would be quite incorrect to figure an exotic speci- 

 men as British, even of an insect decidedly ascertained to be a 

 native : secondly, every one is aware of the great propensity 

 in our Continental neighbours to exaggerate their drawings, 

 both as to size and colour : and, thirdly, Hubner's acknow- 

 ledged cai'elessness about names, must frequently be a cause 

 of error ; and this error thus becomes perpetuated. We feel 

 confident Mr. Curtis's excellent sense will convince him of the 

 validity of these objections, especially when we assure him 

 that many of his subscribers would prefer having no figure of 

 the larva at all, to one copied from a foreign author. The 

 gaudy caterpillars already figured, give to this part of the work 

 a semi-foreign appearance, which deteriorates its value in the 

 eyes of the British Entomologist : we speak not unadvisedly ; 

 we make ourselves the organ of the sentiments of others. 



In future numbers of this magazine, we purpose examining 

 minutely every number of Mr. Curtis's, and all other periodi- 

 cals which may intervene between the appearance of our own 

 numbers ; but it is obvious we cannot suitably infringe on our 

 allotted space for that purpose now, as it is necessary to give 

 a general idea of each work before commencing the more 

 laborious detail. We conclude, by heartily recommending the 

 work before us to the attention and patronage of ever?/ British 

 Entomologist ; and we already have the happiness of knowing 

 that, on the Continent of Europe, it is held in the highest esteem. 



Mr. Stephens's highly valuable work, entitled ^'Illustrations 

 of British E^itomologij,''' was commenced 1st January, 1829, and 



