OO THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



of the species treated of, and have anxiously awaited the issue of the 

 concluding part, on the assumption that it would contain a specific 

 index that would enable easy reference to any particular species to 

 which it might be desired to refer. But what do we find ? A so-called 

 " General Index to the entire work, including Families, Genera, 

 Species, and Synonyms " ; but as it gives no clue as to what genus a 

 given species may be placed under, one may, as likely as not, have to 

 hunt through many pages in order to find the reference to the species 

 desired, and the value of the work as a book of reference is correspond- 

 ingly depreciated. The blame for this serious omission cannot be laid 

 upon the author. He had a perfect right to adopt any method of 

 classification he pleased, and had he lived to see the completion of his 

 work, would doubtless have taken the necessary means to enable his 

 readers to easily follow him. Nor can Mr. South, who, we are told, 

 has seen the concluding portions of the work through the press, be 

 suspected of so serious an omission ; his methods in such matters are 

 too well known to admit of any such suggestion. Is it too late to 

 hope that the publishers may yet see the error of their ways and be 

 induced to provide a comprehensive specific index, and thus raise this 

 record of the life-work of an able British entomologist to the deserved 

 position of a standard book of reference ? Even if it were issued as 

 an extra part everyone of the original subscribers would, I venture to 

 believe, gladly take it, and the influence that it would have upon the 

 stock still remaining in the publisher's hands must be manifest. — 

 Bobert Adkin ; Lewisham, March, 1907. 



Erratum. — Page 66, line 5, for " vol. xii." read " vol. vii." 



CAPTUBES AND FIELD BEPORTS. 



Nyctibora holosericea — A very perfect specimen of this fine cock- 

 roach was taken on Feb. 28th, 1907, on a fruit-stall in Mansfield 

 Market-place, and was presented to me by the stall-keeper ; it is now 

 in my collection. I think most probably it was introduced with 

 bananas. In the January number of the ' Entomologist ' for 1900 a 

 good illustration of the insect is given. Mr. Lucas remarks that it is 

 covered with a yellowish pubescence, which gives it the appearance, in 

 some lights, of being phosphorescent, and that is a very good descrip- 

 tion of it. I only commenced to collect the cockroaches in 1906, but 

 have already obtained the under-mentioned species locally : — P. ger- 

 mamca, B. orientalis, F. americana, P. australasice, and N. holosericea, 

 and the green cockroach. — William Daws ; 39, New Wood Street, 

 Mansfield, Notts. 



Prodenia littoralis. — A specimen of this moth was attracted by 

 the light in my brother's house at Quorn, in Leicestershire, and was 

 secured by him ; but, I am sorry to say, it was damaged in the capture. 

 As he was not collecting at the time, he kindly gave the specimen to 

 me. I do not know the exact date of capture, but it was some time 

 in September, 1906, possibly imported in some stage with tomatoes. 

 Is this moth double-brooded ? Usually the imago appears in March 

 and April. — William Daws. 



