RECENT LITERATURE. 231 



Type Species of the Genera of Ichneumon Flies. By Henry L. 

 ViERECK. Pp. 1-186. Washington Government Printing 

 Office. 1914. (Smithsonian Institution, United States National 

 Museum, Bulletin 83.) 



Fixing the type of a genus is often a difficult business, but when 

 the type of each of some two thousand genera has to be ascertained 

 the task becomes almost herculean, and the warmest thanks of 

 entomologists are due to those who devote their time and ability to 

 such labours. 



This catalogue, which is alphabetical in arrangement, deals with 

 the Ichneumonidae of the world. Genotypes are designated where 

 this important matter had not been previously made clear by the 

 founder of the genus, or a type selected by a later writer. A very 

 large number of genera are monobasic, the term used to express a 

 genus based on a single species. 



Common British Beetles. By Eev. Charles A. Hall, F.E.M.S. 

 Containing 28 Illustrations, viz. : 8 full-page plates in colour, 

 15 in black and white from photographs, 5 drawings in the 

 text. Pp. i-viii and 1-88. London : Adam & Charles Black. 

 1914. 



This is one of a series of very inexpensive volumes entitled 

 " Peeps at Nature," published by Messrs. Black, and edited by the Eev. 

 C. A. Hall. It is excellent in every way, and the hope expressed by 

 the author that it " will be the means of arousing a more general 

 interest in beetles " is one which we cordially endorse and trust will 

 be fully realised. 



The plates, both coloured and plain, are surprisingly good for this 

 class of work, and the species selected for figuring just those that 

 are most likely to come under the notice of the nature student. The 

 text is admirable, the author having been careful to be not only 

 accurate but also entertaining. 



Transactions of the City of London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society for the years 1912 and 1913. Pp.66. Plates 

 i.-vii. The Society, Hall 20, Salisbury House, Finsbury Circus, 

 London, B.C. 1914. 



In addition to Eeports of Field and Ordinary Meetings, there are 

 several papers of interest in this volume, among which " Notes on 

 Cceno7iympha p)amphikis," by Mr. Harold B. Williams; "Notes on 

 Thera variata (Schiff.) and T. oheliscata (Hb.)," by Mr. L. B. Prout; 

 and " Some Lycaenid Notes, with a Discussion of the Segmentation of 

 the Abdomen in Lepidoptera," by Dr. Chapman, may be specially 

 mentioned. Six of the plates representing genitalia and androconia 

 are from photographs by Messrs. F. N. Clark and A. E. Tonge. 



It may be noted here that this Society will in future be known as 

 the London Natural History Society, with which the late North 

 London Natural History Society is also incorporated. 



