RECENT LITERATURE. 351 



easy task, even when the respective queens of these species could be 

 distinguished with some certainty. 



The beautiful and very Hfehke figures, together with the descrip- 

 tions, comparisons, &c., furnished by Mr. Sladen in the book under 

 notice, sliould certainly remove most of, if not all, the difficulty con- 

 nected with the satisfactory identification of our humble-bees and 

 usurper-bus. Apart, however, from its utility as an aid to identi- 

 fication, the book is a veritable storehouse of information concerning 

 life-history, habits, parasites, enemies, and many other matters of 

 great interest to the student of Bombi. 



The seventeen species of Bomhus recognized by Mr. Sladen as 

 British are here divided into two main groups : Pollen-storers (eight 

 species), and Pocket-makers (nine species), the latter being again 

 subdivided into Pollen-primers (four species), and Carder Bees (five 

 species). Two species — B. soroensis and B. cullumamts — have only 

 been associated with the pollen-storers because they possess struc- 

 tural affinities with members of that group, the author so far having 

 been unable to study their nests. Six species of the genus Psithyrus 

 are described and also figured on the plates. 



Transactions of the Carlisle Natural History Society. Vol. ii. 

 Pp. 1-256. 1912. 



Among other papers of interest to naturalists in this excellent 

 publication are two which will chiefly appeal to entomologists. These 

 are: " The Lepidoptera of Cumberland, Part ii. (Moths)," by George 

 E. Eoutledge, F.E.S. (pp. 94-183), and " The Coleoptera of Cumber- 

 land, Part ii.," by Frank H. Day, F.E.S. (pp. 201-256). In the 

 instalment of Mr. Eoutledge's list over two hundred and thirty 

 species, belonging to the families Sphingidge to Noctuidte, are entered 

 as found in the county. Mr. Day, dealing only with Haliplidse, 

 Dytiscidee, Hydrophihdse, and StaphylinidaB, records six hundred and 

 seventy species for Cumberland. 



Localities are given in each list, and in that of the Lepidoptera 

 there are references to literature and remarks on variation, &c. 



OBITUARY. 



William Forsell Kirby, F.L.S., F.E.S. 



For a second time this year the ' Entomologist ' appears in 

 mourning, for we have to deplore the loss of yet another of the 

 willing workers who have so materially assisted us on the Eeference 

 Committee of our magazine, William Forsell Kirby. Mr. Kirby, 

 indeed, in retirement as in active harness, proved himself to be one 

 of the most accurate, original, and painstaking of naturalists. Nor 

 was the field of his activities circumscribed within one particular 

 Order ; while, independently of entomological work, he made name 



