116 Analytical Nolices* 



ANALYTICAL NOTICES. 



BRITISH ENTOMOLOGY, or Illustrations and Descrip- 

 tions of the Genera of Insects^ found in Great Britain and 

 Ireland ; containing coloured Jigures from Nature of the 

 most rare and beautiful species, and of the Plants upon 

 which they are found. By John Curtis, F. L. S. 



The first numbers of this interesting and useful work have just 

 made their appearance. We are not at ail disposed to withhold 

 the due proportion of approbation which we think it merits ; but 

 tve must take the liberty of throwing out a hint or two, by attend- 

 ing to which the author is, in our opinion, more likely to ensure 

 the success of his work, than he is by carrying it oil in the 

 same style as the first numbers. We do not complain of the 

 execution of this work, for we think that the Entomological part 

 of it is very elegant and we believe it to be very correct, and 

 highly deserving of our warmest praise ; but we are far from 

 agreeing with the author in his assertion that " a knowledge of 

 botany is absolutely^necessary in order to be able to collect insects 

 with complete success;" on the contrary we think that a general 

 acquaintance with the usual plants of the country is all that an 

 Entomologist requires ; he does not need, nor are the drawings of 

 plants given in this M^ork sufficient to convey to him, correct bota- 

 nical knowledge; wherefore we think the author would do better 

 to confine himself to the entomological part of the work and to 

 make that as complete as possible, and not to waste his own time 

 and talent, and his subscriber's cash on those parts (hat are really 

 useless, because in themselves incomplete ; the British plants being 

 already well known, and a knowledge of them much better attain- 

 ed from standard works, already in the hands of most scientific 

 persons. 



