332 Bibliographical Notices. 



JRhopalocera Exotica ; heing Illustrations of New, Rare, and Un- 

 Jigured Species of Butterjlies. By H. Grose Smith and "W. F. 

 KiRBT. Yol, I. London : Gurney and Jackson, 1887-1892. 



The completion of the first volume of this work affords a fitting 

 opportunity for a brief notice of it. The work, as mentioned by 

 the authors in their preface, is in effect a continuation of tlie weU- 

 known ' Exotic Butterflies ' of the late Mr. W. C. Hewitson, which 

 closed with the completion of the fifth volume in 1876, and, like 

 that book, has made its appearance regularly in parts published 

 quarterly. 



Mr, Grose Smith's magnificent collection of Ehopalocera is well 

 known to lepidopterists, and is constantly receiving important 

 accessions from all parts of the globe ; and it is greatly to his 

 credit that he perseveres in making these numerous new and rare 

 forms known to entomologists by means of such excellent coloured 

 figures as those which adorn this sumptuous publication. 



The volume before us contains no fewer than sixty hand-coloured 

 plates, depicting 186 species. Both the upper and under surfaces 

 are invariably given ; and, as the figures represent the butterflies 

 naturally — that is to say with the full expanse of the upperside 

 and also with folded wings as when the insect is settled — both 

 the dorsal and lateral aspects of the head and body are shown, as 

 well as the wings, a point of no little importance to a student of 

 the group, but one which the economical and convenient modern 

 plan of exhibiting the butterflies asymmetrically, half upperside 

 and half underside, entirely excludes. The figures generally are 

 most accurate and characteristic, and the colouring is throughout 

 of unusual excellence. Especially fine is the rendering of the 

 upper surface of the splendid Morjjho helena, where texture, inter- 

 nervular folds, and shifting glitter of metallic blue tints are delineated 

 with remarkable skill and success. It is of interest to note that three 

 fourthsof these admirable plates were drawn on thestoneby Mrs. Mon- 

 teiro, an enthusiastic collector and student of butterflies, whose recently 

 published work on ' Delagoa Bay ' has made widely known not alone 

 her artistic and literary ability, but also her keen observant powers 

 as a naturalist. All will share the regret expressed by the authors 

 that failing health compelled this accomplished lady to relinquish 

 the artistic work in which she so excelled. 



It is not within the scope or expressed intention of this book to 

 do more than describe and illustrate new or rare species, and it must 

 be admitted that, apart from occasional insufficiency in the descrip- 

 tive part, the object in view has been carried out most effectually. 

 Yet every naturalist cannot but wish for something more than this, 

 something to relieve the baldness and monotony of the text, and to 

 tell him a little of the haunts and habits of the brilliant and delicate 

 creatures so exquisitely portrayed. There can be no doubt that the 

 interest of the work would be vastly increased, as well as its value 

 to zoologists, if, without going into much detail, the brief notes 



